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03/16/2008, 8:50 PM

Chrysler News

Chrysler to keep lineup fresh through continual improvements

While the past few years have been difficult times for the Big Three, the last decade has been a particularly tough stretch for Chrysler. The Michigan-based automaker’s sales have been hurt by an SUV and truck-heavy lineup and its interiors have been criticized for being substandard, but Chrysler believes it has a way to bolster sales in the short term.

Instead of waiting for the typical mid-cycle refresh to make improvements to its vehicles, Chrysler will add improvements as they become available.

Chrysler just launched its brand-new line of minivans last year — the Dodge Grand Caravan and Chrysler Town and Country — but will add several new features to the 2009 models. Some of the improvements will include a new backseat entertainment system, blind-spot warning system and a new back up monitoring system. By year’s end, Chrysler also hopes to have a wireless internet option available through its Mopar division.

The 2009 Dodge Charger and Chrysler 300 are also slated to get new technology. According to The Detroit News, both cars will be available with a new all-wheel drive system for 2009 that gets the same fuel economy as the two-wheel drive models.

While it remains to be seen if the improvements on the fly will help sales, it’s at least a step in the right direction until Chrysler’s crop of new, more refined small cars hit the market.

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03/16, 9:02 PM

posted by:

400horseSS

3 years behind GM, way to go DCX.

03/16, 9:54 PM

posted by:

carbonsigma

If the improvements are added continually, then when would you buy the car? So you buy it, and then next week they improve it further?

03/16, 10:31 PM

posted by:

tripleonefive

and Gm is 10 -20 years behind the Japanese so whats your point gas guzzler SS??

03/16, 11:10 PM

posted by:

400horseSS

TripppinonAcid5 who said Japan was the benchmark for interiors i thought it was the Germans especially Audi wich many Jap jock riding mag say GM’s look like, and to piss you off further i get 13mpg and live a mile from work so gas prices dont affect me at all, now i’ll let everybody else smash you now.

03/16, 11:39 PM

posted by:

bigp

thats an step in the right direction go chrysler go

03/16, 11:42 PM

posted by:

A4

so theyre going to add technology to their top sellers! how bout all the garbage on the lot?

03/16, 11:43 PM

posted by:

A4

jap interiors are garbage and bland, give me a volkswagen or a new GM interior anyday.

03/17, 12:09 AM

posted by:

buytheredcar

GM interiors are inferior.
A Corolla’s interior is better made than a Corvette’s
Come on people….
Audi’s interiors are indeed gorgeous but Audis arent exactly
cheap cars.

03/17, 3:57 AM

posted by:

Classic-auto

Well I still like some of Chrysler’s car line up. If I did not support GM as much as I do, I would of got a 2004 Dodge Charger or Chrysler 300 instead of the 2004 Chevy Impala SS, but still I hope Chrysler can make it.

Did i see that right. Someone says a Toyonda Corolla has better interior than a Corvette. All i have to say is. Go sit in one or test drive a Corvette C6 or Z06 befor you can say that, and if you already have well then i have to respect your different tastes in cars and interior. Eveyone has different likes and dislikes.

03/17, 4:14 AM

posted by:

bolex

good for chrysler, shows effort. cant wait to see a full blown turnaround..i hope.

03/17, 6:28 AM

posted by:

CleanGTO

400horseSS–high five. Tripleonefive–that is a ludicrous statement. Step away from the keyboard before further embarrassing yourself the rice lovers on the forum.

03/17, 6:37 AM

posted by:

RicardoHead

Keep their line-up fresh? Who the hell wants to keep turds fresh?

03/17, 6:49 AM

posted by:

howsmydriving

More choice can be only a good thing for consumers — let’s hope Chrysler makes it, but without further Jimmy Carter-style bail outs.

03/17, 7:22 AM

posted by:

livelyjay

I wish they would just give up and close shop. Not enough people buy their POS cars/vans to warrant them to stay in business.

03/17, 7:42 AM

posted by:

sunshine1810

I despise the American automobile manufacturers but Chrysler is the absolute worst of the major 3 in the United States. I think GM and Ford while they make hideous cars have started making better cars. They also sell good cars but ironically not for the Unites States market. Chrysler’s only two good cars are the Challenger and Viper and the Viper isn’t that great nor is the interior on the Challenger. The new Chrysler minivans are a disgrace. Chrysler needs to reinvent itself by scrapping all their models for brand new models and in time bring back old nameplates.

03/17, 8:11 AM

posted by:

1c3d0g

tripleonefive: that’s the most retarded comment I’ve seen on this forum yet. Congrats, you win the village idiot award.

This is a step in the right direction, Chrysler. The fuel-efficient AWD sounds interesting, anyone know which OEM manufactures it for them?

03/17, 8:18 AM

posted by:

DeansterTJ

Everything Chrysler makes these days is crusty and DOA, except for the Jeep Wrangler and Grand Cherokee SRT8.

Is there a single fresh desirable product in the lineup since the Wrangler bowed in 2006?

03/17, 8:44 AM

posted by:

Z06ified

“I despise the American automobile manufacturers

Comment by sunshine1810, posted on March17 at 7:42 am ”

You had better not be an American with that comment. If you are an American, you should be ashamed of yourself. Love it or leave it.

03/17, 8:46 AM

posted by:

Z06ified

“Everything Chrysler makes these days is crusty and DOA, except for the Jeep Wrangler and Grand Cherokee SRT8.

Is there a single fresh desirable product in the lineup since the Wrangler bowed in 2006?

Comment by DeansterTJ, posted on March17 at 8:18 am ”

Take a look at the new 2009 Dodge Ram. It’s an impressive machine, and has a really nice interior. An interior I wasn’t aware Chrysler could design.

03/17, 8:57 AM

posted by:

vincentvegas74

You guys do realize that even though Chrysler has been beaten up by the media as of late, they are still number 4 in the World, are the number 2 manufacturer in Canada behind GM but ahead of Ford and Toyota, and have had 18 months of consecutive growth in the Canadian Market.

They have 8 billion dollars in cash, so they are not closing the doors anytime soon, and have been operating off of a manufacturing profit the last few months.

They had 15 Billion in Cash when Mercedes bought them in ‘98, and were the most profitable company at the time. Mercedes raped and pileged the company and now they are on their way to a comeback.

I would say that we are looking at the complete opposite of closing the doors, we are looking at a company that could potentially blow the doors off the competition.

03/17, 11:02 AM

posted by:

E60M5

just drove past a Sebring about 2 hours ago and its ugly. There’s something going on at Chrysler because the cars they’ve been producing lately are just unbeleivably ugly.

03/17, 11:03 AM

posted by:

frylock350

@1115,
Is there a comparable Japanese SUV that isn’t also a gas-guzzler? Oh wait, they don’t even offer a high-performance mid-size BOF SUV.

This ought to irritate you further. I drive a Chevy Suburban 40 miles one way to work, and there’s only one person in it me. That’s right, I use the biggest SUV on sale for a personal commuter vehicle. I average ~21mpg with it. Also the interior in my Suburban is miles ahead of any Japanese SUV interiors, and at the Chicago Auto Show I was able to sit in an A8 (which has the nicest interior period IMO) and it was very similar to my truck.

Side note: How can AWD possibly make the Hemi 300 more efficient? AWD is heavier, more parasitic, etc. I’m actually curious to the engineering they’re using to get better efficiency. Is the efficiency just a new more efficient HEMI or perhaps a better tranny?

03/17, 11:04 AM

posted by:

frylock350

@E60M5,
Other than the LX cars, yeah Chryslers aren’t very pretty. They’re as ugly as Toyota is bland. The two should sit together to figure out a happy medium.

03/17, 11:25 AM

posted by:

tripleonefive

I love how you idiots on this board think that “ganging ” up on me will get me to stop telling the truth.
Im sure you guys on here are used to ganging up on a guy but sorry thats not my thing
The new Maliboo has an interior similar to cars that Honda and Nissan had out 13 years ago! GM is now putting plastics similar to those found in Japanese cars now in a desparate attempt to sell their bull**** vehicles to the public bc most americans arent falling for the “heartbeat of america” crap anymore
GM is better than it was but no where near what it should or could be

03/17, 11:43 AM

posted by:

Pro_Lapse

My retinas have been damaged by being forced to look at Chryslers on this web site.

03/17, 12:53 PM

posted by:

Blakkarr

If you didn’t like Chrysler before you won’t for the foreseeable future.

But if Chrysler develops products with a longer view, as in spend money now to make money few years down the line (Read as start and maintain solid programs that will lead to better more desirable vehicles), listen to customers when we say, “build that”. Two or more million potential buyers can’t be all wrong, and actually improve everything over time.

I’m not to hip on CHRYSLER, but if they can hit a homer or two, I’ll cheer for them again.

03/17, 4:15 PM

posted by:

Classic-auto

I don’t care what anyone says. I have been a GM fan since I was 5 in 1968 and I am still a GM fan with every car i ever bought was a GM. Im not plaining to leave for another car company anytime soon or ever.

03/18, 9:40 AM

posted by:

tripleonefive

GM interiors in there truck were flat and cheap (Fit and finish plastics etc)
Now they have awaken and put some decent interiors in the only issue is that the Japanese already did it in the 90’s lol
21 mpg in your suburban YOU LIE unless you have the hybrid version
It was a pathetic attempt at proving a point and you need to be hung

 
 
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