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Filed under: Supercars , Chrysler, LLC. , Dodge Click above for high-res gallery of the Dodge Viper ACR The Dodge Viper has been Chrysler's halo car since it was introduced back in 1992, but times are tough. Faced with the fact that it might not be able to continue making the brutish sports car, the Auburn Hills-based automaker is reportedly considering doing something that's never been done before by a domestic automaker (as for as we know): selling the Viper's future to a third party. Automotive News quotes Chrysler CEO Bob Nardelli saying, "We have been approached by third parties who are interested in exploring future possibilities for Viper." Nardelli claims that whatever happens, his company will work to make sure the best interests of Viper fanboys are served and that Chrysler would continue to offer "operational and financial" support for the car if a transaction takes place. We're honestly a little stunned that Chrysler would consider such a...
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Filed under: Concept Cars , Time Warp , Convertibles , Sports/GTs , Chrysler , Dodge Click image above for high-res gallery of pics of this new 'Cuda Convertible Concept var digg_url = 'http://digg.com/autos/Chrysler_Cuda_Convertible_Concept_shows_up_at_Cars_Coffee'; Maybe the 'Cuda is alive after all. While we have speculated about the existence of one ever since we first heard a hint of the SEMA show car from last year, all we've had to work with since are rumors and sketches of what might be. Well, today at the weekly Cars and Coffee show in Irvine, a genuine 'Cuda Concept was parked right in the midst of everything. A convertible nonetheless. It just sat there with only a few people really spotting it for what it was. Considering that real original '70s 'Cudas are plentiful at this show and that several Challenger SRT-8s have already made appearances, it doesn't seem surprising that people might not spot this concept immediately. The surprising part...
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Filed under: Car Buying , Coupes , Sports/GTs , Chrysler , Dodge click above for high-res gallery of the 2009 Dodge Challenger SE and R/T Back in April we reported a top Chrysler executive had leaked to The Detroit Free Press that the 2009 Dodge Challenger SE would start at $23,995. Apparently this executive is not very much in the loop, as Dodge officially announced today that the base model Challenger SE would start at just $21,995, which includes $675 for destination charges. Just to refresh your noodle, the Challenger SE is the base model and comes with a 3.5L V6 producing 250 horsepower and 250 pound-feet of torque. And for comparison's sake, a 2008 Ford Mustang V6 starts at $19,650, though that's excluding destination charges. The next best Challenger is the R/T model, which Dodge says can be had with a 370-hp 5.7L HEMI V8 starting at $29,995. Finally, the 2009 Dodge Challenger SRT8 that's already been on sale for a year will get a hefty $2,000 bump in its starting price...
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Filed under: Chrysler The Detroit Free Press is reporting via the Financial Times that Cerberus Capital Management has sold more than 50% of its stake in Chrysler LLC and GMAC LLC to a group of around 90 investors. The Freep reports that the investment firm earned up to $1 billion for selling parts of its stake in both companies. Cerberus bought a controlling stake in GM's financial unit back in April of 2006 for $14 billion and bought up Chrysler from Daimler in May of 2007 for $7.4 billion. Automotive News actually got in touch with a senior Chrysler official today, however, who said bluntly, "Cerberus has not sold any equity in Chrysler." What may be causing the confusion is that when Cerberus bought up 80.1% of Chrysler, it had already aligned itself with co-investors. These 90 investors may have been involved in the transaction from the beginning and own a stake in Cerberus' stake of Chrysler and GMAC. The $1 billion, meanwhile, would then be what Cerberus earned...
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Filed under: Motorsports , Coupes , Sports/GTs , Chrysler , Dodge Click above to see what the Vanishing Point Challenger looked like before The Chrysler employees who entered the prototype Dodge Challenger in this year's One Lap of America may have taken the car's Vanishing Point theme a bit too seriously. Just like in the classic film, the stark white Challenger came face to face with a solid object. The car met its demise in Round 2's time trial event at Road America after getting loose through turn 1. It then left the track and came to a stop perched atop a tire-wall. This course of events departs slightly from the original movie plot, where the Challenger did not meet its destructive fate until the final frames. The film version also somehow managed to survive its own slew of off road adventures without much harm, proving that Hollywood doesn't necessarily mimic real life. Fortunately the Challenger driver, Erich Heuschele, came away from his off track excursion unscathed...
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Filed under: Economy , Trucks/Pickups , Plants/Manufacturing , Chrysler , Nissan Following the announcement this past January that Nissan would be supplying Chrysler with a new car based of the Versa's platform, the two automakers announced today that more exchange is on the horizon, including a new small car for Chrysler and a Dodge-based pickup for Nissan. The unnamed small car will be built by Nissan in Japan utilizing a Chrysler design and will be sold in North America, Europe and other markets in 2010. On the other side of the spectrum, Chrysler will build a full-size pick-up for Nissan that will share design cues with the rest of the Nissan line and be built at Chrysler's Saltillo Assembly Plant in Mexico. Sales of the pick-up will begin in North America in 2011. The move is part of an effort by both automakers to utilize each other's global manufacturing facilities and finally gets Carlos Ghosn, Nissan's CEO, the American automaker partnership he's been looking...
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Filed under: New York Auto Show , Coupes , Chrysler , Dodge Click above to view high-res gallery of the Dodge Challenger R/T var digg_url = 'http://digg.com/autos/Dodge_rolls_out_rest_of_Challenger_line_up_in_New_York'; The Dodge Challenger SRT8 has graced the cover of just about every major automotive rag these past couple months, and muscle car-loving Baby-Boomers are emptying their 401Ks for the chance to own one. If your budget can't take the blow of a $40,000 coupe, however, the folks at Chrysler have debuted a couple more models at the 2008 New York Auto Show that will cost quite a bit less. The Challenger R/T will take the stage later today in NYC and it offers a good portion of the SRT8's power, as well as nearly every design cue seen on its more expensive big brother. Dodge is also unveiling the base SE model (right) for those who want a good looking RWD coupe on a budget. Since the SRT model was unveiled at the Chicago Auto Show over a month ago, we already know...
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Filed under: Supercars , Chrysler , Dodge click above to view more high-res shots of the 2008 Dodge Viper SRT10 According to Jalopnik , yes. We reported yesterday that as a part of Project Genesis , Chrysler was planning to cut more models in addition to the PT Cruiser Convertible, Pacifica, Crossfire and Magnum . Jalopnik is reporting that, according to several of its sources, the decision has already been made that the Dodge Viper SRT10 will be cancelled, as well. The decision was reportedly made after Cerberus took control of Chrysler and was not part of the automaker's future product plans prior to its split with Daimler. While the current 2008 Dodge Viper SRT10 just received an update for 2008 that includes a new version of its iconic V10 engine capable of producing 600 horsepower and a track-ready ACR model , it was only ever meant to be on the market for another two years until the fully redesigned next-gen Viper bowed. Since that's reportedly not going to happen, the Viper...
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Filed under: Chicago Auto Show , Spy Photos , Coupes , Sports/GTs , Chrysler , Dodge var digg_url = 'http://digg.com/autos/Dodge_Challenger_likes_to_go_naked_in_the_rain_PICS'; Autoblog reader Ray O'Connor happened upon an undisguised Dodge Challenger on his way to work in the Detroit area and managed to snap a photo of it from behind the wheel. At first, we wondered whether the HEMI orange car pictured was simply the concept car out and about, because it has been known to traverse public roads before. Neither the ducktail spoiler on the trunklid nor the taillamp design shown on this car are features of the concept, however, so we're guessing one of the preproduction cars was stretching its legs a bit. Or maybe Chrysler's taking a page from GM and, like the Camaro, has decided to just get rid of the camo altogether . In any case, the car will finally be revealed to the world next month in Chicago, and we'll be there, as always, to cover it. Thanks, Ray! Gallery:...
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Filed under: Hirings/Firings , Chrysler For as long as this young blog can remember, Jason Vines has been the official voice of Chrysler. Though he began at Chrysler back in 1983, Vines' professional career has seen him receive paychecks at both Nissan and Ford before returning to Chrysler in 2003 to become Vice President-Communications. Little did Vines know that he'd be on the front lines when this whole blog phenomenon hit the big time and the face of automotive journalism began to change. He's had to endure embargo breaks, late night confirmation calls and the unique personalities that exist within our cottage Web 2.0 industry for the past four years. At the end of December, however, Vines will have to deal with it no more as Chrysler has just announced his resignation, effective immediately. It appears as if his parting is on friendly terms, as Vines will stay on through the end of the month to help his replacement, Nancy Rae, formerly Senior Vice President-Human Resources...
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Filed under: Chrysler , UAW/Unions var digg_url = 'http://digg.com/business_finance/UAW_Chrysler_strike_begins'; Here we go again. CNN is showing live video of UAW workers walking off the job at Chrysler various plants across the country. Both the Detroit Free Press and The Detroit News are also confirming that an agreement has not been reached and the strike has begun. We'll bring you more updates throughout the day as they happen. The UAW strike against Chrysler involves around 49,000 people, compared to the some 73,000 union workers involved in the strike against General Motors last month. Twenty-four Chrysler plants across the nation are involved in the strike, though according to the Detroit Free Press, one plant in Toledo is not covered by the national agreement and it's not known if those workers will join the strike. Chrysler's famously large inventory of vehicles could finally work in its favor during the strike. Though around 3,000 cars per day will go unbuilt at first, the automaker...
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Filed under: Etc. , Chrysler var digg_url = 'http://digg.com/business_finance/BREAKING_Jim_Press_leaves_Toyota_for_Chrysler'; Despite recently renewing his contract with Chrysler, it's looking more and more like Tom LaSorda's days at the automaker are...
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