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  • On eBay: Barack Obama’s Chrysler 300C going for $1m

    In Cars, Chrysler, International News / By / / 12 comments

    There’s only one reason for the presidential price tag on this 2005 Chrysler 300C – it was used by US President Barack Obama! Put up on eBay by one “cubfanatic23″ for US$1,000,000, this 300C was said to be used by Obama when he was Illinois State Senator, before he occupied the White House.

    The seller says that he has the original Illinois title showing this Chrysler (VIN #:2C3AA63H55H174644) was actually used by Obama. The 300C was transferred to Obama on 13 July 2004 when the vehicle had two miles on it. He then put over 19,000 miles on the clock.

    The seller presumes that the 19k miles included many highway miles back and forth from Chicago to Springfield. Obama won election to the US Senate in November 2004 and could have driven the car between Washington D.C. and Chicago in 2005/2006.

    Apparently, Obama received negative media attention regarding his choice of car – a heavy drinking V8 Hemi machine. So the man boosted his green credentials and traded it in for a friendlier Ford Escape Hybrid in 2007.

    Mr Seller reminds punters that this is not a joke, nor is the $1m asking price. He points out that President of Iran Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s 1977 Peugeot 504 fetched £1.5million at an auction, and a 1975 Ford Escort GL once owned by Pope John Paul II sold for $690,000 to a Houston multimillionaire.

    Interested? You have just over five days left to make a move! :)

     

  • Chrysler planning to set up ASEAN manufacturing base

    In Cars, Chrysler, Dodge, International News, Jeep / By / / 12 comments

    Amidst our reports filtering in from the 19th International Indonesia Motor Show (IIMS) at the Jakarta International Expo in Kemayoran, Jakarta, some news about Chrysler’s rapidly growing presence in the country and how, spurred by this, it has plans to set up a manufacturing plant in the ASEAN region.

    Reports have it that Chrysler Indonesia is set to launch new Chrysler, Jeep and Dodge models at the show, including a Jeep 70th Anniversary edition. PT Garansindo Inter Global, Chrysler’s authorised distributor in the country, will also launch Mopar, which handles accessories and parts designed specifically for the three marques.

    Since its reentry into the country a year ago, sales of Chrysler vehicles have been steadily climbing, and the company is expecting to meet its sales target of 700 cars this year. At point of entry last July, six variants from the three brands were slated to be sold in Indonesia, these being the Chrysler 300C and Cabriolet Sebring, the Dodge Journey as well as the Jeep Wrangler Sahara, Wrangler Rubicon and Patriot, all CBU units.

    Jeep seems to be doing particularly well – a year on, it has contributed 70% of the company’s total sales, with the Wrangler leading the way for Jeep, with 70% of sales.

    The reports add that Garansindo, which currently has five dealers in Jakarta, Surabaya and Bali, is aiming for some serious expansion, targeting to open no less than 23 Chrysler, Jeep and Dodge dealers across the country, including Sumatra, Kalimantan and eastern Indonesia by 2013, and will spend up to US$100 million for expansion.

    And with Chrysler already having a sales network in the Philippines, Singapore, Brunei, and Vietnam, the company looks like it’s definitely aiming for bigger, with an eye to assembly and manufacturing in the region.

    Chrysler’s Asia Pacific Operations CEO John Kett was quoted as saying that while the company’s focus was to reestablish its presence in the Indonesian market, there were plans for the company to set up a manufacturing plant in Southeast Asia, though it had yet to decide which country it would be built in.

    “To develop an industrial base in the region is our priority, but whether it’s in Indonesia (or another country) is a separate discussion,” Kett told reporters. Given the increasing levels of activity happening there, it’s probably safe to assume Indonesia will be it, with the Wrangler being the first to go CKD, joined perhaps by the Patriot.

     

  • More Lancia-Chryslers: Grand Voyager, Flavia announced

    In Cars, Chrysler, International News, Lancia / By / / 8 comments


    Click to enlarge

    We showed you the Lancia Thema in the previous post, which is essentially a Chrysler 300 with an Italian name, and here are the other members of the new Chrysler based Lancia range of cars. Meet the Lancia Grand Voyager and the Lancia Flavia sedan and convertible.

    Like the Thema, these “new Lancias” are largely unchanged from the American cars they were based on, and in the case of the MPV, Lancia didn’t even bother changing its name! The Voyager has been a mainstay in the segment for 27 years now, selling thirteen million units in 120 countries in the process, so perhaps that’s why Lancia isn’t changing its identity. The Grand Voyager replaces Lancia’s previous MPV, Phedra, which is a twin of the Citroen C8 and Fiat Ulysse.


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    Called the Chrysler Town & Country in America, the current Grand Voyager is 5.14 metres long and 1.99 m wide, so it’s a huge box that’s even bigger than a Hyundai Starex. Main features include Stow ‘n Go seats in 2-2-3 formation and electric tailgate and sliding doors. It’s a Lancia so interior trim is more luxurious than if it was a Chrysler. The Grand Voyager is be powered by a Euro 5 rated 2.8L CRD engine with 163 hp/360 Nm or a 283 hp 3.6 V6 petrol.


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    Also converted is the Chrysler 200 sedan and convertible, which will be called the Lancia Flavia, reviving a nameplate from the 1960s. This younger brother to the Chrysler 300 is a revamped Sebring with a new name, in hope that it will offer better challenge to mid-sized stalwarts like the Camry and Accord. The 200 Convertible was unveiled last month. It’s a four-seater with the choice of a retractable hard top or a cloth soft top.

    Those who remember the old days where Lancias were beautiful, exotic and race winning will cringe at the sight of these. I’ve unearthed something and would like to share it with you. Look out for it after the jump.
    Read more ›

     

  • Chrysler 300 to debut in Geneva as the Lancia Thema

    In Cars, Chrysler, International News, Lancia / By / / 7 comments


    Click to enlarge

    We’ve known since mid last year that Lancia will sell rebadged Chryslers after Fiat bought a stake in the American company. The Lancia Delta appeared at last year’s Detroit show as a Chrysler and the upcoming Geneva show will see the just revamped Chrysler 300 show up in Switzerland as a Lancia, the new Lancia Thema to be exact.

    This revives the Thema nameplate, which Lancia used for its big saloon in the 80s. If the original Thema was famous for having a version that used a Ferrari V8 engine, today’s Thema will be motivated by less exciting powerplants. There will be three V6 options – Chrysler’s 292 hp/353 Nm 3.6L Pentastar V6 with an 8-speed automatic ‘box and two 3.0L diesels (190 or 224 hp) with a 5-speed auto. All are Euro 5 compliant.

    The petrol has the best performance figures – top speed of 230 km/h and 0-100 km/h in 7.2 seconds – but the Italian VM supplied oil burners will be more popular in Europe, especially the higher powered version with 550 Nm from 1,600-2,800 rpm.

    Lancia focuses on style and luxury these days, so their 300 will get an option of Nappa leather and a Poltrona Frau leather-covered dashboard, as well as real wood inserts on the centre console, panels, doors and steering wheel. The seats feature four-way lumbar adjustment with up/down and front/back direction actuators and density adjuster plus S-shaped “serpentine spring suspension”. Best in class cabin isolation is also talked about. The two trim levels are called Gold and Platinum.

    The Thema will go on sale from October 2011 in Europe. Click here to see the donor Chrysler.

     

  • Chrysler 200 Convertible joins the line-up

    In Cars, Chrysler, International News / By / / 4 comments

    Chrysler’s new 200 sedan was announced a few months back, and now the drop-top sibling has been unveiled – the 200 Convertible will take over the slot from the outgoing third-generation Sebring, which arrived in the market a year later than its sedan counterpart, in 2008.

    Much of the 200 sedan is carried over to the convertible, which is available in two automatic roof forms – a body-coloured steel, retractable hard top or a cloth soft top, with operation controllable via the key fob button.

    Among the novelties to be found in the interior is a media centre with voice command, SIRIUS Satellite Radio and a 30GB HDD/CD/DVD/MP3 radio with SIRIUS Travel Link, which provides real-time information.

    Like the sedan, the convertible will be available in 2.4 litre four-cylinder World Gas Engine or 3.6 litre Pentastar V6 guise, with both options mated to a six-speed transmission. Chrysler says that attention has been paid to the ride and handling, and virtually every part of the suspension has been retuned or redesigned, including 22 of 28 suspension bushings.

    The 200 Convertible will be available in three different configurations in its primary market, the US, these being the Touring, Limited and S models.

    Gallery after the jump.
    Read more ›

     

  • Detroit 2011: New Chrysler 300 leaves his grille behind!

    In Cars, Chrysler, International News / By / / 4 comments

    Six years after the Chrysler 300 made its debut, the “gangsta style” chrome laden full sized sedan is one of the most recognisable American car shapes around. So it made sense that when coming up with the new 2011 model, Chrysler stuck to the same formula, although it’s sleeker and more current looking now.

    The most obvious departure is the previous car’s trademark “Heritage” egg crate grille (still available as an option), replaced by one with seven chrome blades. Flanking this new nose are fancy headlights that incorporate C-shaped LED daytime running lamps.

    Seen from the side, the 300 retains the distinctive proportions of its predecessor “with added design refinement for a more tailored appearance”, Chrysler says. The windshield has been raked back by three inches, while thinner pillars improve outward visibility by 15%.

    Like before, there aren’t many elements in the rear design, which now features an integrated deck-lid lip spoiler with the new Chrysler wing emblem sitting below. The lamps are LEDs, with a chrome splitter in the middle. There are big pipes, one on each side.

    Two engines are available – a 3.6L Pentastar V6 engine with 292 hp/353 Nm and a 363 hp 5.7-litre HEMI V8 with Fuel Saver Technology. FST allows the V8 to run on four cylinders on light loads, saving up to 20% fuel in the process. When it’s not in fuel saver mode, the HEMI is capable of hauling the 300 from 0-60 mph (0-92 km/h) in less than 6 seconds.

    There’s an AWD model that features a segment-exclusive active transfer case and front-axle disconnect system to improve economy by up to 5%, meaning it’s on demand and is rear-driven by default.

    Like the Buick Verano we showed you earlier, the new 300 is claimed to be a silent master. The material and structural design improvements include two premium-composite underbody panels that provide more than eight feet of acoustic insulation, dual-pane acoustic windshield and front-door side glass, body-cavity silencing foam, under-flush rolled-framed doors with triple seals and acoustic wheel-well liners.

    The all new cabin gets Nappa leather seats and real wood trim, but all eyes will first look to the prominent centre stack, which houses Uconnect Touch 8.4. One can access integrated Garmin navigation, SIRIUS Travel Link with real-time fuel prices, movie listings, sports updates and weather via the 8.4-inch touchscreen display. Not all will like the cabin’s Sapphire Blue ambient interior lighting though.

    Gallery after the jump.
    Read more ›

     

  • Camry challenging Chrysler 200 mid-sized sedan unveiled

    In Cars, Chrysler, International News / By / / 29 comments

    Chrysler has unveiled its new mid-sized challenger to rival the Camry, Accord and Chevy Malibu. Named 200, this younger brother to the 300 kills off the Sebring nameplate and will go on sale as a 2011 model. Fiat now owns Chrysler, but the Sterling Heights, Michigan built 200 isn’t a reskinned Italian car.

    Described as a car that appeals to “customers that want style and substance, all at a surprising value”, the 200 is based on the third-gen Sebring, which made its debut in 2007, but with heavily revised styling that makes it appear much more handsome than before.

    New bits include front and rear fascias and fenders, grille featuring the new Chrysler winged badge, hood, rear decklid and exterior mirrors, new projector headlamps and fog lamps, new LED taillamps and a LED centre high-mounted stop light. The rear end clearly apes the Jaguar XF.

    The 200 will be powered by the 2.4-litre four-pot “World Engine” mated to either a four-speed or six-speed automatic gearbox. The V6 option is filled by the company’s 3.6-litre Pentastar engine mated to a six-speed auto.

    Chrysler says that ride and handling has been improved thanks to stiffened body mounts and a softer ride rate, improved suspension geometry with a raised roll centre and a new rear sway bar. NVH has been “extensively upgraded” from the old car as well.

    The cabin has been upgraded too, but there are no images to see where and how. Gallery after the jump.
    Read more ›

     

  • Fiat looking to offload Ferrari shares to purchase more stake in Chrysler?

    In Cars, Chrysler, Ferrari, Fiat, International News / By / / 8 comments

    Reports from an Italian publication have come in stating that Fiat is considering selling-off a partial stake in Ferrari to raise funds for a takeover of fledgling Chrysler. Fiat has a 20 percent stake in the US automaker, while it owns 85 percent of the Ferrari brand. Fiats are supposedly ready to sell quite a sum of its shares, as long as it retains a 51 percent majority balance of the shares.

    Fiat already have plans to increase that 20 percent to 35, but money from Ferrari would allow the Italian automaker to purchase a controlling stake of 51 percent from Chrysler. Industry analysts state that Fiat plan to do this sometime in 2011 or 2012.

    Fiat has denied all of these reports so at this point it’s all speculation. It also contradicts with a previous statement by Fiat CEO Sergio Marchionne that they are planning to take their share in Ferrari up to 90 percent.

     

  • Lancia brand to carry rebadged Chrysler cars in Europe

    In Cars, Chrysler, International News, Lancia / By / / 26 comments

    This is the Lancia Delta HF Integrale, which was just recently announced as the “greatest hot hatch of all time” according to a vote participated by over 3,500 Autocar UK readers. The Delta HF Integrale garnered 14.3% of votes, almost double that of its nearest challenger, the Peugeot 205 GTi, followed by the original Ford Focus RS with 7.7% of the votes.

    It’s sad that in today’s times neither Peugeot or Lancia are known for their hot hatches anymore. In fact Lancia has been reduced to a brand that sells what’s basically Fiats with sometimes slightly longer wheelbases and slightly better trim.

    And the latest news is that the Lancia brand will basically be used to sell rebadged Chryslers in Europe, with the Chrysler brand being officially pulled out of the continent, except for UK and Ireland where Lancia has not been sold since 1991, so the Chrysler badge will remain in those two countries. It’s going to be a strange situation similar to that of Vauxhall and Opel where a set of cars will be sold as Opels all around Europe except for UK where they’re sold as Vauxhalls.

    Chrysler cars that will get a new Lancia badge soon include the next generation PT Cruiser and Sebring replacements, the current generation Chrysler 300C and an updated Chrysler Voyager, which is sold in the US as the Chrysler Town & Country.

     

  • Chrysler’s new Pentastar V6 arrives… finally

    In Cars, Chrysler, International News / By / / 3 comments

    As far as I know there have been three auto-related projects with the name ‘Phoenix’ so far. First and most important to us Malaysians is of course, Proton’s new engine range which will include a turbocharged variant. And then we have Mitsubishi’s Project Phoenix which was supposed to be a detailed plan to close Mitsubishi’s last plant in Australia. And then of course we have Chrysler’s Phoenix engine, now officially known as the Pentastar V6. Quite a popular name isn’t it? But none of these auto projects have anything to do with each other, especially Proton’s and Chrysler’s.

    Chrysler claims the new Pentastar V6 is the most advanced V-6 engine in the company’s history, but is that really surprising considering pushrod V6 engines are still in use in the company’s fleet? It will replace as many as 7 current Chrysler V6 engines used in the group’s cars. The first application of this engine will be in the all-new Jeep Grand Cherokee, due out Q2 this year. More variants with better tech like Fiat Multi-Air, direct injection and turbocharging will come later in order for it to replace larger engines.

    But for now what we have is a 3.6 litre normally aspirated V6 which makes 290 horsepower at 6,350rpm and 353Nm of torque at 4,300rpm, which represents an increase of 38 percent in horsepower and 11 percent in torque over its predecessor while providing an 11 percent fuel economy improvement.

    It’s a twin cam engine with a high-pressure die-cast aluminum cylinder block in a 60-degree configuration and a redline of 7,200rpm. 90% of its peak torque (over 300Nm) is available between 1,800 to 6,350 rpm, which is pretty good and it’s also E85 flexfuel capable. This engine will also be used by larger Alfa Romeos and Lancias.

     
 
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