Dodge/Chrysler News

[MyNeonSaysHi]

Thought it would be a good idea to create a thread with new on-going information about Chrysler and Dodge.

I will start with this:

Reader Spy: Are you the next Dodge Charger SRT8?


2011/2012 Dodge Charger SRT8 prototype
It's no secret that Chrysler is unleashing redesigned versions of the 300 and Dodge Charger sedans this Fall and we've seen numerous images of them prowling the streets of suburban Detroit in recent months. Now another of Autoblog's eagle-eyed readers, Marty M., has dropped us a note to let us know that he had captured what appears to be the new SRT8 version of the Charger.

We're assuming this is the high-output Charger based on the size of the wheels and rear deck appendage, along with the depth of the front air dam. The freshly contoured flanks are visible under the camo, but we can't quite tell if there is a new piece of glass at the trailing edge of the rear doors. The new SRT8 engine is expected to grow from the current 6.1-liters to 6.4-liters with at least 450 horsepower, and shooter Marty tells us it sounds very much how a big V8 ought to. It isn't known if the high-performance SRT version of the next Charger will debut alongside its lesser linemates for model year 2011, or if it will hang out until it can earn a 2012 designation. Either way, it's time to get excited.


It's entirely possible. The crowd at the Mopar Nationals last weekend noticed something odd about the T-shirts handed out for the event. Parked among the usual suspects of Plymouth/Chrysler/Dodge lore sat a car that few folk recognized. It just might be the next-generation Dodge Charger. The internets have been aflame for awhile with word that the company's big four-door would get a version of the rear light bar seen on the Challenger, and if the drawing on the shirt is any indication, it looks like those rumors might be true.

We're not exactly sure who was behind penning the design for the T-shirt, but it seems unlikely that the gurus at Dodge would be so absent minded as to feed the Mopar hungry crowd at the Nationals a snippet of future product design. Even if the car in on the shirt is a figment of someone's imagination, it looks plenty sharp to us – and that's parked next to a Superbird. Thanks for the tip, FuzzyFish!

Dodge's New Logo?

The new Dodge logo will supposedly, according to our sources and the well-informed crew at Allpar, maintain the shape of the current badge for ease of replacement, but substitute the letters DODGE and a crosshair pattern indicative of the company's crosshair grilles.
Spy photos of the 2011 Dodge Avenger show a similar badge shape — which would seem to verify at least part of our claim.
What do you think? Is this a big step for a new Dodge, or a placeholder until the company resets its identity?

[GreeNeons03]

I say they should stick with the ram logo...

[hansken_yo]

I say they should stick with the ram logo...

[Midnight_Rider]

Sorry, Ram is now trucks only.

[racer12306]

It seems like they are developing the Ram as it's own brand so a new car badge makes sense.

[r/tguy02]

I'm with gramps, keep the rams head on the trucks but adapt the new one to all the other vehicles. Like they said, you can easily swith back and fourth anyway.

[Haganracing]

At first glance of the dodge logo, it reminded me of a new transformers logo

[FAC3L3SS]

We can sure trust Allpar!

[MyNeonSaysHi]

Ram head was fugly, one of the first things I did to my neon, was get rid of the ram emblem. Reminds me too much of the truck. This was years ago when Chrysler was still with Daimler too.

[dank(r/t)]

well, idk if this belongs here, but i live near the chrysler tech center, i was driving through it to get to my apartment, and an all black "m" plate 2011 cherokee pulled up next to me. it had last gen srt wheels, painted matte black, and zero emblems. when it took off the rumble was incredible.

obviously i assume that it was a mule for the next gen cherokee srt <3

[MyNeonSaysHi]

^Ahh nice! Did it have the vinyl covering over it all? You would think it would.

[smiley]

that logo looks nice

[MyNeonSaysHi]

Reader Spy: 2011 Dodge Charger revealed on set of The Fast and the Furious Five
by Chris Paukert (RSS feed) on Aug 21st, 2010 at 10:26PM

Reader Spy: 2011 Dodge Charger on the set of 'The Fast and the Furious Five' – Click above for high-res image gallery

Thanks to Autoblog reader Jose Rosario, we can now put the speculation to rest – the 2011 Dodge Charger will indeed receive a new full-width taillamp treatment that echoes that of its two-door Challenger kin. Rosario informs us that these spy shots were taken in Puerto Rico on the set of The Fast and the Furious Five, the latest installment of the durable Vin Diesel street racing franchise.

According to Rosario, the filming appears to be using at least one prototype of the new Charger, "because it has the sides of the current model but has the new front and they added the new rear which light up all in LED lights." The film crew is also using more complete 2011 models, all of which are dressed up as police cars. The cars were used in a chase scene in which two current-model in a matte black finish pull a bank vault along the street, pursued by the Brazilian police cars (Even though the filming is taking place in Puerto Rico, the movie is set in Brazil). Rosario sadly reports that the last scene filmed the day these images were taken were of a current model Charger rear-ending a 2011 model.

Rosario managed to not only get shots of the new taillamps and well-integrated dual exhausts, but also some shots of the front end, which he says looks "more aggressive," including more snout-like grille, new hood, subtly but completely redone headlamps and a revised lower fascia.

As if that weren't enough, our man in PR also scored a shot of the 2011 model's interior, which reveals a much more cohesive look. A new three-spoke steering wheel with redundant audio controls beckons, as does what appears to be a start button. The gauge binnacle eschews the four nacelles of the current car for a more unified cluster that's marked out by a liberal helping of silvery trim and vertically oriented air vents bookend a new infotainment screen. Immediately below the screen, the Charger maintains its simple three-knob HVAC controls (albeit redone), and a step down from there is the CD slot. In the center console, a gated PRNDL surrounded by what looks like faux carbon-fiber trim. All-in-all, it looks like a massive improvement over the dour and workmanlike instrument panel of the outgoing Dodge.

What do you think – will the reborn Dodge Charger and its Chrysler 300 twin offer enough changes to rekindle your interest? Check out our images in the high-res gallery below, and then drop your fellow reader a line in Comments. Thanks for the pics, Rosario!

[NickKo]

Reader Spy: 2011 Dodge Charger revealed on set of The Fast and the Furious Five
by Chris Paukert (RSS feed) on Aug 21st, 2010 at 10:26PM

Reader Spy: 2011 Dodge Charger on the set of 'The Fast and the Furious Five' – Click above for high-res image gallery


Thanks to Autoblog reader Jose Rosario, we can now put the speculation to rest – the 2011 Dodge Charger will indeed receive a new full-width taillamp treatment that echoes that of its two-door Challenger kin.

I LIKE IT.....

Reminds me of the 1970 Charger.


- Nick

[MyNeonSaysHi]

Marchionne: U.S. Fiat dealers to sell Alfa Romeos in 2012


Fiat CEO Sergio Marchionne told members of the media gathered at a press event at Chrysler’s Toledo, Ohio, assembly plant that Alfa Romeo will return to the United States market in just two years and that the upscale sporty vehicles will be offered through Fiat dealerships.
“It’s more than likely that Fiat and Alfa Romeo brands will be sold in the same” dealerships, Marchionne told the media, offering the most concrete sign that the automaker will take advantage of Chrysler’s distribution network to sell Alfa Romeos in the United States. A Canadian market return is also likely.
The move would also likely be a boon for Fiat dealers in the U.S. Chrysler is currently selecting Fiat outlets, but only a handful of iterations of the compact Fiat 500 will be on offer. A wider range of products would give dealers more cars to sell. At the very least, Alfa Romeo is likely to sell the next-generation version of its 159 sedan, tentatively set to be called Giulia, and a mid-size SUV.
Although Alfa Romeo vehicles have not been sold in mass quantities in the U.S. since 1995, the brand has long been rumored to return. Briefly, Fiat offered 90 examples of the Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione to selected buyers through Maserati dealers in late 2008 and early 2009, but a full and official return has regularly been delayed. Now, however, plans to expand Alfa Romeo’s reach are reportedly moving along quickly in an effort to ramp up global sales.
Marchionne did not comment on VW’s offer to acquire Alfa Romeo, although a brand spokesperson said that Fiat is not selling any of its lines. Alfa Romeo is one of the world’s oldest carmakers, having just celebrated its 100th anniversary.

[Haganracing]

I like it

[2005.Neon.SXT]

Oh that is nice. I like it too!

[Forest Green 2k]

There's something wrong with the new Charger... I still see 4 doors.

[MyNeonSaysHi]

Gotta be 4 doors to be a Cop car. I totally agree though. I wish they had a lightweight 2 door version.

[racer12306]

Gotta be 4 doors to be a Cop car. I totally agree though. I wish they had a lightweight 2 door version.

Not all cop cars

We have Corvette's, Mustangs and Camaro's around here.

[MyNeonSaysHi]

I stand corrected. I was mainly talking about the normal fleet of cop cars are generally 4 door.

[Forest Green 2k]

I LIKE IT.....

Reminds me of the 1970 Charger.

Too bad it's still a sedan, they should axe the Charger and make the new Avenger it's replacement (looks like a mini-charger anyways) then have the new Challenger be Dodge's premier sports car. Cuz honestly, these aren't going to sell well at all. Whoever is running Dodge now is destroying them. In the last 6 years, Dodge has made some of the worst decisions of any car company out there.

[racer12306]

I LIKE IT.....

Reminds me of the 1970 Charger.

Too bad it's still a sedan, they should axe the Charger and make the new Avenger it's replacement (looks like a mini-charger anyways) then have the new Challenger be Dodge's premier sports car. Cuz honestly, these aren't going to sell well at all. Whoever is running Dodge now is destroying them. In the last 6 years, Dodge has made some of the worst decisions of any car company out there.

Ok...

So make the Avenger larger and kick themselves out of the midsize car market? But, they already took themselves out of the compact size market so what's one more market.

Challenger the "premier sports car." That's laughable. The Challenger is cool looking, they hit it on the head in terms of design and power. However, it's a 4500lb boat. Massive fail.

You can't compare Dodge from 2-3 years ago to today. It's under different management.

[theColonel]

http://www.allpar.com/cars/dodge/charger-2010.html

The Dodge Viper is being discontinued because it's not a commercial success. The Dodge Challenger is a "niche car" for those who loved the old Mopar "muscle cars".
Take a look what's going on with the Barrett-Jackson auctions.

The Dodge Charger is a "main stream" vehicle. My son has a 2006 Charger, and still loves it as a family car

[Forest Green 2k]

Challenger the "premier sports car." That's laughable. The Challenger is cool looking, they hit it on the head in terms of design and power. However, it's a 4500lb boat. Massive fail.

I 100% agree, which is why they sould focus on that instead of the Charger IMO since I heard the Viper is going bye-bye.

You can't compare Dodge from 2-3 years ago to today. It's under different management.

That's why I'm pissed, lol.

[racer12306]

Challenger the "premier sports car." That's laughable. The Challenger is cool looking, they hit it on the head in terms of design and power. However, it's a 4500lb boat. Massive fail.

I 100% agree, which is why they sould focus on that instead of the Charger IMO since I heard the Viper is going bye-bye.

You can't compare Dodge from 2-3 years ago to today. It's under different management.

That's why I'm pissed, lol.

The Charger is their flagship car. Like the Taurus is for Ford, the Avalon is for Toyota, etc. A 2dr coupe can't be the flagship car. In the end the Charger is more practical than the Challenger.


I think you need to give the new management time to do stuff. They haven't owned Chrysler Corp very long and it takes time to make changes. The Fiat partnership is probably one of the best things they ever did. They need to have a small car to compete with the Fiesta, Fit, Versa, Yaris, etc. I can't remember which, maybe the Versa, but one of these can be had for $10,000. Yes it's a bare bones car, but some people need a bare bones car. The closest thing Dodge has is the Caliber and that starts around $17,000.

[MyNeonSaysHi]

From June 2010:

The alliance between Fiat and Chrysler will be working both ways. Chrysler models will also be shared with Fiat's Lancia brand and be sold under that badge in Europe.

The new platform-sharing project is part of a plan by Fiat to consolidate and shrink its Lancia and Chrysler dealer network in Europe by over 300 dealers from the current 1,200. As part of the alliance deal, Fiat owns the distribution rights for the Chrysler brand in Europe.

"Our plan is to have in place by May 2011 a Lancia/Chrysler integrated network comprising about 800 dealers and over 1,000 dealerships," said Olivier Francois, CEO for Chrysler and Lancia, in an e-mail interview with Automotive News Europe.

Chrysler models that will be sold in Europe under the Lancia marque include a new compact sedan, a mid-sized sedan which will be replacing the PT Cruiser and Sebring models, the 300C full-sized sedan and a new Voyager minivan.

The decision is part of Fiat's plan for a resurgent Lancia brand in Europe. Fiat has devised a strategic, five-year plan to sell 300,000 Lancia-Chrysler models per year in Europe by 2014. Last year, Fiat sold 132,500 Lancia's in Europe, the vast majority in the Italian market.

That being said:
It's a simple story: man loves car, man is billionaire, man spends piles of money recreating modern version of car. It's noble. The new Lancia Stratos is a weapon of war mixed with a labor of love... a weapon of love? It's the creation of billionaire car nut and CEO of supplier Brose KG, Michael Stoschek, a long-time Stratos and rally car fanatic. Its creation is a long time coming. Long like 24 years long, like 1986, when Stoschek met Chris Hrabalek in Alta Badia, Italy at a the World Stratos Meet.
Stoschek and Hrabalek met with the designers at Pininfarina to hammer out a car in early 2008. The design started under the hand of rising design star Jason Castriota and eventually moved to the designers at Bertone, which was the studio behind the original Stratos. It's based around the Ferrari F430 chassis and its 4.3-liter V8 engine with an all carbon fiber body, carbon ceramic brakes, a tiny wheelbase like the original, and a weight-to-power ratio of just 5.5 lbs per horsepower.
As of now there is only one prototype vehicle, but there may be as many as 25 copies built when the design is finalized.






*Drool*

[Forest Green 2k]

They need to have a small car to compete with the Fiesta, Fit, Versa, Yaris, etc. I can't remember which, maybe the Versa, but one of these can be had for $10,000. Yes it's a bare bones car, but some people need a bare bones car. The closest thing Dodge has is the Caliber and that starts around $17,000.

That's EXACTLY my #1 gripe with Dodge right now! In the time of the highest gas prices ever, they dropped their economy car (Neon) and introduced those dumb over-priced Calibers! It's like all they sell are gas guzzlers now!! And about the Fiat partnership, will they be built in the U.S.?
I just came.

[theColonel]

That's EXACTLY my #1 gripe with Dodge right now! In the time of the highest gas prices ever, they dropped their economy car (Neon) and introduced those dumb over-priced Calibers! It's like all they sell are gas guzzlers now!! And about the Fiat partnership, will they be built in the U.S.?
I just came.

does the Stratos have to do with production automobiles like Dodge Caliber or the survival of the FIAT/Chrsyler Alliance ?

[Forest Green 2k]

does the Stratos have to do with production automobiles like Dodge Caliber or the survival of the FIAT/Chrsyler Alliance ?

Don't ask me, I didn't post it first, lol.