Chrysler has announced the “No Payments for 90 Days” program on all 2011 and 2012 Chryler, Dodge, Jeep, and Ram truck models financed through Ally Financial. The payment promotion is now available, and will run through Chysler’s “Summer Clearance Event” which ends September 6, 2011.

Fiat CEO and the auto industry’s wise old grandpa, Sergio Marchionne, warned the industry that “the day of reckoning is inevitably coming,” when Chinese automakers begin exporting on a massive scale.

Owners of Dodge‘s 2008 Grand Caravan, Chrysler‘s 2008 Town and Country (or Voyager) should keeping their eyes out for a recall letter to be sent out next month. Those who receive it may feel like they’re in familiar territory since this is the second recall for a similar issue on the 2008 minivans. Earlier this year a recall was issued because of the possibility that water from the air conditioner could leak onto the electronics, causing the airbag light to go off or even set off the bags.

This may be your chance to get your big break in Hollywood! Pennzoil is looking for someone interested in staring in a TV commercial who owns  a late model Chrysler such as the Viper or Challenger and lives in the California area.

Today, at the 2011 Management Briefing Seminars in Traverse City, Michigan, Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne hinted that he may step down from his position in the not-too-distant future. The 59-year old executive said Chrysler’s future plans will be “up to the guy after me, I think — after 2015, hopefully. Maybe a year later. Chrysler will be here after me.”

The famous ‘Imported from Detroit’ Super Bolw ad staring rapper Eminem featuring the new  Chrysler 200 was very successful for the automaker, and Chrysler is hoping to further this with yet another musical tie-in.

Building on this success, the Chrysler brand and Eight Mile Style, a Detroit-based publisher of Eminem compositions, have partnered to release a gospel version of “Lose Yourself”, available now for download on iTunes, and to promote the city of Detroit. Performing the song is Selected of God, the choir featured in the famous Eminem/Chrysler commercial. The proceeds of money raised from the downloadable song will go to benefit three Detroit-based charities including Abayomi Community Development Corporation, The Yunion and Robert S. Shumake Scholarship Foundation. Chrysler has also released a music video of the choir performing the song with both a trailer and full-length video.

Check out both the trailer and music video after the jump!

‘Today, it was announced that Mopar will be offering more than 150 accessories including key covers, graphics, body kits, bike carriers, roof racks and seat covers for the new 2012 Fiat 500. Prices will range from $21 for a locking gas cap to $1,400 for a body kit.

Audi is a company that prides itself on cozying up to celebrities and it looks like the latest name they’ll be working with is rapper Eminem…. by court order. Don’t jump to conclusions though, it’s not Eminem who’s being forced to do anything, but rather the flashy German automaker.

In early June, 8 Mile Style, which handles Eminem’s copyrights, filed suit against Audi in Germany over a video that it allegedly (and rather obviously) ripped off. The promo piece for the new Audi A6 Avant used a rendition of the award-winning “Lose Yourself” song and even aped Chrysler’s “Imported from Detroit” commercial, which was created for the Super Bowl.

8 Mile Style has announced a settlement has been reached and showing some serious class, rather than a big cash settlement, the arrangement will see Audi lending a hand to, “support the revitalization of Detroit by contributing to selected social projects.” Making this settlement all the more poignant is the fact that in the past few years Audi parent company Volkswagen turned its back on the Motor City, moving it’s U.S. headquarters to Washington, D.C.

Details of exactly how Audi will be helping-out Detroit are expected to be announced soon.

[Source: FreeP]

Watch the original “Imported from Detroit” ad, plus the copycat Audi one after the jump

As every automaker looks for ways to save fuel in order to meet the upcoming CAFE targets, Chrysler is proving that thrifty doesn’t necessarily have to mean small.

Fiat and Chrysler can get to know each other a little better, now that CEO Sergio Marchionne has introduced a single team to manage both companies.

Chrysler is cranking up the heat when it comes to SRT raw power. Chrysler is said to be looking at offering a supercharger package for its LX-based SRT products that could produce as much as 570-hp. Chrysler has been developing an Eaton-sourced supercharger package that will boost power for the 6.4-liter HEMI V8 from 470-hp to between 540-570-hp.

Chrysler head of design, CEO of motorsports and rad dude Ralph Gilles recently talked about the future of SRT and the next Dodge Viper, as well as confirming this: there will be no new Dodge Magnum.

Italian automaker Fiat purchased the U.S government’s remaining holdings in Chrysler today. Fiat paid $560 million to the Treasury Department for the government’s 98,000 shares.

Chrysler has taken the title of number one light-truck seller in Canada from Ford in the first half of 2011. Deliveries in the light truck segment have grown at twice the rate of the rest of the Canadian auto industry, and Chrysler led in sales last month for the first time in 2011.

There’s no question that the US Federal government’s proposed Corporate Average Fuel Economy standards have drawn a lot of fire and widespread opposition from automakers, especially as the Obama administration is now pushing for a 56 miles per gallon fleet average target by 2025.

Chrysler has released pricing for the high performance 300 SRT8, with the new model starting from $47,995. The 2012 model sits half an inch lower than non-SRT models, has a new front fascia and grill, along with body-colored side cladding, four-inch exhaust tips and a new rear fascia. You already know it will come with aggressive 20-inch rims and the available Black Chrome Package adds black chrome rims, black upper and lower grille surrounds and a rear valance strip.

Chrysler has just released the pricing for the high performance 2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8 starting from $55,295. As one of the most powerful SUVs on the market, this Jeep packs a 6.4-liter HEMI V8 mated to a five-speed automatic transmission, cranking out 465-hp and 465 lb-ft of torque. This is by far the most powerful Jeep ever offered. It will rip of a 0-62 mph time in 4.8 seconds with a top speed limited to 155 mph.

Ten months ago, a scandal at a Chrysler plant in Detroit broke when workers were caught drinking during their lunch break before returning to work. Now, at a different plant, the boys are at it again.

At the Trenton Engine Plant also in Detroit, Chrysler workers were filmed driving a mile from work, then drinking and smoking in their cars—on a private lot, maintained by the UAW. Workers at the plant say they’re tired of working next to someone who’s buzzed, because “it’s dangerous,” as one source said.

Naturally, Chrysler is indignant. “Again, we have Chrysler workers in a compromised position, without regard for the impact of their actions, the reputation of their coworkers, the plant, of the company, not to mention their own reputation and that of their families,” said Scott Garberding, the vice president of manufacturing. “The employees that we identify, as soon as we understand who they are, will be suspended indefinitely without pay and anybody else involved will be dealt with swiftly. It’s very frustrating to us, we take it very seriously.”

Click the jump to see the snarky news story. And all of a sudden, the Chevy ad that airs before it makes sense.

[Source: WJBK Fox 2 Detroit]

Chrysler has announced that it is recalling some 280,000 Ram pickups in the US, Canada and Mexico along with several other parts of the world.

Fiat has asked Chrysler to boost Freemont output after European demand soars for the rebadged Dodge Journey. Last June, with the Freemonts introduction, Fiat hoped to sell 13,000 of the minivans this year, however the automaker has already collected 15,700 orders. Fiat planned to sell 33,000 Freemonts in 2012 and as a result, Fiat was promised 3,000 Freemonts a month from Chryslers plant in Toluca, Mexico. With the high demand for the minivan, Chrysler boosted production to 4,067 units in June.

For its Ram division, since the loss of the Sprinter, Chrysler has been looking at a large van to fill the void. With no indigenous offerings at home, the logical step would be to tap Fiat’s resources in Europe and bring over variants of commercial vans already on sale across the pond.

Woods, from Detroit, was a forklift operator at one of Chrysler’s assembly plants in Michigan when he tried out for the reality TV show. After he made it to the finals his employers surprised him with an award: a one-year leave of absence to pursue his dream. Sadly in the cutthroat, competitive restaurant industry, his “Soul Daddy” restaurants have all closed. But a Chrysler representative gave Woods the chance for his old job back, offering to hold up their end of the bargain: “he is still a part of our family,” said the rep.

Everything’s big in Texas, so the saying goes. Unless Fiat has something to say about it: out of 70 existing Fiat dealers, 10 of them are opening up in Texas—the second-highest amount of dealerships, behind California, and tied with New York and Florida.

Chrysler is playing with the idea of returning to international GT competition with the next generation of Viper. Chysler dominated with the original Viper in the GTS class with wins at Le Mans 24 Hours from 1998-2000. The American automaker is looking at the possibility of taking on BMW, Ferrari, Chevrolet and Porsche in the GTE category.

Although Chrysler is maintaining that it’s current priorities still lie elsewhere, the concept of a Jeep pickup remains near and dear for the brand’s CEO John Manley.

In between light-beer dick jokes and Justin Bieber cameos, Chrysler’s now-famous “Born of Fire” ad was one of the Super Bowl standouts. The experts in the industry agree, too: the Eminem-infused ad swept four awards at the 85th annual Cannes International Festival of Creativity.

The ad took home Best Direction, Best Use of Music, Best Script and—to top everything off—Best Automotive Commercial. It was developed by Wieden+Kennedy, who hold such well-known brands as Coca-Cola, Nike, and Old Spice (but not Secor Laxatives), and can now add a few more “Lions” to their trophy cabinet.

“Chrysler is humbled to be awarded with such a prestigious honor,” said Olivier Francois, president of Chrysler. “The ‘Born of Fire’ commercial and the ‘Imported from Detroit’ campaign describes the comeback of the Chrysler brand and truly defines American luxury.”

Don’t remember the ad? Or just want to watch it again? Check it out after the jump:

Sales for the Fiat 500 are picking up after a slow start in the US market. The Mexican built US version was off to a slow start after only selling 3,141 units through the end of May, but the cute Italian car is gaining momentum. Chrysler has just 70 Fiat dealerships nationwide however there are plans to open another 60 by the end of the year, which should help move more units.

Jeep hasn’t offered a true pickup since the late and still lamented, Cherokee based 1986-92 Comanche (shown above). However, if brand CEO John Manley gets his way, it’s likely a Jeep with a bed will return to the lineup sometime in the future.

Chrysler has announced that heavy-duty pickups in the company’s lineup will be available with a new six-speed automatic transmission for the 2012 model year.

Should Maserati build an SUV? Well, that doesn’t really matter because they will and it won’t be what you’re expecting. One would imagine the SUV would be dripping in fine Italian materials but the underpinnings of this truck will be very American. The  vehicle will be based on the brand-new Jeep Grand Cherokee, but insiders have said it will be hard to spot the resemblance. The interior will be fitted with plush Italian leather as well as wood accents throughout the inside.

It’s been more than 15 years since a new Alfa Romeo was last sold in the United States. However, that’s all expected to change next year, as the brand returns to our market, with a production version of the 4C concept (shown) plus a new premium compact, the Giulia.

Hard-hitting Consumer Reports, recently tested a plethora of updated Chrysler, Dodge and Jeep vehicles, revealing that while Detroit’s number three automaker has made significant gains in terms of vehicle improvement, levels of quality between vehicles remain varied and there’s still a lot of work to be done.

Chrysler has said that it is recalling some 11,351 vehicles from the 2011 model year, including Chrysler 200s and Town & Country minivans, Dodge Avengers, Calibers, Journeys, Nitros and Grand Caravans, as well as Jeep Compass, Patriot and Wrangler models.

Chrysler has announced that Ralph Gilles will now serve as the President and CEO of the SRT division, also referred to as the Chysler Street and Racing Technology brand. SRT is responisble for building Chryslers high performance vehicles.

Dr. Dre be the name, still running the game. Chrysler‘s “Imported From Detroit” campaign has propelled beyond Detroit, stopping by in Portland, Oregon (with Detroit Lions defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh) and New York City (with menswear designer John Varvatos). Now Chrysler comes straight outta Compton Los Angeles with Dr. Dre and the new 300S with Dre’s signature Beats Audio system, to make sure you don’t act like you forget about Dre.

The ad itself is called “Good Things,” and shows Dre cruising around LA, showing off the Beats Audio package inside the trunk, and generally insinuating hometown attitude. Chrysler 300S elevates the regular 300 sedan to baller status, by adding 20-inch polished aluminum wheels, piano black interior bits, and a 10-speaker Beats by. Dr. Dre system. If you’re expecting Eminem to make an appearance, however, you’ll just have to wait for Detox to drop.

Click the jump to see the ad in its high-res entirety.

Fiat, has offered Canadian government $125 million for its 1.7 percent stake in Chrysler. Last week, Fiat made a $500 million offer to the U.S Treasury to buy out the remaining 6 percent stake held in Chrysler, according to Reuters.

The only automaker that currently offers an AWD minivan is Toyota, but that is about to change says Chrysler Group CEO Sergio Marchionne. In a recent product briefing Marchionne indicated that the next-generation Chrysler minivan (the Town & Country) will gain all-wheel drive.

Late Thursday night the US Treasury Department agreed to sell its remaining 6% stake in Chrysler to Fiat, with a price tag of $500 million. And with this decision, not only does the Italian carmaker control Chrysler, but now the government finally gets rid of its involvement with the auto industry, once and for all. “As Treasury exits its investment in Chrysler, it’s clear that President Obama’s decision to stand behind and restructure this company was the right one,” said Tim Geithner, Treasury Secretary.

It was perhaps inevitable. With the Ram 1500 introducing the lockable Ram Box feature as an option for its 2009 update, it was probably only a matter of time before the feature became available on the division’s larger trucks.

A statement released today by the White House seemed to take credit for the resurgence of the American auto industry, with President Obama’s bailout plan credited as the driving force behind it.

A   Dodge Charger police car catching fire and burning to the ground, has prompted Chrysler to replace the car and the gear inside for free. The Curry County, Oregon  squad car only had 6,000 miles on it, when it burnt to a crisp/

Rapper Eminem is suing Audi over what he believes is a copyright infringement case, using one of his songs in a promotional video for the new A6 Avant.

Eight Mile Style, which oversees Eminem’s copyrights has filed for an injunction against the German automaker in Hamburg Regional Court, alleging the sound track used in the background of the spot is the very same music from his “Lose Yourself” song.

Bu the overlap extends well beyond just the song, with the Audi video a near copycat of Chrysler‘s “Imported from Detroit” ad that ran during this year’s Super Bowl.

[Source: Mashable]

Watch both videos after the jump:

Given what many see as slow economic recovering, unstable fuel prices and supply problems from Japan, it probably isn’t surprising that May’s auto sales were rather soft.

Fiat already holds a not-insubstantial 46 percent share in Chrysler. But even though Chrysler and the U.S. and Canadian governments have finally completed business, the two still hold a 6.6% share in equity stakes, with 1.7% of that belonging to Canada and the rest to the U.S. Treasury Department.

The United States Department of Transportation has proposed a plan to require all light-duty vehicles to be equipped with data-recording black boxes. The 197-page proposed document was released yesterday by the White House.

UAW President Bob King is angling for seats on the Big Three’s respective Boards Of Directors, and will likely use this as a negotiating point when contracts are discussed with automakers this summer.

The Chrysler Group has repaid it outstanding debt worth $7.6 billion in loans to the U.S and Canadian governments. This ends nearly two years of public ownership of the third largest U.S automaker.

Chrysler is delivering  10 Ram 1500 Hybrids to the U.S Department of Energy for testing within the next week. The pickups will be delivered to Yuma, Arizona, as part of a $100 million research project. The program with the U.S Department of Energy will run through June 2014.

Two years after a government bailout and rescue by Italian automaker Fiat and Chrysler has announced detailed plans to repay its government loans.

The Chrysler Group LLC is expected to announce today that it has reached a deal to refinance its debt.

According to a published report; Chrysler’s Ram division is planning to build a light-duty pickup using its minivan architecture around 2013-2014.

A trade group representing Detroit’s three automakers as well as Toyota is currently urging the Obama administration to say no to a proposal that could mandate a 62-mpg CAFE (Corporate Average Fuel Economy) industry standard by 2025.

Chrysler announced an $843 million investment in its Indiana transmission plant as it prepares to build a 9-speed automatic transmission front front-drive vehicles.

It seems that the news in Detroit today, at least as far as the Big Three automakers are concerned, is more positive than we’ve seen in some time. Earlier this week, General Motors announced a hiring spree, saying it planned to add more than 4,000 new jobs. Furthermore, some analysts are predicting that within the next two years, GM’s workforce could swell from 77,000 to some 85,000 employees, almost matching pre-recession numbers.

The first generation Chrysler 300 was famously described by comedian Katt Williams as  “…a [Rolls Royce] Phantom…until a Phantom pull up next to you…”, and that ignominious distinction was no doubt fueled by the frequent addition of an aftermarket Bentley-esque egg-crate grille by some owners.

Chrysler filed documents with the Security and Exchange Commission that revealed that parent company Fiat has a one year option to increase its stake in the American automaker to as much as 70 percent.

As the government’s ownership of General Motors decreases, spending on lobbying officials has spiked. According to data from lobbying disclosure forms, GM spend almost $3.6 million in the first quarter of this year, double what it spend in back in 2009.

Chrysler’s having a tough time of late convincing customers that its latest efforts really are improved. But given how poorly designed and built the automaker’s products have been over the last decade, it isn’t all that surprising. Trying to get a current Honda Odyssey or Toyota Sienna owner to even set foot in a similarly equipped Town & Country without resorting to flat-out bribery will be, ahem, challenging.