Chrysler not only invented the concept of the garageable van with it’s original 1984 T-wagons – the Dodge Caravan and Plymouth Voyager – but it also invented the concept of the Premium soccer mom special with the Town & Country. Now 21 years after the T&C’s introduction it’s packed with an incredible array of standard features and for 2011 it gets even more. With safety being all the rage these days key elements on the new Town & Country include a Safety Tec umbrella, which brings together more than 40 separate standard features, including Blind Spot Monitoring and Rear Cross Path Detection.

News of a new 8-speed automatic for rear-drive Chrysler vehicles has been floating around for a few months now, but it appears as though the American automaker has one more trick – or should we say one more gear – up its sleeve. At Chrysler’s recent dealer meeting (the first in three years) those in attendance heard about a new Viper and a host of other upcoming products. They were also told of a new 9-speed automatic transmission in the works. The new 9-speed auto-box is being built for front drive applications, although Marchionne did say that it will also be adaptable to AWD and hybrid setups. He gave no indication on when the unit would be available in a production model.

Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne announced that parent company Fiat is looking to increase its stake in Chrysler to 35 percent, and is looking to bring out a Chrysler IPO in the second half of 2011.

The Wall Street Journal is reporting that the 2012 Dodge Viper will be produced, and will move towards a more “upscale” position, abandoning its “racecar” heritage. The vehicle was previewed at Chrysler‘s dealer meeting in Orlando.

Chrysler looks set to torpedo the Sebring nameplate in favor of the “200”, in a nod to the heavily refreshed Chrysler 200 set to debut at the end of the year. The current Sebring is one of the most maligned cars on the road today (and for good reason), and Chrysler is hoping to bury that legacy with a heavily refreshed and renamed mid-size car.

We won’t pass judgement on the new midsize car until we’ve driven it, but knowing what’s underneath it, namely the Sebring platform, we still have a healthy dose of skepticism surrounding the new Chrysler Sebring 200

Gallery: 2011 Chrysler 200

Hit the jump to see the official press release

Chrysler‘s first dealer meeting in years will kick off today in Orlando as the company shows off 15 new or improved products slated to roll out within four years.

Ever since it’s inception, the Federal Government’s Corporate Average Fuel Economy standards program has never been far from controversy. With the proposed 35 miles per gallon standard less than a decade away; auto manufacturers are struggling to find ways of meeting these fleet average targets. Because light trucks as well as cars are now included in the targets, domestic automakers like Ford, GM and Chrysler are likely to find the new regulations particularly tough to deal with, since a great deal of their profit still rests on truck production. Now, thanks to a meeting in May, when President Obama called on the EPA and Department of Transportation to included medium and heavy-duty vehicles within the CAFE umbrella (under different and yet undisclosed fuel economy standards), things have become even more messy and complicated.

The Dodge Charger Pursuit got one of its first public viewings at a police trade show. Lund Industries, which makes police car accessories like gun racks and light bars, had a 2011 Charger on display to show off their wares, and were kind enough to take video of the Charger for those who aren’t in law enforcement.

Chrysler still has yet to release pictures of the civilian Dodge Charger, so for now, the black-and-white patrol car is our best look yet. We can’t wait to get a chance to sample one with a HEMI.

[Source: Edmunds]

Hit the jump to see the 2011 Dodge Charger Pursuit In Action

Alfa Romeo’s Giulietta hatchback isn’t slated to come to North America until it’s redesigned in 2014, but a whole truck-load of them was spotted in Michigan, heading north on I-75. We can only presume that the cars were heading to Chrysler HQ for some kind of evaluation, but this isn’t the first time we’ve seen this happen.

The Maserati Biturbo, that boxy relic of the 1980s, may be coming back according to reports. The Biturbo was Maserati’s most popular offering in the 1980’s, but also their most unreliable, with the twin-turbo V6 becoming notorious for its fickle operation.

Year-to-date sales for August 2010 may look poor, but the numbers are actually much closer to reality now that the Cash for Clunkers scheme has wrapped up. Cash for Clunkers, which offered rebates ranging from $3,000-$4,000 on the purchase of a new car and trade-in of a used car, sent sales skyrocketing in 2009, and the best indication of this is how far down they are in August 2010. The numbers are also a good look at what consumer spending is really like in the absence of government stimulus money.

In advance of the Los Angeles Auto Show, where the U.S.-spec Fiat 500 will make its North American debut, the company held a dealer meeting for 400 of its franchise holders.

With FIAT preparing a return to North America, company CEO Sergio Marchionne said that Alfa Romeo vehicles would complement Fiat products in the same showrooms, giving dealers a wider array of vehicles to sell.

Chrysler has been targeted by the Center for Auto Safety (a consumer advocate group founded by outspoken lawyer Ralph Nader – the same one that threw the book at Chevy’s Corvair in the 1960s), about fires resulting from alleged fuel tank defects on Jeep models.

Livonia Chrysler Jeep Inc, a Metro Detroit dealership that was reinstated after arbitration proceedings with Chrysler in July has now decided to sue the company, claiming a loss of rights under franchise law. The dispute centers around nearby Crestwood Dodge, which was given a Chrysler-Jeep franchise after Livonia’s was terminated and did not have one before. The suit has also been filed against Crestwood Dodge.

FIAT CEO Sergio Marchionne told reporters at a Chrysler event in Ohio that Alfa Romeo cars would be sold in the United States in joint Alfa/Fiat dealerships starting in 2012.

UAW President Bob King continued his asinine union politics by endorsing a measure that bans non-union foreign made cars from parking lots at UAW facilities.

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Dodge launched a teaser site for their 2011 Durango SUV, and a series of pictures that show some styling elements of the car. Autoguide brought you a leaked camera phone picture of the Durango earlier this summer, and these are the first shots from Dodge, and they essentially confirm the styling cues seen in the grainy snapshot.

Kilometer magazine is reporting that Chrysler management has sent invites to 600 dealers to come to Detroit and attend a presentation on Chrysler’s plans for FIAT in the next few years.

Unless you’ve been hiding under a rock for the past few years, you know all about the hard knocks the automotive industry has been dealt. But Chrysler dealers are seeing a boost thanks to women who have given them some much-needed props.

Porsche was the big winner for July 2010 sales, moving 75% more cars than in July 2009, with Hyundai/ Kia, Jaguar/ Land Rover and the Big Three all making solid gains. Japanese auto makers bore the brunt of the market, with Toyota and Honda losing a bit of market share, while Suzuki took the dubious title of “Biggest Loser” as sales fell by 43%.

Chrysler‘s slick looking 200C, first shown in concept form at the 2009 Detroit Auto Show, will apparently be put into production, if these patent drawings are any indication.

Is this the 2012 Dodge Magnum aka Dodge’s replacement for the Dodge Durango? Spy photos obtained by blogger Asian Martin show the vehicle’s design, and a 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee next to it, and we’re inclined to think so.

Recently, Chrysler issued a recall affecting approximately 22,000 vehicles from model year 2010. Said vehicles include Ram 1500 1/2 pickups, the Dodge Nitro and Jeep Liberty SUVs, plus the Jeep Wrangler. The recall centers around the brake system on these vehicles, whereby  the lines from the master cylinder to the hydraulic brake unit could fail, causing a loss of fluid and compromised braking ability, potentially resulting in accidents.

In the past, if you haven’t been picky about the rental car you’re driving, perhaps you should be. You may be surprised to learn that your rental has been recalled – so why is it still on the road?

This information comes to use via ABC News, which reports these findings after a recent lawsuit against Enterprise. The case in question involved the death of two California women who were killed after their rental Chrysler PT Cruiser caught fire and struck an oncoming semi. Unexpectedly, Enterprise came out and admitted that the company routinely rents out vehicles that are under recall and haven’t been repaired. The PT Cruiser was recalled in September of 2004, because there was a chance that the power steering unit could leak, causing an engine fire.

Even though they received the recall notice a month before, Enterprise rented the vehicle to Raechel Houck, 24, and her sister, Jacquie, 20, who were on their way to visit their parents. In this case, a jury awarded the Houcks a $15 million settlement.

In further testimony, it was revealed that Enterprise often rents out vehicles under recall, and that the company has no standing policy against doing so. ABC News also indicates that other major companies like Hertz and Avis also carry out the same practice.

“When demand called, we rented out recalled vehicles, it happened, I won’t lie,” said Mark Matias, a former Enterprise area manager in San Francisco. “If all you have are recalled vehicles on the lot, you rent them out. It was a given. The whole company did it. Enterprise’s corporate offices look the other way regarding this fact.”

Other Enterprise executives testified that there was no company-wide policy requiring cars under recall to be held back from rental.

Watch the ABC News video report after the jump.

[Source: ABCNews]

There’s no real story here – just some awful looking Chrysler PT Cruisers. While cruising the web one day, this came across an Autoguide staffer’s browser. Some of these vehicles are so awful that they must truly be seen to believed. We feel especially sorry for #6, whose owner must bear the ignominy of having his face plastered all across the web while driving the most wretched variant of an awful car.

The Ford Transit Connect, Jeep Liberty, Jeep Wrangler, Dodge Nitro and RAM 1500 are being recalled by Ford and Chrysler respectively, for separate issues.

If “regular” Touring and GT class race cars are just too small and too low budget for your taste, then you need to check out the Italian-based Superstars Series, which pits the heavy metal of Grand Tourers against each other in a 10 race season at some of Europe’s (and South Africa’s) greatest racing circuits.

We’re talking BMW M5’s, Audi RS4’s, Maserati Quattroportes, Mercedes-Benz C63 AMGs, Jaguar XFs, Cadillac CTS-Vs and even a few Chrysler 300C SRT8s. That’s some serious 4-door luxury barges trading paint, a site unique to this growingly popular series. There’s even a Porsche Panamera S scheduled to make its first start at Mugello on July 25th with multiple Touring Car champion Fabrizio Giovanardi behind the wheel.

Now in its sixth season, the Superstars Series truly “arrived” in 2009 when its own video game for the Xbox360 was released called ‘Superstars V8 Racing’. In February of this year there was a sequel released called ‘Superstars V8 Next Challenge’, so if you’re unable to attend one of these races yourself you can get a pretty good taste of it just by firing up your Xbox.

For a glimpse of some real Superstars Series action, check out the video after the jump.

[Source: AxisOfOversteer]

For such a poorly built and engineered car, the Chrysler PT Cruiser was well regarded by many. Consumers loved its retro styling (well, for a little bit at least), Car and Driver named it to its 10 Best List and it won North American Car of the Year.

Minivans are deeply uncool. For men especially, buying one carries the same emasculating stigma that wearing a pink shirt once held. But after a long period of poor sales (and having the segment ravaged by crossovers) minivan sales are on the rebound, thanks to some especially strong product.

On the other hand, right now isn’t a bad time to be selling Honda, Chrysler/Dodge or Toyota minivans, as those four minivans comprise 91 percent of the market; the Honda Odyssey, Toyota Sienna, Dodge Caravan and Chrysler Town and Country. Kia’s Sedona and the Volkswagen Routan comprise the other 9 percent, while nameplates like the Nissan Quest, Plymouth Voyager, General Motors’ minivan family and the Hyundai Entourage have all fallen victim to slumping sales.

On the other hand, minivan sales are slowly rising, posting a 3.4% gain for 2010. Sienna sales are up 72%, and some analysts think they could be higher if not for Toyota’s quality problems. With new versions of the Odyssey and Nissan Quest slated to debut later this year, the segment could see a resurgence as consumers shy away from fuel-thirsty and overly-large crossovers and SUVs.

[Source: Kicking Tires]

Hit the jump to see Toyota’s “Swagger Wagon” Sienna commercial

Building on the concept of its bold ‘Minivan Pledge’ program, Chrysler has announced that it will be offering a Risk-Free purchase plan for most new Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep and Ram vehicles. The program, which began on July 8; will essentially allow those customers not happy with their new vehicle to return it back within 60 days, plus Chrysler will make the first two monthly payments on behalf of the consumer up to $500 per month or $1000 in total.

Alfa Romeo is looking to emulate Porsche, another sporty brand, and produce two new SUVs designed to go head to head with Audi’s Q5 and upcoming Q3 crossover vehicles.

Chrysler will begin to shy away from the performance-oriented Hemi brand in its marketing in favor of a greener and more efficient image. According to a report by the Wall Street Journal, the Hemi name will be use sparingly for the line of V8 engines across all Chrysler products.

Chrysler has just announced that it has begun accepting applications for those wanting to establish a Fiat dealership as it prepares to launch the Fiat 500 model by the end of the year. While more specific application guidelines will be sent to prospective dealers, Chrysler has provided some insight into what it is looking for.

For starters, Fiat dealerships are to be stand-alone entities with their own facility, service department and staff. They will also have to be able to prove that they have the financial resources to, “support the introduction of the Fiat brand.”

Chrysler has said that they expect to set up 125 dealers in 41 states, giving preference to the highest performing existing Chrysler brand dealers in each market.

With the Fiat 500 set to go on sale by the end of the year, the 500C (cabriolet) will then be released in 2011, with rumors of a 4-door model and high-performance Abarth models to follow. Chrysler did not comment if Fiat dealers will also double as Alfa Romeo dealers in the future.

Chrysler will officially announce its Fiat dealer sections in September.

Get more Fiat info at Fiat500Owners.com

Official release after the jump:

Crisp driving characteristics, smart styling and luxurious cabin appointments combine with attractive price points to make the 300 series sedans a best-seller for the Chrysler brand.

The Chrysler Sebring convertible is possibly one of the most maligned cars on sale today. Known for its less than stellar driving dynamics, build quality, styling and, well, just about everything else, the Sebring convertible really only has price going for it – and that’s exactly what its place in Chrysler’s lineup is guaranteed for the foreseeable future, at least in fleet sales.

Mercedes touts its new SLS AMG supercar as the first-ever ground-up vehicle build by the company’s high-performance AMG division, but now it appears as though that might not be entirely the case. In fact, according to a shocking new report by InsideLine, the SLS AMG started life as the next-generation Dodge Viper.

The MPV segment is growing quickly and it appears as though Dodge it getting set to join in. In Fiat’s larger plan for the Chrysler Group, company CEO Sergio Marchionne included a seven-seat multi-purpose-vehicle (MPV) destined for U.S. showrooms in 2012.

Alfa Romeo fans are bracing themselves amid credible reports of an SUV joining the ranks of the Italian marque’s lineup. Autoguide previously reported on an Alfa Romeo SUV as a key product for their North American return.