Chrysler
U.K. Vehicle Satisfaction Survey Rates Fiat Last, Just Below Chrysler
A new survey out of the U.K. by J.D. Power & Associated in association with automotive resource What Car? might be great new for Lexus… but it’s quite the opposite for both Chrysler and its new bosses at Fiat. The Vehicle Ownership Satisfaction Study (VOSS) lets owners of three year old cars rate those vehicles…
Chrysler May Reduce Brands to Just Dodge and Jeep
Chrysler, the brand that carries the name of the corporation behind it, may not do so for long. According to a report on AdAge.com, Fiat executives are looking at if they should keep all three Chrysler brands (Chrysler, Dodge and Jeep) and the most likely candidate to get axed is Chrysler itself. A spokesperson for…
Terminated Chrysler Dealers Must Sell Inventory by June 9th
Those 789 Chrysler, Dodge and Jeep dealers that were cut loose by Chrysler as a part of its bankruptcy and restructuring plan have until June 9th (next Tuesday) to part with their remaining inventory. Because of the dealership contract that they signed, dealers aren’t allowed to sell off the cars once the contract expires. And…
May Car Sales Show Ford and GM Recovering While Honda and Toyota Slump
Car sales for the month of May appear to show a certain level of recovery – at least for U.S. automakers Ford and General Motors. Ford posted a loss of 28.5 percent, its best result since July of 2008. As for GM, it declined “just” 29 percent marking its best monthly performance since September. In…
Mopar Drops Drifting Sponsorship
As a part of Chrysler’s restructuring plan it has announced that Mopar will cease its sponsorship of the NuFormz Racing team and driver Samuel Hübinette. The writing has been on the wall for quite some time now as Chrysler has been seeking every area where it can cut costs. Additionally, a strong sign was when…
Chrysler to Close 789 Dealerships by June 9th
According to the latest bankruptcy court filings by Chrysler, the company plans to cut 789 dealerships (one quarter of the current dealer network) in an effort to emerge as a financially viable company. The company sent out overnight letters to the dealerships that will be eliminated. As expected in bankruptcy, Chrysler will not buy-back the…
Chrysler Resale Values Drop 6% In One Week After Bankruptcy Filing
Resale values on Chrysler products like this Dodge Challenger SRT8 went up in smoke after the company filed for bankruptcy. According to Automotive Leasing Guide, the resale value of a Chrysler vehicle dropped six percent in the week following the company’s Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing. In just seven days the uncertainty about Chrysler’s future crept…
Chrysler Bankruptcy May Take Two Years Says New Report
From start to finish, Chrysler’s bankruptcy proceedings could take as long as two years, according to a Bloomberg report. The article cites an administration official, and says that the initial period of 30 to 60 days for the “quick and surgical” process only refers to the period required to sell the major assets to a…
Chrysler Bankruptcy Filings Shed Light on Which Fiat Models Headed for U.S.
The Fiat Panda is just one of several cars that will be sold in the U.S. under the Chrysler/Fiat alliance. It will most likely be badged as a Jeep. There has been plenty of speculation as to which Fiat vehicles will make it on to North American roads as a result of the merger with…
Chrysler Bankruptcy Plan All But Approved
Our team over at GMInsideNews is reporting that the judge overseeing the Chrysler bankruptcy proceedings has thrown out the arguments made by the hold-out bondholders. By removing the only objection to the process, the bankruptcy proceedings can now be fast-tracked and the Fiat merger can go ahead. During President Obama’s press conference last week, when…
Before Bankruptcy Chrysler Tried to Sell to Chinese, Partner with Everyone
Before Chrysler filed for Chapter 11 late last week the automaker explored every option, including selling the company to the Chinese and forging partnerships with any other manufacturer that expressed even a remote amount of interest. In public bankruptcy filings, made at the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in New York, Chrysler’s co-president and vice-Chairman Tom LaSorda…
Ford Outsells Toyota, Hyundai Surpasses Nissan
Interesting times indeed. As the economy continues to lumber on, this economic shakeup is certainly changing things in the automotive industry. While in a bustling economy it may take decades for shifts to happen in an industry, it can take just a month in a recession. And so with every passing month the sales figures…
Chrysler to Idle Plants During Bankruptcy
Starting Monday, Chrysler will idle most of its plants as the company restructures under a Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing. This will include 8 U.S. assembly plants, as well as facilities in Canada and Mexico. Other pre-assembly facilities will also face temporary closure including five North American engine plants, six stamping plants and seven transmission plants….
Chrysler Officially Bankrupt: Merger With Fiat A Done Deal
At a mid-day press conference President Barak Obama made the official announcement that Chrysler will in fact file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. Included in the announcement was the news that Chrysler has also reached an agreement with Fiat. “I can report that the necessary steps have been taken to give one of America’s most…
Obama to Announce Chrysler Bankruptcy Tomorrow
President Obama is expected to announce tomorrow that Chrysler will in fact file for bankruptcy; according to a report by Bloomberg. The Wall Street Journal, however, says that Obama currently has two speeches drafted for tomorrow’s press conference: one if the struggling automaker files for Chapter 11, and one if it doesn’t. The Chapter 11…
Chrysler/UAW Agreement Gives Union 55 Percent Share of Automaker
Less than a day after the UAW, Chrysler and Fiat agreed upon the terms of a contract that would keep the struggling U.S. automaker afloat, details of the agreement have surfaced in which the union will take a controlling share in Chrysler. At first it seemed almost too good to be true that all…
Dodge Circuit EV First Drive: Our Ironic Earth Day Adventure
To celebrate Earth Day, Chrysler invited a select group of media to the Green Ride N Drive, (held during the SAE Show in Detroit today), to get behind the wheel of the Dodge Circuit EV. So in an act of automotive environmental irony that has to this day only been perpetrated on the planet by…
Fiat Ready to Walk on Deal With Chrysler After Canadian Union Refuses to Budge
Fiat is about ready to walk away from a potential partnership with Chrysler says CEO Sergio Marchionne unless the U.S. automaker can significantly cut labor costs. While the United Auto Workers union has made it known that it is willing to work with Fiat and Chrysler management, the Canadian Auto Workers union isn’t. “From what…
Auto Sales Slump Continues With 36.5 Percent Drop for March
Hyundai performed well above the industry average for March, which may be one of the main reasons by both Ford and GM have copied the Korean automaker’s job-loss protection incentive. (Photo Credit: Liberty Cars] Well, it ain’t getting any better. The recession continues to bully automakers as creditors continue to bang on their front doors…
Canadian Government Cuts Chrysler Emergency $250 Million Check To Make Payroll
Chrysler Canada Headquarters in Windsor, Ontario While President Obama outlined his plan yesterday for General Motors and Chrysler, the Canadian government was forced into some more immediate action. Chrysler Canada, which is currently threatening to remove all of it’s manufacturing facilities from the country if the Canadian Auto Workers (CAW) union cannot make concessions, made…
Chrysler Solidifies Deal With Fiat…That Was Quick
*** UPDATE *** Moments after Chrysler released an announcement that a partnership with Fiat was a done-deal, the American auto manufacturer released another statement with slightly revised wording stating that it had just a “framework” of a deal in place. *** UPDATE *** Hours after President Barak Obama gave Chrysler a deadline of 30 days…
Obama Gives GM/Chrysler Bankruptcy Deadlines
Just ahead of the Obama Administration’s press conference today, some of the most important details are already out. General Motors is to be given 60 more days to complete its restructuring plan, while Chrysler is being given just 30 days to finalize a partnership with Fiat. This news comes as both fumbling U.S. automakers are…
Obama Will Set Bankruptcy Deadline for GM and Chrysler on Monday
According to the reliable folks over at GMInsideNews, on Monday the Obama Administration will announce a bankruptcy deadline for both General Motors and Chrysler. It has been rumored that the government will release more details about its aid for the U.S. auto industry on Monday, but now it appears the announcement will include this strong-arm…
Chrysler and Nissan Cancel Plans for North American Small Car
While Chrysler and Nissan will continue to work together on one project, the companies have said that they have put on hold any plans to build a small car for the North American market – essentially killing any hope that we might get a vehicle based on the Dodge Hornet concept. Plans to launch a…
