Who is Dr. Z?

We just saw a preview of the slew of new commercials hyping Chrysler’s new Employee Pricing Plus sale featuring a German-accented Chrysler executive named Dr. Z. The commercials do a great job of hammering home the Dr. Z name, but the everyday car buyer out there might not know the man behind the mustache.

Dieter Zetsche is the chairman of DaimlerChrysler, the parent company of Chrysler, Jeep and Dodge, as well as Meredes-Benz. Before he took over that job he headed the Chrysler Group and was the driving force behind the resurgence of those three American brands, where he infused Mercedes engineering into cars like the Chrysler 300. So think of him as the Lee Iacocca of this relatively new German/American company.

We’re not sure if America will find these commercials quite as funny as industry insiders who have grown accustomed to Zetsche’s heavy accent and quick wit. Especially NASCAR Nation, where two Dodge cars will get Dr. Z artwork. But at least now you know who the heck is trying to sell you a car. Click through for samples of the new ad campaign and Kasey Kahne's new ride.

Chrysler Sale: Employee Pricing, 0% Financing and 30-Day Guarantee

Chrysler finally revealed its summer sale this morning, and it’s a doozey. Starting July 1 and running through July 31, most 2006 and select 2005 Chrysler, Jeep and Dodge models will be employee-priced and eligible for either 0% financing for 36 months or cash back. On top of that, Chrysler is offering a 30-day guarantee that allows buyers to return the vehicle and pay only “marketing” and mileage penalties.

The bigger news is that only the Dodge Viper, Dodge Ram SRT10 pickup and Dodge Sprinter van are excluded. That means that for the first time the popular Chrysler 300 and Chrysler and Dodge minivans will be included in such a sale. And yes, even the Hemi-powered models will be slashed.

The sale is being roped into a marketing campaign called “Ask Dr. Z,” referring to DaimlerChrysler Chairman Dieter Zetsche. Askdrz.com will be where details can be found, but as of 11:44 a.m. EST the site is not live. We’ll have more on the campaign soon.

[Source: DaimlerChrysler]

2006 Volkswagen New GTI: My Take

Yesterday I read Joe’s review of the new VW GTI and disagreed with many of the points he made, yet came to the same conclusion: It’s my favorite sport compact for real driving too! As for the rest…

Joe thinks the GTI looks too cute. My tester — black with a black mesh grill with red piping and those demonic wheels — looked mean to me. And Joe deserves major bonus points for explaining the root of the wheel name Hufeisen, relating to the horseshoe cutouts in the alloy rims. I didn’t know that.

Jaguar Adds Power to Already Stylish XKR

Some people might be noncommittal about the all-new Jaguar XK’s front end, but from every other angle it’s a winner. We even found the base 300-hp powerplant darn nice. Gosh, remember the days when 300 hp was a lot to handle? But there will always be those who need something more, especially from their luxury coupes and convertibles. So Jaguar has answered with the XKR, announced today.

The R designation is similar to BMW’s M or Mercedes-Benz’s AMG and adds a 420 hp supercharged engine and plenty of other performance bits, as well as some exterior and interior touches like a vented hood and mesh grill.

No prices or on-sale dates have been announced for this high-performance trim, but the base XK starts at $74,835 and the previous generation XKR commanded about a $10,000 premium.

[Source: Jaguar]

9,000 Toyota FJ Cruisers Recalled Amid Blog Rumors

When it comes to recalls it’s always important to get the facts straight. Rumors earlier today on another automotive blog caught our attention about possible problems with the popular 2007 FJ Cruiser’s wheel and tire assembly. We quickly contacted Toyota about the blog post and got the skinny.

On June 26, Toyota filed a recall notice with NHTSA (the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, which handles recalls) regarding a problem with the tire mounting that could damage the beading inside the tire. NHTSA updates its recalls weekly, and the FJ recall is not listed in the most recent notice, dated June 29. The bead is an integral part of the tire that connects the actual rubber to the wheel.

Toyota discovered the problem through its own quality-control process, and no injuries or defects have been reported by owners. Toyota outsources tire mounting for the FJ to another company.

A mailing will go out July 5 to all 9,000 affected owners. The vehicles in question are equipped with Bridgestone Duelers and Dunlop Grandtrek tires. All affected vehicles will have their tires replaced, and owners should schedule service with their dealership.

VW Gets Wacky, Again, With Rabbit Ads

If any car company has a reputation for attention-grabbing ads, it’s Volkswagen. The company's latest is for the reintroduced Rabbit, and to get that varmint back into America’s consciousness it's come up with the clever TV commercial below. It’s called “Multiply,” so that should take any guesswork out of what’s going on. Also note the multicolored door panels. Classic. You can also go to VW's site and "breed" Rabbits in a bizarre middle-school science fair project kind of way.

Chrysler to Finally Announce Sale Tomorrow

One of America’s finest poets once sang “The waiting is the hardest part.” And for car shoppers promised huge rebates via news stories all week, not much has been made official. GM said it would offer 0% financing for six years on many of its models, but the big sale everyone is waiting for should be revealed tomorrow morning by Chrysler executives.

Most sources suggest an employee discount plan like last year’s Employee Pricing Plus on 2006 Chrysler, Dodge and Jeep models. But this year there may be more incentives, like reduced interest rates and additional customer cash on select cars. Don’t get too frazzled over the waiting game; unlike GM’s current sale, which ends July 5, Chrysler’s promotion should last at least until the end of July.

Cars.com's New American Made Index

In a war of words between various interest groups, there’s a question of just how "American" American cars actually are. Cars.com weighs in with our new American Made Index. We took a number of factors into account, including where a vehicle is made and how many are sold in the U.S., to come up with the 10 on this list. The top three:

1. Ford F-Series
2. Chevrolet Silverado
3. Toyota Camry/Camry Solara

For the full story and the rest of the top 10 list, check out the American Made Index here.

Pope Picks Volvo XC90 as New Ride

Buyers look to all kinds of celebrities to see what kind of cars they drive. But no Hollywood star has as many devoted followers as Pope Benedict XVI. He received the keys to his new Volvo XC90 SUV today and is seen here checking out the leather interior. Besides all the well-known Volvo safety features — stability control, copious airbags and rollover protection — this XC90 is also armored. We find it interesting that the German-born Pope actually went with a Swedish automaker, considering his predecessor made Volkswagen and Mercedes-Benz Pope-mobiles famous.

[Papal car fleet adds new fully loaded Volvo sport utility vehicle, Catholic News Service]

VW Recalls 34,000 Passats

Today Volkswagen announced it was recalling 34,000 Passats built between April and May 2005 due to a faulty clutch. Few vehicles in the U.S. are impacted by the news; only diesel-powered TDI models with a six-speed manual transmission are included, and the number is for global sales. But if your Passat fits these parameters, it’s time to call the dealership.

[Volkswagen recalls 34,000 Passats worldwide, Reuters]