2011 Sales Remain Down for Chrysler, Toyota, Lexus and More

We're halfway through 2011 and a handful of automotive brands are standing out, but for all the wrong reasons. Because 2010 was such a poor year for car sales, sales growth in 2011 was supposed to be automatic. After six months, however, Acura, Infiniti, Toyota, Lincoln, Chrysler, Lexus and Smart are reporting falling sales compared with the first six months of last year.

Without the PT Cruiser and without any SUV, Chrysler's lineup features just three nameplates, the 200 and 300 sedans and the Town & Country minivan. Midsize sedan sales — that's the 200 and its predecessor, the Sebring — reached 34,851 through June, up from 21,365 last year. But sales of the 300 haven't taken off with the introduction of the 2011 redesigned model. Sales of the big sedan are down 34% so far this year. In contrast to the rising sales of its Dodge Grand Caravan twin, the Town & Country is off by 24% this year, a loss of nearly 15,000 sales for Chrysler. Also gone are 3,589 PT Cruiser sales; Chrysler pulled the plug on the offbeat car.

Recall Alert: 26,397 Chrysler Vehicles

Chrysler Group is recalling 26,397 vehicles across six nameplates due to potential engine fires, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The models affected include the 2010 Chrysler 300 and Sebring; the 2010 Dodge Charger, Challenger, Avenger and Journey; and the 2011 Ram 1500 light-duty pickup truck.

In the affected vehicles the power-steering pressure hose may separate under pressure and leak power-steering fluid onto the hot engine components. This may result in an engine fire.

Chrysler will inspect and replace the power-steering pressure hose free of charge. The recall is already underway. For additional information, owners can call Chrysler at 800-853-1403 or NHTSA's hot line at 888-327-4236.

2011 Chrysler 200: First Look

This morning, Chrysler announced that its all-new midsize sedan will be called the 200. Chrysler has ended the long run of its Sebring sedan after the last generation was met with a lackluster reception by the press and, more importantly, the buying public.

While the overall style hasn’t been revealed, we have larger versions of three teaser images below, as well as shots of the 200 concept car that made the auto show circuit a few years ago. Most notable from these snapshots are the narrower front and rear lights and the restyled Chrysler emblem. We expect to see more soon, as Chrysler says this car will go on sale by the end of 2010.

Chrysler Expanding 60-Day Return Incentive

Chrysler has been allowing buyers of its Town & Country and Dodge Grand Caravan minivans to return them within 60 days if they weren’t satisfied with the purchase. Now the company is expanding the program to most Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep and Ram vehicles. Only the Jeep Wrangler and Dodge Viper are excluded.

They’ll also pay for the first two months of payments up to $1,000 total. Chrysler says they’ll take the return “no questions asked,” but buyers will still be on the hook for fees, finance charges and negative equity, which could be significant. We list all the fine print below.

Chrysler is also offering 0% financing for 60 months on 2010 Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep and Ram vehicles through Aug. 2.

Chrysler May Drop Sebring Name

It’s hard to keep track of the stuff Fiat and now Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne says sometimes, but this tidbit caught our attention right away. Besides revamping the midsize Chrysler and Dodge sedans, the company plans to drop the Sebring name.

Before the current generation of Sebring met critical ridicule and lackluster sales, the Sebring was a strong seller for a dozen years, and the convertible was as common in retirement towns as early bird specials. No longer. One redesign has killed the name.

Not many will likely miss it, though. So when Chrysler rolls out its revamped sedan — supposedly with a new interior and stronger underlying structure — it’ll have a new name. One complaint we and others have had about the latest Sebring was its creaky body and plastic-strewn interior, so it seems the new ownership is putting its emphasis on the right parts.

Chrysler to drop Sebring name, change small, midsize models (Detroit Free Press)

Recall Alert: 24,177 Chrysler Vehicles

Chrysler has issued a recall for 24,177 Chrysler, Jeep and Dodge vehicles, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The models include the 2010 Chrysler Sebring, 2010 Dodge Avenger, 2010 Dodge Nitro, 2009-2010 Dodge Ram, 2010 Jeep Commander, 2010 Jeep Grand Cherokee and 2010 Jeep Liberty.

These vehicles could have been built with an improperly formed or missing brake booster input rod retaining clip, the NHTSA says. This could have serious consequences for drivers; without this component, the brakes could fail without warning and cause a crash.

Chrysler will replace the brake booster input rod retaining clip for free. Owners may contact Chrysler at 800-853-1403 or the NHTSA vehicle safety hot line at 888-327-4236.

The Future Chrysler Lineup

Chrysler is betting on style to help win over customers. Today, the automaker announced its plans for the future at a presentation in Michigan. Evoking images of the 1950s — yes, even Don Draper from “Mad Men” was shown as an example — executives hope future designs will resonate with consumers as something different in the marketplace. The company’s new logo (above) was used throughout the presentation, as well.

We’re not sure if there will be a true “upscale” move or if the company will stick to style alone — as with the 300C — to sway buyers. The company’s product timeline is below.

At the end of the product roundup, there was absolutely no mention of Alfa Romeo being sold again in the U.S. That was just one of the many points the Wall Street Journal’s sources got wrong in a report last week.

Fiat to Gut Chrysler Lineup

Update 11/5/09: Fiat and Chrysler have officially announced lineups for the future which directly counter the claims made in the Wall Street Journal story mentioned in the below post. Click on the following links for the formal lineups.

The Future Chrysler Lineup
The Future Jeep Lineup
The Future Dodge Lineup

The Wall Street Journal reported today Fiat’s future plan for Chrysler, a full week before the company is to meet in a closed-door session with analysts and media to reveal its intentions.

The article is striking in its detail and scope of Fiat’s restructuring. Nearly the entire Chrysler, Dodge and Jeep lineups will be replaced in five years by not only Fiat technology and products but also the return of Alfa Romeo as a luxury marquee slated above Chrysler.

We break down the product shifts below.

2010 Chrysler Sebring, Dodge Avenger Earn Top Safety Status

Although Chrysler has not released the full details of its refreshed 2010 Chrysler Sebring and 2010 Dodge Avenger midsize sedans, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has announced both have earned Top Safety Pick status.

The award is given to cars that achieve top ratings of Good in front, side and rear crash tests. For 2010, Chrysler added standard active head restraints for the front seats and electronic stability control as optional to both models. Stability control is a pre-requisite of earning a Top Safety Pick, and active head restraints aid in rear crashes. The 2009 models scored Good in frontal and side crash tests but received Acceptable ratings in rear tests.

Full information on both models will be released Sept. 1. 2009 model shown.