Dodge Dart Shines Light on Future Chrysler-Fiat Vehicles

The 2013 Dodge Dart is the first compact sedan from Chrysler in nearly seven years. That in itself is a milestone, but the car also looks competitive against the likes of the Toyota Corolla, Honda Civic and Chevrolet Cruze.

Chrysler's compact car plans are thanks to its new partner, Fiat. In the Dart we get the first real-world example of what to expect from upcoming replacement vehicles for the Jeep Liberty, Chrysler 200 and others in the future.

Chrysler has stated that the Dart's underpinnings are based off a new basic platform originally used to design and produce the Alfa Romeo Giulietta in Europe. Chrysler says the Dart platform — called Compact U.S. Wide — will also underpin most of its upcoming midsize and large sedans, crossovers, SUVs and minivans. The exceptions are the Jeep Wrangler, which will remain body-on-frame, Ram's trucks and the 2013 SRT Viper.

Year-End Deal Reality Check: Chrysler Group

Chrysler's had a very successful year overall, with sales up 25% through November. Part of that has to do with the automaker's redesigned and refreshed vehicles, and part of it has to do with Chrysler's seemingly eternal and robust incentive spending. The end of the year is no different. Under Chrysler's cross-branded “Big Finish 2011” sales event, there are plenty of attractive financing and cash-back deals to be had.

Starting with the Chrysler brand — which has the most aggressive incentive offers – there are 0% financing deals on the 2012 Chrysler Town & Country and 2012 Chrysler 200 sedan for 60 months and for 60 to 72 months on all 2011 Chrysler brand models. The Town & Country ($1,250), 200 ($2,500), 300 ($1,500) and 200 convertible ($1,000) also have generous cash-back offers.

Recall Alert: 11,351 Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep Vehicles

Chrysler Group is recalling 11,351 vehicles across the Chrysler, Dodge and Jeep brands over an incorrectly installed steering column, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Listed in the recall are 2011 models of the Chrysler 200, Chrysler 200 convertible, Chrysler Town & Country, Dodge Avenger, Dodge Nitro, Dodge Caliber, Dodge Grand Caravan, Jeep Wrangler, Jeep Liberty, Jeep Compass and Jeep Patriot. The affected vehicles were built between April 13 and May 6.

In some of the vehicles, the steering column may have been improperly installed, with either a missing or incorrectly installed steering column pivot rivet. On vehicles where the rivet is out of sorts, the steering column can cause more physical harm to passengers in the event of a frontal crash.  

Chrysler dealers will inspect the rivet and the alignment of the steering column and make repairs if necessary, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin this month. Owners can contact Chrysler at 800-853-1403 or NHTSA’s hotline at 888-327-4236 for more info.

Chrysler Incentives Focus on Minivans

Chrysler has shifted around some of its incentives for the month of April, deemphasizing trucks but placing more cash on the hood of more models from Chrysler and Dodge.

Chrysler has decided to bring back its 60-day guarantee program for the 2011 Dodge Grand Caravan and 2011 Chrysler Town & Country for April. The “Minivan Pledge” works the same way it has in the past — you can return your van back to the automaker within 60-days, no questions asked. While the program may alleviate some buyer’s remorse — few people ended up changing their minds during past promotions — the pledge doesn’t really offer much in terms of cash back or financing incentives compared with March. 2.9% financing for 60 months is the same as last month. Last month Chrysler offered $2,000 — $4,000 in lease bonus cash on its minivan pair, which helps to reduce the capitalized cost of the lease. Those lease deals might turn out to be a better compared with current lease offerings, depending on your credit worthiness.

The new 2011 Chrysler 200 Convertible gets its first suit of incentives, just in time for the winter’s thaw. Chrysler is offering $1,500 cash back or $750 back and 2.9% financing for 60 months with Ally Financial on the drop top. The all-new 2011 Dodge Durango now has some retail customer cash on the hood: $1,000 on the base Express trim.

Continue reading below for all the highlighted deals available for April. Most deals expire on May 2nd.

New Jeep Liberty Coming in 2012, Dodge Nitro Uncertain

With a mostly fresh lineup of 2011 vehicles over at Jeep, the only odd man out is the Liberty. It’s still an important model for Jeep — its third best-seller — so we weren’t surprised to see that a new Liberty will be coming in 2012, according to a recent Securities and Exchange Commission filing by Chrysler. That’s an advancement of one year from the expected 2013 launch, which Chrysler presented under its five-year product plan in late 2009.

Other tidbits of information include Chrysler’s desire to have start-stop technology in 90% of its North American offerings by 2017. We reported on other developments like a new Dodge Viper for 2012 and a nine-speed automatic transmission for front-wheel-drive sedans in 2013 in an earlier post.

For 2011, the Jeep Liberty received some minor updates, including a new steering wheel, and a price cut, which we’ve covered. A 70th Anniversary Edition Liberty is also available. The 2011 is shown above.

If Chrysler’s earlier product plan presentation is still accurate, a new Dodge Nitro is still under consideration; otherwise, the current model will likely be discontinued after the 2011 model year.

Chrysler Incentives Push Hemi V-8, Leasing In February

Chrysler has added a few cash-back incentives to its new 2011 model lineup, including more cash on the hood for high-output V-8 Ram trucks. More importantly, this time around Chrysler is offering some attractive lease deals. However, most of the cash incentives on the 2010 models are gone with the lone exception of the 2010 Dodge Challenger, which has $2,000 cash back.

The 2011 Dodge Nitro gets another $500 tacked onto its cash-back plan, which now totals $3,000. There’s another $1,000 added on the Caliber, so buyers can get up to $2,500 cash back on that model. Most of the redesigned models like the Chrysler 300, Dodge Charger, Jeep Grand Cherokee, Dodge Durango and the Chrysler minivans don’t have any cash incentives, but they do have fairly attractive financing deals.

If you want to get a better deal on one of Chrysler’s newer models, there are lease deals to be had such as $199 a month for the Dodge Avenger or Chrysler 200 or $359 a month for the new 2011 Dodge Charger R/T.

Most of the incentives below expire Feb. 28.

Jeep 70th Anniversary Models Coming

Chrysler may be at the forefront at this year’s Detroit auto show with the new 300 and 200 convertible, but the Jeep brand will have a few special editions to show off, too. This is the off-road brand’s 70th anniversary, and that is enough reason to launch a special edition for every model.

In the name of retaining our sanity during this very busy day of car news, we are simply running the descriptions and pricing of each model below supplied by the manufacturer.

Chrysler Adds Cash Back to Slow Sellers for December

For December, Chrysler is extending most incentives and adding a few new ones to entice shoppers.

New additions include an Owner Loyalty cash-back program for the 2010 Chrysler Town & Country and 2010 Grand Caravan. Each minivan is eligible for 0% financing for 72 months or up to $2,000 cash back. The program is also open to owners of minivans from competing brands. If you’re looking at these two vans, keep in mind that they've been extensively refreshed for the 2011 model year. The 2011 Chrysler minivans are already in production and should reach dealerships soon.

The 2011 Dodge Caliber gets an extra $1,000 cash back for the month, now up to $2,000, as well as 0% financing for 36 months.

The Dodge Challenger gets an additional $1,500 cash-back offer for consumers who buy the 2010 with a manual transmission. When exploring this option, remember that the Challenger gets a new V-6 for 2011.

The 2011 Jeep Liberty, which received a few updates, has increased its cash-back offer by $1,500 in December, now up to $2,500 cash back. The new 2011 Jeep Patriot also gets a new $500 lease bonus cash offer for the month.

The Ram brand continues its Engine Bonus Cash, which offers a cash-back incentive of $500 to $1,000 depending on powertrain, though most of the additional bonus cash for the truck brand has been dropped for December.

For more details, continue reading below:

Upscale Jeeps Debut at L.A. Auto Show

New versions of the 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee and Liberty SUVs will arrive at dealerships next month. Jeep says the new Grand Cherokee Overland Summit and Liberty Jet exist because of customer demand for models that offer more luxurious accommodations without giving up the capability you expect from the brand.

More L.A. Auto Show Coverage

The Overland trim of the redesigned Grand Cherokee was already a rather luxurious SUV, but the Overland Summit takes it even further. It adds chrome mesh grille inserts, chrome fog light surrounds, 20-inch polished aluminum wheels, saddle-color leather upholstery with special stitching, adaptive cruise control, collision warning and a blind spot monitoring system.

The Overland Summit commands a steep price. Rear-wheel-drive versions start at $42,495 while four-wheel-drive models cost $45,995. That's $4,085 more than a regular four-wheel-drive Overland. The destination charge is $780.

Meanwhile, the Liberty Jet features a mix of exterior and interior changes that include smoked headlamps, 20-inch polished aluminum wheels, premium audio system, rear parking sensors and special badges. Technically it's an option package available on Sport and Limited trims for $1,495 and $995, respectively.

Recall Alert: 2008 Jeep Liberty

Chrysler is recalling 16,229 2008 Jeep Liberty SUVs over potentially defective windshield wipers, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

In certain models, the windshield wiper motors may contain excess adhesive that may allow water to leak in and cause the wipers to become inoperative. The failed or compromised wipers could reduce visibility, resulting in a crash.

Chrysler dealerships will replace the windshield wiper motor free of charge. The recall is expected to begin sometime this month. For more info, owners can contact Chrysler at 800-853-1403 or NHTSA's vehicle safety hot line at 888-327-4236.