The recall applies to 2010 model year Chrysler Sebring sedans, Dodge Avenger Sedans, Dodge Nitro SUVs and Jeep Liberty, Commander and Grand Cherokees.

The new Chrysler V6 Pentastar engine shown here is just part of the news.

Chrysler announced today that it’s revamping its powertrain lineup with technology that will contribute to an overall fuel-efficiency improvement of more than 25 percent during the 2010-2014 period.

As a result of the new alliance with Fiat, the company’s five-year business plan has an uncompromising powertrain offensive, including a progressive vehicle electrification strategy.

“Chrysler Group will attain leadership by rapidly applying Fiat Powertrain technologies, such as Multiair, direct injection, turbocharging and transmission systems to its powertrain portfolio,” said Paolo Ferrero, Senior Vice President, Chrysler Powertrain. “By 2014 calendar year, more than 80 percent of Chrysler Group’s current powertrain lineup will undergo a complete makeover.”

In order to combine complementary strengths, Fiat Powertrain is the global centre of expertise for diesel technology and small displacement gas engines (less than or equal to 1.8 litres). Chrysler Powertrain is the global centre of expertise for large displacement gasoline engines and vehicle electrification technology. The primary goal is leveraging combined powertrain and vehicle knowledge to achieve best-in-class fuel economy for both companies.

New Four-cylinder Engines
Four-cylinder engine options are being expanded at Chrysler Group with the introduction of Fiat Powertrain’s 1.4-litre, in-line four-cylinder Fully Integrated Robotized Engine (FIRE) featuring Multiair. In the early 1970s, the use of robotics in assembly plants was not common. The term “FIRE” came into existence when Fiat integrated the use of robotics in the production process of manufacturing plants. Although mechanized assembly is common today, the brand name FIRE has remained with Fiat’s powertrain lineup.

Two variations of the engine will be available, naturally aspirated and turbo. Both versions of the 1.4-litre FIRE feature four valves per cylinder and incorporate state-of-the-art technology for Fully Variable-valve Actuation (FVVA), also known as Multiair. Fiat’s Multiair technology significantly reduces emissions, while improving fuel economy and power.

This sophisticated electro-hydraulic variable-valve actuation technology delivers an increase in power up to 10 percent, an improvement in low rpm torque up to 15 percent and a reduction in fuel consumption and emissions up to 10 percent when compared with similar engines without the technology. The Multiair system is based on a series of Fiat Powertrain patents related to hardware, combustion strategies and controls that allow for full control of the lift and timing of engine valves, independently on each cylinder and during each single engine stroke. Well suited for a small car application, the first North American vehicle to feature the 1.4-liter FIRE with Multiair is the Fiat 500.

Specifications
1.4-litre I-4 FIRE with Multiair
75 kW at 6,750 rpm
129 Nm of torque at 4,250 rpm

1.4-litre I-4 FIRE Turbo with Multiair
128 kW at 6,750 rpm
231 Nm of torque at 3,000 rpm

Another addition to the Chrysler Powertrain lineup is the new 2.4-litre, in-line four-cylinder World Gas Engine (WGE) with Multiair. This new engine stands as an example of Chrysler Powertrain’s rapid integration of Fiat technology. Chrysler Powertrain’s 2.4-litre WGE features Fiat’s Multiair technology that will improve fuel economy and specific-power output. In comparison with its predecessor, the 2.4-litre with Multiair delivers an increase in power, an improvement in low rpm torque and a reduction in fuel consumption and emissions output. A turbo version of the 2.4-litre WGE also is under development for future applications.

Specifications
2.4-litre I-4 World Gas Engine with Multiair
142 kW at 6,000 rpm (estimated)
237 Nm of torque at 4,200 rpm (estimated)

All-new V-6 Pentastar Engine
Chrysler Powertrain will streamline its V-6 petrol engine offerings from six options to the new fuel-efficient, state-of-the-art 3.6-litre V-6 Pentastar engine. The first application of this engine will be in the all-new 2011 Jeep® Grand Cherokee, due out in the second quarter this year. Chrysler Group’s all-new Pentastar V-6 is the most advanced six-cylinder engine in the history of Chrysler, with an optimised integration of select technologies that deliver refinement, fuel efficiency and performance.

The Pentastar delivers a fuel efficiency improvement of up to 8 percent on average when compared with previous Chrysler Group V-6 engines and delivers 90 percent of its available torque from 1800-6400 rpm. In the all-new 2011 Jeep® Grand Cherokee, the 3.6-liter Pentastar V-6 engine offers an increase of 33 percent in horsepower and an 11 percent improvement in torque over its predecessor. The Pentastar V-6 is designed to use technologies such as Multiair, direct-injection and turbocharging for future applications.

Specifications
3.6-litre V-6 Pentastar
209 kW at 6,400 rpm
353 Nm of torque at 4,400 rpm

New Transmission Technology
Beginning with mid-size D-segment cars in 2010, Chrysler Powertrain will migrate Fiat’s six-speed Dual Dry Clutch Transmission (DDCT) to Chrysler Group vehicles. The DDCT delivers a 10 percent improvement in fuel efficiency while enhancing performance. It transitions seamlessly from economy to sport mode when desired and can handle up to 350 Nm.

The DDCT uses the best characteristics from both a manual transmission and an automatic transmission. This combination delivers the efficient performance of a locked gear mechanical path, but maintains the drivability and comfort of an automatic transmission.

Vehicle Electrification
In November 2009, Chrysler Group revealed a new engineering organisation model showing the company as the centre of competence for vehicle electrification efforts for Chrysler Group and Fiat Group. The resources previously spread in different electrification development groups have been assigned to the powertrain and vehicle engineering mainstream—a clear sign of how the Chrysler Group intends to move from research and development to vehicle production.

As part of its five-year plan, Chrysler Group currently is developing a Ram 1500 with traditional hybrid capability for 2010. The company also continues its plan with the Department of Energy to build a small test fleet of plug-in hybrid Ram 1500 pickup trucks and minivans. Because pure electric vehicles lend themselves to commercial applications, Chrysler Group is considering a small electric delivery van application for 2011-2012 with an appropriate business case.

The company has a significant amount of resources allocated toward vehicle electrification and affirms a commitment by continuing to add talent in this leading-edge technology arena.

The biggest news for Australia is that Chrysler may be planning on withdrawing all of its brands … with the exception of Jeep … from all its overseas markets so we can expect to see the end of the 300C, the PT Cruiser, the Grand Voyager and the Sebring sedan and cabrio.

General Motors has around 6,000 new car dealers spread across the country and plans to terminate up to 2,000 of them and the official announcement is expected soon.

Chrysler is said to be planning to shed around 1,000 new car dealers but an announcement by the manufacturer is not imminent.

The word on the streets is that we could see some Holden dealers disappear soon too. Just when that’s likely to happen is not clear but if it is going to happen then between now and the end of June is a good bet.

 

McAlinden also suggests that GM is not in a position to meet the initial loan conditions set down by the government but the conditions will be changed so that GM can keep the money.

However his view of Chrysler’s future is not so good. Chrysler got $4 billion from the government but already owed $6 billion to its suppliers so how does it go forward with a $2 billion dollar debt hanging around its neck?

That’s something that is anyone’s guess.

And amongst those that are holding their breath waiting to see what happens are all the Chrysler dealers who are, on average, selling less than 40 vehicles a month. That may sound like a lot of cars but dealers don’t make a lot of money on the sale of a new car … some suggest that the dealers only make $1,000 for each sale and overheads are high.

We haven’t seen the end of the gloom and doom in the American car industry and before long that gloom and doom will be spreading to Australia.

At the moment there are some big discounts being offered but they’re on 2008 plated models. The experts suggest that the discounts will disappear when the 2009 models appear but if the local market is down now why will people be prepared to buy a car without a discount?

For Australia it seems that March is the crunch time.

That’s not surprising … without someone to wave a magic wand Chrysler runs out of money at the end of December.

In the short-term it’s probably a good thing too because it really did look as though Congress wanted to tip a whole pile of money down a bottomless pit and it would have had little effect on the ability of the Big 3 manufacturers to survive.

Ford really didn’t want the money on the terms that the Government wanted to impose. Ford is already cashed up and is working hard to actually build cars that people want to buy. The number of hybrids that are currently in production or on the drawing boards is a credit to the company and will benefit the environment and the consumer.

General Motors … well they wanted more money for themselves than what Congress was prepared to give all three manufacturers. Sure they have some great hybrids on the market and even have a full electric car coming down the line but there’s something fundamentally wrong with a company of that size that finds itself in the mess that it’s in and we’re probably better off without it.

I’ve seen reports that GM is already working with its lawyers to arrange  Chapter 11 Bankruptcy protection but you have to wonder just how long they have left.

Chrysler … now here’s a company that just has to be totally clueless and shows it. They’re in a financial mess and plan to close a whole bunch of plants in the next few months … which is a good thing. They also have two hybrids about to hit the market place … but both aren’t in models that sell in big numbers and that’s probably just as well.

You see, among the plants that Chrysler plans to close are the ones that produce those two hybrids so no sooner will they go on sale than the plants will close and the hybrids will go out of production leaving Chrysler with no hybrids on showroom floors and none that are even close to production.

How could a company like Chrysler be so out of touch with reality?

I guess that all along I was wondering why anyone in their right mind would want to spend $14 billion dollars to prop up some companies that were totally out of touch with everything that’s going on around them.

I’m sure someone will pull a rabbit out of the hat and the deal will be back on but I really can’t see that as being good for anyone because it’s simply perpetuating a failed business model and the current mess will only resurface a few years down the track.

Soon though there’s a very strong possibility that the three may be reduced to just two as rumours abound that General Motors and Chrysler are engaging in merger talks. Cerberus Capital Management – the company that owns Chrysler are denying that such talks are taking place but the rumours just won’t go away.

Reuters is also reporting that one of their sources is suggesting that Cerberus is also in talks with “other parties including Renault-Nissan”.

When we look at a car manufacturer’s performance we begin to look at how much money they’re making … or not making as the case may be. And in America the case is that the homegrown manufacturers are not making any money at all. GM, Ford, Chrysler are all making losses that are measured in dollar terms that few of us can really comprehend.

But here’s one measure of performance that’s easier to understand and it relates to Chrysler. Chrysler are selling just 3 cars per month per dealership. Is it any wonder that Daimler are now looking to sell of their remaining share of Chrysler?

It makes you wonder how Ford Australia and General Motors Holden measure up on the basis of new cars sold per dealership per month.

The Crossfire was supposed to represent the “synergies” between Daimler and Chrysler for many Crossfire components were shared with the Mercedes SLK but apparently something was missing and sales were not quite what Chrysler was hoping for.

One sports car enthusiast that I spoke to had looked at a Crossfire with a view to buying one but the $80,000 price tage for a car that offered a rather strange driving position (her opinion) was enough to make her change her mind.

I guess the fact that the only PT Cruiser convertibles I ever saw were in the rental car parks at various airports may have something to do with why Chrysler is dropping that vehicle from its lineup too.

It seems that Jeep Grand Cherokees, Jeep Wranglers, Dodge Nitros and Commander SUVs have experienced braking problems that has lead to at least one accident and all vehicles within the affected groups well be recalled.

Undoubtedly this recall will extend to vehicles in Australia.

Chrysler is also recalling Dodge Avenger sedans and Chrysler Sebring convertibles to have a problem with the door latches and locks corrected. There are over 72,000 vehicles covered by this recall.

Consumer Reports is a US based expert, indepenent, non profit organisation not unlike our Australian Consumers Association so when they do their annual report on the best and worst cars it’s well worth a look … unless you happen to be Mercedes Benz.

If you happen to be Mercedes Benz then the 2007 report5 does not make for good reading or good public relations. Almost every current Mercedes Benz model appeared in the list of the ‘least reliable’ used cars. The SL, SLK, CLK, CLS along with the E, R and M class models all made an appearance in the list.

Other manufacturers didn’t do much better. Five vehicles made it to the ‘most disappointing’ list and four of them were from Chrysler. Of interest to us here in Australia both the Sebring and the Caliber were included in that list.

You can read more about the report here

by Stuart Livesey

Since the beginning of March they’ve all issued recalls on vehicles and the recalls have all had to do with the braking system.

Toyota has issued the biggest recall of vehicles and it’s safe to say that this recall would have to be one of the biggest in Australian automotive history. It potentially affects approximately 137,000 vehicles; 134,000 Landcruiser 70 and 100 series and 3,000 Lexus LX470 models.

All these vehicles were manufactured between September 1997 and December 2005 and the recall is so that Toyota can check and replace faulty retaining bolts on the front disc brake rotors.

Jeep, Chrysler and Dodge are all marketed in Australia under the Daimler-Chrysler name and the vehicles affected are those in the following models fitted with an ESP/ABS brake system:

Chrysler 300C and 300C Touring – built from 11 October through to 23 November 2006

Dodge Caliber – built from 7 September through 18 November 2006

Jeep Compass – built from 7 September through 18 November 2006

Jeep Grand Cherokee – built from 11 October through to 23 November 2006

Jeep Commander – built from 11 October through to 23 November 2006

Jeep Wrangler – built 9 November through to 8 December 2006

The software programmed into the ABS control module needs to be re-programmed for, in it’s present form, may cause the rear wheels to lock up in certain braking conditions. Around 490 vehicles are affected by the recall.

Unless something major happens between now and later in the year 2007 will see Chrysler make a big splash in the Australian motoring market place.

Last year we say Chrysler launch the Dodge Caliber – a rather unattractive vehicle that seems to be neither one thing nor the other.

And this year we’re scheduled to see the introduction of the Sebring – a convertible that is probably going to be priced a little beyond the reach of the average Australian motorist.

Apart from the fact that Chrysler makes both of these vehicle they share another common feature and that involves a Japanese car maker. You see, when Chrysler went into design mode with these two vehicles they decided not to start from scratch. Instead they started with a platform designed by Mitsubishi so the basis of both these vehicles is Japanese.

Proudly American … but made in Japan. I wonder if they mention that in their publicity.

We’ve looked at some of the European convertibles in this series so far so perhaps it’s time to look at some of the American convertibles that are either here or are coming.

Let’s start with the Chrysler Sebring; it won’t be available in Australia till sometime after September but there should be plenty of interest in this one.

The Australian specifications are yet to be released but in the US this front-wheel drive car comes with a 4 cylinder 2.4 litre motor and the base model retails for $26790.

The Australian version is expected to retail for something less than $A57,000 which suggests that we won’t be seeing the US base model out here.

Whichever version we end up seeing here in Australia it will be interesting to see what the critics think of it. The latest version of the Chrysler Sebring – as seen at the Detroit Motor Show – did not attract much favourable comment from American motor journalists.

Australian Summer Cars
2000 Holden Barina Cabriolet – the cheapest convertible

Renault Megane Coupe Cabriolet – it’s French so expect the ususual.

BMW Series 3 Convertible – making it’s debut at the Brisbane Motor Show

For a town of such relatively small size we have a surprisingly large number of very interesting motor vehicles here in town. I’ve photographed and written about a few here already and there will be more to come but right now let me show you a nicely restored Valiant Charger I happened to see late this afternoon.

For our overseas visitors I should explain that all Valiant models were produced here in Australia by Chrysler. The first model rolled off the production line in 1971 and the last was produced in 1978. Some were definitely more muscle than others.

I’m certainly no expert on the Valiant Charger but I think this one is one of the more civilised CL models. If anyone can positively identify which model it is then feel free to mention it in the comments section.

The 1972 model Valiant Charger E49 sub-group is recognised as Australia’s fastes muscle car.

But if you were in America and happening to be surfing through Overstock.com just before Christmas last year you certainly would have seen this car going for a heavily discounted price.

Meet the Chrysler Crossfire a rather neat looking car that comes from Karmann in Germany. The 2005 model sold so poorly in the US that Chrysler resorted to the unusual sales ploy of selling them online through Overstock.com (the name says it all).

In fact so bad were the sales of the 2005 Crossfire that Chrysler will not be selling a 2006 model in the United States even though the 2006 Crossfire is being built in Europe.

The Crossfire is powered by a 3.2 litre V6 that certainly delivers some credible performance figures – but with a price tag of around $30,000 for the base model 6 speed manual coupe I guess it’s no wonder the Crossfire has not found much favour with the buying public in the US.

The Chrysler Crossfire is available in Australia with the base model coupe selling for $69,990 with your choice of auto or manual transmission

At least that’s what Gerry Jenkins, the head of Chrysler Jeep Australia, hopes.

And will it succeed? Well one reviewer suggested that it certainly was a head-turner but who buys a car just to turn heads?

Ok … so I’m in the minority here and lots of people would think of buying this car just on it’s looks. I guess they would not be disappointed then to find that it really does perform … in a straight line. Nor would they be disappointed in all the creature comforts that come standard on this car.

In fact, if you bought this car only for it’s looks you wouldn’t even be disappointed by it’s around town fuel consumption – 16.1 litres per 100 km of city driving. But then what could you expect from a car that weighs in at 1.8 tonnes?

You can find a full review here

Chrysler will also be releasing a long wheelbase version of the 300C at the New York Motor Show this weekend. Whether that version actually makes it to Australia or not is yet to be determined.