Finding Redemption Through Repetition, Groundhog Day Style Two years ago, on a lark, my girlfriend and I clambered aboard a new Dodge Durango Hybrid and motored from Detroit to Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania to take in the kitschy phenomenon known as Groundhog Day. The idea was to do a combined road trip story and vehicle review, but Chrysler didn't even wait for us to return home before it killed off production of the gas-electric SUV. In fact, it wasn't much more than two months after its initial announcement that production was cancelled at the truck's Delaware plant. Blame ... Read More

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Report: Robust Grand Cherokee and Durango sales to keep plant open through planned shutdown 1335900600

Jeep Grand Cherokee sales are up 37 percent through April, and Chrysler has already sold nearly 50,000 units in 2012, placing the flagship Jeep model ahead of all other Pentastar vehicles, save for the Ram pickup. That demand will be keeping the Jefferson North assembly plant in Detroit open through the July 4 holiday period, according to The Detroit ...
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Official: Dodge introduces Durango Special Service model for police and fire 1332170820

The Dodge Charger has already done a fine job ingratiating itself with our nation's police forces, and with Ford's Crown Victoria finally off the beat, Chrysler is understandably keen to gain a bigger share of the law enforcement pie. Enter the 2012 Durango Special Service. Available in both rear- and all-wheel drive and Pentastar V6 or Hemi V8 flavors, ...
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Report: SEC filing reveals new V6 and 8-speed transmission for Ram 1331245680

Automotive News reports Chrysler has big plans for its line of Ram pickup trucks. According to a group filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission, the new Ram set to debut next month will no only boast a Pentastar 3.6-liter V6 option, but an eight-speed automatic transmission and new lightweight axles as well. The gearbox alone is said to reduce ...
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Report: Chrysler employees to get first profit-share payouts since 2005 1328214600

Chrysler employees received some good news this week. The automaker announced it would issue profit-sharing checks worth $1,500 to each of its hourly workers for the first time since 2005. The company posted a $183 million profit for 2011, marking the first time the company has avoided a loss in six years, according to The Detroit Free Press. The earnings ...
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Report: Marchionne: "Better than 50% chance" next Ram Dakota going unibody, diesel Durango coming 1326391260

Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne has big plans for the Ram Dakota. Inside Line spoke with Marchionne at the 2012 Detroit Auto Show, and the besweatered executive said there is a good chance the next-generation Dakota will likely ride on a unibody chassis. That would mark a serious departure from the vehicle's past, as well as the rest of the models in the ...

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Chrysler hiring 1,100 new workers to build diesel Jeep Grand Cherokee 1325872860

Last April, we received word straight from CEO Sergio Marchionne's mouth that Fiat's 3.0L V6 turbo-diesel engine would find its way to America under the hood of a Jeep Grand Cherokee by the end of 2013. That a diesel-powered Grand Cherokee would return to Jeep's lineup was great news for fans of the last version, but workers in the city of Detroit should ...
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Official: Mopar rolling into SEMA with Challenger ACR, Ram 392 and more 1319578260

Since the Chrysler Group joined up with Fiat, its brand portfolio has grown to include Chrysler, Dodge, Ram, Jeep and Fiat vehicles. And you know what that means: more stuff for Mopar to tinker with. That's just what Auburn Hills has got in store for the upcoming SEMA show in Vegas, with a whole slew of show cars to demonstrate just what the group's ...
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Report: Ford falls, Chrysler jumps in Consumer Reports reliability survey 1319572800

Consumer Reports has released its annual Car Reliability Study, and the results weren't kind to Ford. The automaker saw its ranking fall from 10th to 20th due to issues with three specific models: the Explorer, Fiesta and Focus. Each of those vehicles ranked below average in reliability during their first year on the market due to issues with MyFord Touch ...
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Ford sweeps Texas Truck Rodeo awards, Chrysler defends SUV crown 1319470260

The Texas Auto Writers Association has awarded the 2012 Ford F-150 a slew of honors. The pickup took home the Truck of Texas title by beating out its competitors at the annual Truck Rodeo. The award is the association's most prestigious honor, but Ford also picked up a few other nods. TAWA named the company's EcoBoost engine technology its best vehicle ...
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Cars.com $37,000 SUV shootout yields unexpected results [w/poll] 1318877880

Cars.com recently lined up seven new vehicles for a $37,000 SUV shootout. The 2012 Chevrolet Traverse, 2012 Dodge Durango, 2012 Ford Explorer, 2012 Honda Pilot, 2012 Kia Sorento, 2011 Mazda CX-9 and 2011 Toyota Highlander all squared off against one another in a range of evaluations, including a one-day highway drive and family testing. If you happen to ...