Autoblog

Chrysler releases details, images of refreshed 2011 Town & Country

Zach Bowman — Tue, 14 Sep 2010 13:01:00 EST

2011 Chrysler Town & Country - Click above for high-res image gallery

Chrysler is continuing to hone the minivan that started it all - the Town & Country (okay, so it was the Plymouth Voyager and the Dodge Caravan, sue us). For 2011, buyers can look to find a slew of safety and technology treats on board, both in standard and optional trims. Every 2011 Town & Country will ship with tricks like blind spot and rear cross-path detection as part of what the company says is a 40-strong list of features designed to keep families as safe as can be. In a segment that's primary focus is shepherding herds of young ones around town, we're guessing that's going to be a strong selling point.

Of course, as important as safety is, it's also pretty boring. Fortunately, Chrysler has loaded up the new Town & Country with enough entertainment goodies to keep even the most spastic of rug rats sufficiently sedated. Buyers can opt for a dual-DVD system that can play separate media at the same time, SIRIUS backseat TV with plenty of children's programming or FLO TV with 20 channels of programming. There's also a raft of new instrument panel changes and softer touchpoints, along with a refined Stow 'n Go seating system. Road trips will never be the same.

For you lead-footed moms and dads late to soccer practice, under the hood, Chrysler has packed the company's new 283-horsepower Pentastar 3.6-liter V6 with 260 pound-feet of torque. The engine is mated to a six-speed automatic transmission, which helps the six-pot net 17 mpg city and 25 mpg highway.

Hit the jump for the press release and check out the gallery of exterior and interior changes below.

Gallery: 2011 Chrysler Town & Country

[Source: Chrysler]

Continue reading Chrysler releases details, images of refreshed 2011 Town & Country

Chrysler releases details, images of refreshed 2011 Town & Country originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 14 Sep 2010 13:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Spy Shots: 2011 Chrysler Town & Country nip/tuck spotted

Steven J. Ewing — Fri, 23 Jul 2010 11:34:00 EST

Filed under: Spy Photos, Minivan/Van, Chrysler, Dodge

Toyota and Honda may be improving the images of their minivans, but we mustn't forget about the company that started it all: Chrysler. The very first Dodge Grand Caravan went on sale 27 years ago, and through all of the ups and downs that the automaker has faced over the years (especially in recent times), the Grand Caravan and Town & Country twins have always been a mainstay.

The current pair of minivans was introduced for the 2008 model year, so it's only fitting that a slight mid-cycle refresh is on deck, and the folks at The Detroit News have snagged some spy shots of a Town & Country prototype out testing. In addition to modest exterior updates that include things like LED taillamps and a reworked rear bumper, expect Chrysler's new 3.6-liter Pentastar V6 to be slotted under the hood. Combined with a six-speed automatic transmission, this should account for a healthy improvement in fuel economy, not to mention power.

What's most important for minivan shoppers, though, is interior refinement, and the 2011 T&C is expected to get a host of cabin upgrades. More comfortable seats, higher-quality materials and an integrated center console will be on hand, and we'd expect the nifty Stow 'N Go and Swivel 'N Go seating configurations to carry over, as well. Look for similar improvements to make their way into the Dodge Grand Caravan, as well. Thanks for the tip, Aaron!

[Source: The Detroit News]

Spy Shots: 2011 Chrysler Town & Country nip/tuck spotted originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 23 Jul 2010 11:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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New York 2010: Chrysler shows off new SafetyTec package for Town & Country

Frank Filipponio — Thu, 01 Apr 2010 17:39:00 EST

Filed under: New York Auto Show, Minivan/Van, Etc., Safety, Chrysler, Specialty

2010 Chrysler Town & Country SafetyTec - Click above for high-res image gallery

Although the Chrysler Group still has a rather large amount of floor space here at the 2010 New York Auto Show, the company didn't have a lot to offer this year...at least not just-baked stuff for the assembled media. Instead of showing off a new 300 or maybe even a 200C hybrid, they merely gathered up a bunch of older concepts and special editions and dropped them off at Javits. Chrysler at least had the good sense not to have a press conference. To be fair, the Pentastar is struggling and we don't mean to kick them when they're down so we'll focus on the positive instead.

One new vehicle we found amidst the recently unveiled specials was a 2010 Chrysler Town & Country with seemingly every one of Chrysler's latest safety and security features. The press release, which you'll find after the jump, says the package includes the company's Rear Cross Path (RCP) and Blind-spot Monitoring systems (BSM) to help drivers in making "safe lane changes and backing out of high-traffic parking situations." Both features are apparently firsts in this segment.

This new "SafetyTec" package, as it's known, is an option on the 2010 Chrysler Town & Country Touring and new Touring "Plus" models, and will be standard on the Town & Country Limited. The grouping includes standard and optional safety and security features like multi-stage airbags, seatbelt pretensioning, constant-force seat-belt retractors (CFR), active head restraints and supplemental side-curtain air bags. There are also accident-avoidance features like Smart Brake and Electronic Stability Control (ESC), plus security features like an anti-theft alarm and the Sentry Key engine immobilizer among other things. If Chrysler knows anything, it's minivans and the importance of safety to minivan buyers.

The new SafetyTec package will be available late spring at an undisclosed price. Follow the jump to read the long laundry list of included features and take a look at our gallery below.

Gallery: Chrysler Town & Country SafetyTec live in NY

[Source: Chrysler]

Continue reading New York 2010: Chrysler shows off new SafetyTec package for Town & Country

New York 2010: Chrysler shows off new SafetyTec package for Town & Country originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 01 Apr 2010 17:39:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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REPORT: Chrysler rehiring white collar workers to get new product out fast

Chris Shunk — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 11:28:00 EST

Filed under: Chrysler, Dodge, Fiat

2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee - click above for high-res image gallery

The new product picture at Chrysler appears to be mighty thin, as the only new products scheduled to come out of the Pentastar over the next year are redesigns of the Jeep Grand Cherokee, Dodge Ram Heavy Duty and the Chrysler 300. As you may recall, Fiat CEO Sergio Marchionne recently said that he was surprised to see how little has been done in the way of product development over the past two years, which is hardly a ringing endorsement from the new boss.

Marchionnne and his management team are now putting the final touches on a new plan to reverse Chrysler's fortunes, and the key to the company's renaissance will be new product. The Detroit Free Press is reporting that Marchionne's plan includes quick turnarounds on the refreshing of the Town & Country and Grand Caravan minivans, the Dodge Caliber, as well as the Jeep Patriot and Compass. According to company sources, the PT Cruiser is also scheduled to be redesigned in a compressed time frame, with the expectation of a mid-2011 arrival.

To execute the aggressive plan, Marchionne is reportedly calling for design and engineering workers to work overtime, and some workers who took packages or were separated involuntarily will be hired back on a contract basis. Beyond the refreshes already mentioned, Fiat has already committed to build the hot little 500 in Mexico by mid-2011, and the Pentastar will also complete the launch of its Phoenix V6 engine program.

Marchionne is scheduled to deliver his latest proposal to overhaul Chrysler to the Obama Administration's Auto Task Force by next Wednesday. It looks like there is finally going to be some serious action in Auburn Hills, MI, and we're hoping that Fiat and Chrysler can buy two years' time to bring the greatly-needed product to fruition.

Gallery: 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee

[Source: Detroit Free Press]

REPORT: Chrysler rehiring white collar workers to get new product out fast originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 25 Sep 2009 11:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Dealer Advertising Fun: Chrysler 300C/Town & Country mashup

Alex Nunez — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 19:29:00 EST

Filed under: Car Buying, Minivan/Van, Marketing/Advertising, Chrysler, Humor

Click image to see the dealer ad

"Truth-enhanced" car dealer advertising is nothing new. After all, how many times have you seen a newspaper ad for a special on, say, a base model, when the accompanying image shows a fully-optioned, range-topping version of the car instead? It's your job to read the fine print and stay informed so that you're not disappointed by the crank-window special the salesman presents when you get there.

To that end, we'd like to offer a helping hand to potential customers of Lynnfield, MA's Kelly Jeep. If you visit their website and click on "New Vehicle Specials" (under New Vehicles), you'll find a listing for an '08 Chrysler Town & Country. Okay, fine -- but the image that's paired with the listing is the one above. It's the Photoshop love child of the Euro-spec 300C Touring and a Town & Country. In fact, it doesn't look half bad with the 300's front end, big wheels, and flared fenders. One might even be tempted to ask, "Damn, that thing got a Hemi?" Whatever the case, it's more appealing than the blandtacular actual Chrysler Town & Country, which is what the nice man at the dealership will be happy to show you. We understand that the car in the photo above is hidden away in a barn where the owner also keeps a stable of unicorns. Thanks to Koko for the tip (and the laugh).

Gallery: Dealer ad with photochopped 300C/Town & Country Mashup

[Source: Kelly Jeep]

Dealer Advertising Fun: Chrysler 300C/Town & Country mashup originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 11 Nov 2008 19:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Chrysler ekes out additional 2 mpg on 2009 minivans

Michael Harley — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 14:01:00 EST

Filed under: Car Buying, Minivan/Van, Green, Chrysler, Dodge

With moms now actually reading EPA fuel economy figures on the window sticker before trying out the dozen cup holders found in most modern minivans, Chrysler went back to the engineering lab and knocked out a few more miles per gallon for its 2009 minivan offerings. Bragging that no other minivan offers better fuel economy than the 2009 Chrysler Town & Country and Dodge Grand Caravan, the automaker is boasting EPA figures of 17 city / 25 highway for the minivans when equipped with the automaker's 4.0L six-cylinder engine and minivan-first 6-speed automatic. Considering that the original 1984 Chrysler Town and Country achieved 18 city / 21 highway with a 2.6L four-cylinder and three-speed transmission, we've clearly come a long way. To squeeze out the extra miles per gallon, Chrysler tweaked the large 4.0L V6 engine and then changed the ratios on the transmission. With a higher ratio first gear, and smaller steps between the new ratios, the minivans are quicker off the line and the engine doesn't loose as much speed between shifts. The result is a fuel economy improvement of about 8 percent or about 2 mpg. Now, if the engineers could just do something about that minivan stigma...

[Source: Chrysler]

Continue reading Chrysler ekes out additional 2 mpg on 2009 minivans

Chrysler ekes out additional 2 mpg on 2009 minivans originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 11 Sep 2008 14:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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