Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com Autoblog http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.autoblog.com/media/feedlogo.gif Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com en-us Copyright 2009 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Chrysler decides to keep third shift at Windsor minivan plant, VW Routan to live on]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/07/11/chrysler-decides-to-keep-third-shift-at-windsor-minivan-plant-v/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/07/11/chrysler-decides-to-keep-third-shift-at-windsor-minivan-plant-v/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/07/11/chrysler-decides-to-keep-third-shift-at-windsor-minivan-plant-v/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,


2009 Volkswagen Routan - click above for a high res image gallery

Earlier this spring as Chrysler stumbled toward bankruptcy court, one of the announced cost-cutting decisions was the elimination of the third shift at the Windsor assembly plant. That's the factory that produces the Chrysler Town and Country, Dodge Caravan and Volkswagen Routan minivans. According to Ken Lewenza, president of the Canadian Auto Workers union, the company has reversed course and will keep the third shift operational. Preserving the final shift will prevent 1,200 layoffs at the factory.

The change was made possible by a revised labor deal agreed to this spring, which cut $207 million in annual costs. Earlier this year, the plant "temporarily" ceased building the Routan for Volkswagen due to slow sales. According to VW of America communications director Steve Keyes, the Routan will live on as well. Keyes tells Autoblog "We will be introducing the 2010 MY vehicle this Fall and continue work on future models. Our goal was to capture 5 percent of the segment and we're meeting that target."


Gallery: First Drive: 2009 Volkswagen Routan


[Source: Reuters, Volkswagen]
Photos Copyright (C)2008 Damon Lavrinc / Weblogs, Inc.

Chrysler decides to keep third shift at Windsor minivan plant, VW Routan to live on originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 11 Jul 2009 17:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Chrysler U.S. Postal Service Minivan - Click above for a high-res gallery

Chrysler is celebrating Earth Day today by unveiling the first four of what will be a fleet of 250 battery powered minivans for the US Postal Service. The U.S.P.S. will be using the vans for variety of duties at locations around the country - including daily home delivery.

The vans themselves are based on the concept Town and Country EV that was unveiled last Fall by Chrysler. However, because of the duty cycle used by the Postal Service - which generally amounts to only about 18-20 miles per day on a fixed route - these vehicles are being built without the range extender seen on the concept. However, the electric drive portion of the vehicles, including the motor, electronics and A123 System lithium ion battery pack is identical. The head of Chrysler's ENVI division Lou Rhodes told Autoblog Green this morning that Chrysler is marketing this battery-only version of the van to commercial fleet customers who typically have a shorter range requirements. The extended-range version will be focused on retail customers.

The initial batch of vehicles include a pair of right- and left-hand drive versions, and the total fleet will include a mix. The Postal Service will be using the vehicles for whatever applications they have in different regions of the country. The intent is to evaluate the usability of electric vans, as well as the interaction between the vehicles and the infrastructure. In addition to the post office, Consolidated Edison (Con Ed), Duke Energy, DTE Energy and Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) will participate in the test program.


Gallery: Chrysler EV USPS mini-van


[Source: Chrysler]

Chrysler unveils new electric minivan for U.S. Postal Service duty originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 22 Apr 2009 12:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Chrysler minivanChryslerMinivanConEdDTE EnergyDteEnergyDuke EnergyDukeEnergyElectric Power Research InstituteElectricPowerResearchInstituteENVIEPRILou RhodesLouRhodesPost officepostal servicePostalServicePostOfficeTown and countryTownAndCountryUSPSWed, 22 Apr 2009 12:59:00 EST<![CDATA[Nein, danke: VW not interested in buying Chrysler minivan business]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/01/18/nein-danke-vw-not-interested-in-buying-chrysler-minivan-busine/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/01/18/nein-danke-vw-not-interested-in-buying-chrysler-minivan-busine/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/01/18/nein-danke-vw-not-interested-in-buying-chrysler-minivan-busine/#commentsFiled under: , ,


Click above to view high-resolution images from our first drive of the Volkswagen Routan

With Chrysler's fortunes swirling around the drain, it's widely expected that the only way it will survive is as individual parts swallowed by other automakers. But while the costly Viper operation may find a new home, the most likely buyer for its minivan operation, the product that put the company back on the map over two decades ago, isn't interested.

Chrysler has been rebadging its Town & Country minivans as Routans for Volkswagen in a deal struck by Wolfgang Bernhard, a former top exec at both automakers. But while Chrysler sold 232,000 of its Town & Country and Dodge Caravan minivans last year, Volkswagen sold a paltry 3387 Routans, which may go a long way towards explaining why Stefan Jacoby, president and CEO of Volkswagen Group of America, says they're not interested. The weak sales come despite a costly ad campaign featuring Brooke Shields: If they spent $1 million on the commercials - including Brooke's big fat paycheck (the only time "fat" and "Brooke Shields" ever belong in the same sentence) - that means the advertising cost $294 per Routan sold. Which is more than what we'd pay for a badge-engineered minivan being passed off as German engineering.

Still, for your viewing enjoyment, we've included a video of Brooke's Routan mocumentary/commercial after the jump, because we'll take any excuse to watch Brooke Shields talk about making babies. Just be prepared to yell "but it's not German engineering!" at your computer screen repeatedly.

Gallery: First Drive: 2009 Volkswagen Routan


[Source: Business Week]

Continue reading Nein, danke: VW not interested in buying Chrysler minivan business

Nein, danke: VW not interested in buying Chrysler minivan business originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 18 Jan 2009 14:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>brooke shieldsbrooke shields volkswagenbrooke shields volkswagen routan commercialBrookeShieldsBrookeShieldsVolkswagenBrookeShieldsVolkswagenRoutanCommercialchryslerchrysler minivanchrysler town 7 coun...chrysler town and countrychrysler towncountryChryslerMinivanChryslerTown7Coun...ChryslerTownAndCountryChryslerTowncountryvolkswagenvolkswagen routanVolkswagenRoutanvwvw routanVwRoutanSun, 18 Jan 2009 14:03:00 EST<![CDATA[Future Classic: 1984 Chrysler Minivans]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2008/05/09/future-classic-1984-chrysler-minivans/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/05/09/future-classic-1984-chrysler-minivans/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/05/09/future-classic-1984-chrysler-minivans/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,



Think of what the automotive landscape looked like nigh on 25 years ago. Mentioning "family car" in 1983 would have conjured a station wagon. Some of us dig wagons, while others think we're daft because of the stigma they still carry. There's no denying that a wagon is an excellent way to transport kids and stuff, but those beasts of yesteryear often led to yearnings for an alternative. We all remember getting carsick while sitting in the rear-facing third row torture chamber, cut off from the rest of the family and their future-looking vantage point. The tailgunner position was a great way to test out new hand gestures on following motorists, though.

When the Chrysler minivans were revealed to the world in 1983 as 1984 models, they were a revelation. The Caravan and Voyager were not the first vans based on compact chassis, but they were such a successful combination of the elements that sales took off and imitators sprang up only after Chrysler had firmly established its status as the segment trendsetter. Continued after the jump.

Gallery: First Generation Chrysler Minivans

Continue reading Future Classic: 1984 Chrysler Minivans

Future Classic: 1984 Chrysler Minivans originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 09 May 2008 12:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>chrysler minivanchrysler minivanschrysler town 7 coun...chrysler town and co...ChryslerMinivanChryslerMinivansChryslerTown7Coun...ChryslerTownAndCo...dodge caravanDodgeCaravanfeaturedfuture classicFutureClassicminivanminivan historyMinivanHistoryminivansplymouth voyagerPlymouthVoyagerFri, 09 May 2008 12:31:00 EST<![CDATA[Press: Chrysler to cut its SUV offerings in half]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2008/03/24/press-chrysler-to-cut-its-suv-offerings-in-half/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/03/24/press-chrysler-to-cut-its-suv-offerings-in-half/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/03/24/press-chrysler-to-cut-its-suv-offerings-in-half/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

It's no secret that Chrysler has some overlapping models in its lineup. Case(s)-in-point: it's hard to make a rational argument that Jeep should be offering both the Compass and Patriot (not to mention Dodge selling the Patriot's platform sibling, the Caliber) or the Grand Cherokee and the Commander. The Chrysler Aspen and Dodge Durango barely pretend to be different vehicles and there's no reason to sell both the Jeep Liberty and Dodge Nitro when they're basically the same machine. This revelation is as obvious to Chrysler's new management as it is to us, and Chrysler President Jim Press, says as much. "We're going to stop overlapping, we're going to bring everything under one roof. By doing that we will have more products in the markets we are not covering."

Also marked as redundant by Press are the Chrysler Town and Country and Dodge Caravan minivans, but as easy as it may be to pinpoint overlapping models, fixing that problem may prove more difficult. Dealers will need to begin offering the whole Chrysler line of vehicles if this strategy of "bringing everything under one roof" is to succeed. Expect to see drastic changes taking place in the next four to five years.

[Source: Bloomberg]

Press: Chrysler to cut its SUV offerings in half originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 24 Mar 2008 09:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>chryslerchrysler aspenchrysler minivanchrysler minivanschrysler-aspenchrysler-minivanchrysler-minivansChryslerAspenChryslerMinivanChryslerMinivanscompasscompatriotdodge durangododge-durangoDodgeDurangojeep commanderjeep compassjeep patriotjeep-compassjeep-patriotJeepCommanderJeepCompassJeepPatriotminivanpatriotMon, 24 Mar 2008 09:28:00 EST<![CDATA[Spy Shots: Chrysler minivan]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2006/05/10/spy-shots-chrysler-minivan/http://www.autoblog.com/2006/05/10/spy-shots-chrysler-minivan/http://www.autoblog.com/2006/05/10/spy-shots-chrysler-minivan/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

KGP Photography and The Car Connection managed to snap a shot of the next Chrysler minivan just before it was wrapped up by engineers at Chrysler's pilot production facility. The snazzy new Mom-mobile will be a bit boxier with a near-vertical D-pillar, and the sliding doors evidently have roll-down windows, which puts the vehicle in the same league as its Japanese competition when it comes to window retraction. Such an important selling feature, that window retraction.

[Source: The Car Connection]

Spy Shots: Chrysler minivan originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 10 May 2006 09:06:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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