Autoblog

There has been a lot of talk recently about whether Chrysler has the right products in the pipeline to compete in this brutally competitive automotive market. Company chairman Jim Press told a group of reporters in California that help is on the way in the form of seven new products coming in calendar year 2010. Chrysler top procurement officer John Campi stated recently that the number could be as high as nine, but we suspect the number disparity could be a result of Campi counting vehicle variations as separate models. Neither Campi or Press gave any details of upcoming models, but analysts think they know which products are coming our way.

Erich Merkle of Crowe Chizek and Co. sees only five vehicles arriving in 2010, including the next generation 300, Durango, Grand Cherokee, Charger, and the Nissan-based Dodge Hornet (or other small car). The Pentastar may also be counting separately hybrid versions of some of the models, but there is also a chance there's an all-new model or two based on collaborations Chrysler has with other automakers that analysts don't know about.

Press and Campi aren't the only executives talking about future product, either. Chrysler top dog Bob Nardelli said last month that a new fuel efficient vehicle may coming as soon as next year as well, and we suspect that model could be the Hornet. Press stressed that it took years for Chrysler to end up where it is today, and that it will take at least three years to pull the privately owned company out of the abyss. It's good to hear Chrysler is still alive an kicking, and we're looking forward to seeing what the Auburn Hills, MI automaker has up its sleeve.

[Source: Free Press]

After years of talk, Chery is finally entering the North American market later this year, but the small car will be badged as a Dodge, and it'll be sold exclusively in Mexico. The decidedly un-Hornet-looking A1, which was designed by Bertone of Italy, will be rebadged as a Dodge and virtually unchanged from its Chery twin. While Chrysler execs are adamant that the A1 isn't coming to the US, the Pentastar is still working with Chery on a small car to be sold north of the border. Don't hold your breath waiting for an ultra-cheap Chery in the US, though. Chrysler co-pilot Tom LaSorda says Chery has "three or more years" before the Chinese automaker can meet US safety and emissions standards.

[Source: Automotive News (subs req'd)]

If you've been waiting on pins and needles for a small Chrysler that's due to be built in China by Chery, you're going to have to twiddle your thumbs a little longer. Though we've been hearing about a Chrysler/Chery Hornet or Demon for some time, execs from both companies don't believe the products are ready for North America, yet. Quality and safety are still a concern with the vehicles, but Chrysler's China boss Phil Murtaugh feels the challenges are far from insurmountable. Chery Chairman, Yin Tongyao, is also convinced that more work needs to be done to get the product up to US standards, saying the US and Europe are "very mature markets."

Chery is dying to get its affordable vehicles into the US market, but both Chrysler and Chery seem to understand that any sub-standard Chinese vehicles are destined to take their place next to Yugo in the history books. Chances are that the two companies will only have one shot to get things right, and if the final product is garbage, Chery will be finished in the US, and Chrysler's already dim rep will start to flicker. If the inexpensive vehicles are a big hit, however, the Pentastar will be pulling in Yuan hand over fist.

[Source: AP]

The Dodge Hornet is about to be officially a go. Dodge's Euro B-segment entrant will be produced with Chinese automaker Chery, and won't have a Chrysler-branded counterpart. The show car, from the 2006 Geneva show, had a supercharged 4-cylinder with 170 hp, and got to 60 in 6.7 seconds. Autocar believes the production version may bow as early as this September at the Frankfurt Motor Show, though we think that's a bit optimistic.

The good thing is that the Hornet's impending production is part of Chrysler's 3-year, $3-billion product renewal program, which has been "confirmed" since Cerberus bought the company. Though it will likely debut at a European auto show, we have high hopes that Chrysler will bring its Chinese-built B-car to the U.S., as well.

[Source: Autocar]

Chery officials say the pause in their discussion with Chrysler was so the Chinese company could get a better idea of the American's future. Now that Cerberus has taken over, Chery sees the coming years filled with puppy dogs and lollipops.

And in their giddiness, someone at Chery leaked a few details of the project to Automotive News. Chery will build two cars for Chrysler, to be sold under the Chrysler brand. Chery is already building one of the two in China (possibly the A1?), but for Chrysler it will be shipped in kit form to South America where it will be assembled for that market.

The other Chery-built car will, in fact, be the Hornet, according to AN's anonymous sources. The car will be based on Dodge's show car, but engineering will be handled by Chery in China. Hornet production could begin as soon as 2010.

It's good to see these two playing nice again, even better to hear the Hornet may actually reach production.

[Source: Automotive News - Sub. Req.]

Yes, we know, it wasn't that long ago we reported Chrysler Group President Tom LaSorda saying Chery would not build the Hornet show car, but rather supply one of its own models for sales as a Dodge-branded small car in the Chrysler Group's product portfolio. Now Autoweek is reporting that Chrysler is none too happy with Chery's weak efforts to improve the production quality of its own cars. So instead of having Chery supply one of its own models, Chrysler may go ahead on its own with development of the Hornet Concept. The Hornet would still be built by Chery in China, but Chrysler would help the Chinese automaker select suppliers for the production Hornet that meet a satisfactory quality standard.

A Chery spokesman would not confirm the Hornet's production, and a Chrysler spokesman said the deal is still in the early stages and final product has not yet been decided. Jason Vines, vice president for Chrysler Group Communications had this to say via email, "No comment. The Supervisory Board still has to approve the whole Chery deal."

For a quick timeline on this saga, follow the jump.

[Source: Autoweek via China Car Times]

Though I and my generation weren't raised during Hudson's heyday, we can thank Pixar and Disney for picking up and dusting off the automaker's most famous model – the Hornet. The Hudson Hornet is experiencing a revival right now thanks to the animated film CARS that featured a Hornet named Doc who has all the answers.

A man who wears his affection for Hornets on his sleeve owns this gorgeous 1951 model; he goes by the Flickr handle Proud Hornet Owner. The car has been in his family since 1968, ever since his father bought the green machine from the original owner for $500. As a matter of fact, Proud Hornet Owner's first car ride ever was a trip home from the hospital on a cold winter's day in his father's Hornet. Nowadays, the Hornet only sees sunny weather. Proud Hornet Owner also tells us that the car is quite a celebrity now thanks to CARS, as little kids want to get their picture taken with the one and only Doc.

If you'd like to see your own ride featured here, simply upload photos of your ride into our Flickr group. We select one image to highlight each week day, and on the weekend let you vote for the RR of the Week. Detailed instructions can be found after the jump.

Despite rumors that have been floating around since the debut of the Hornet concept in Geneva this year, Volkswagen will not be providing Dodge with a platform to produce a B-segment vehicle.

According to an article that's due for publication this Monday in the German magazine Automobilwoche, VW's bid to share its Polo's underpinnings was too high for the German-American automaker. However, DaimlerChrysler's plans to produce the Hornet or a similar vehicle will not be thwarted, as D.C. is still the process of negotiations with Chinese, Japanese and European manufacturers.

Although this may be a small hurdle for Dodge's new sub-compact, the relationship between VW and Dodge to produce a mini-van has been left intact.

[Source: The Auto Channel and Automobilwoche via The German Car Blog]

Related Posts:

• Geneva Motor Show: Dodge Hornet concept world premiere
• Dodge Hornet buzzes for partners; narrows it down to three
• Chrysler taking its time selecting small car partner

When Dodge entered the UK market in June of this year, they knew that producing a sub-compact vehicle for European consumption had to part of an overall brand strategy. Vehicles like the Charger and upcoming Challenger weren't going to be viable contenders in the European marketplace, so Dodge has decided that in addition to the Caliber and new Nitro SUV, a variation of the Hornet concept will find its way into production. The task now is finding a suitable company to partner with to produce Dodge's new Mini fighter.

Chrysler CEO Tom LaSorda is quoted as saying that, in addition to seeking partnerships with Hyundai, Mitsubishi and Volkswagen, a Chinese manufacturer may be in the running. Which one? People in the know point to Chery, with LaSorda saying that he has no quality concerns about working with a Chinese automaker.

As reported earlier, Dodge is being closely watched by DaimlerChrysler's team of global managers and gambling with a small Chinese manufacturer could have a detrimental effect on the automaker's future ambitions in Europe. A decision regarding the alliance will be made by fall of this year.

[Source: Automotive News]

Chrysler Group's boss, Joe Eberhardt, issued an ultimatum regarding the automaker's future in the UK. If Dodge products do not succeed at a high level by 2009, they will pull out of the UK market entirely.

Dodge is counting on two specific models to guarantee success across the pond. The first is the familiar Caliber, which the automaker expects to solidify the desired aura of "Dodge attitude" and the soon-to-be-produced Nitro seeks to take on the small SUV market, dominated by the RAV4 and CR-V.

The Hornet stands to be a success in the supermini class, with its targets firmly locked onto the Mini Cooper, but no existing platform will accommodate the concept vehicle's small wheelbase. As such, DaimlerChrysler is seeking to partner with another manufacturer for production of the Hornet. Hopefully, if it sees production in the UK, the Hornet will make an apperance here in the States.

[Source: AutoExpress]