Chrysler (Page 23)

November 2011 was another good month for the American automotive industry but the king of the hill was the Chrysler Group with a 45% increase over November 2010 - making the smallest of the Detroit Big 3 the strongest brand in terms of growth last month.

Sergio Marchionne, chairman and CEO, Chrysler Group and CEO of Fiat S.p.A, will receive the 2011 Dwight D. Eisenhower Global Leadership Award tomorrow night in New York City. In addition, he has been elected president of the European Automobile Manufacturers Association.

While the details around the whole matter are scarce, the Chrysler Group has announced that Laura Soave, head of the North American branch of the Fiat brand, has left the company to “pursue other interests” and with her departure long-time Chrysler Group team member Tim Kuniskis will step in to fill that role.

The Chrysler Group as a whole has had a fairly quiet 2011 LA Auto Show but among the debuts is the new Dodge Challenger Yellow Jacket – a limited edition muscle car in the new Stinger Yellow exterior colored applied to the high performance SRT8 package.

Among the major debuts at the 2012 North American International Auto Show in Detroit will be the new Dodge C Segment sedan, based on the Alfa Romeo Giulietta and set to replace the current Dodge Caliber but contrary to the popular rumors – this new model will not be called the Hornet.

Among the vehicles making their North American production debut at the 2011 LA Auto Show is the 2012 Fiat 500 Abarth – a high performance, track ready version of the subcompact Italian coupe that reintroduced Americans to the Fiat brand earlier this year.

The Fiat 500 has not sold quite as well as the company had expected prior to the launch and reports are indicating that the company will be laying off some of the workers who build the Fiat’s 1.4L MultiAir engine for the North American market.

One of the new components in Chrysler’s fuel saving technologies being applied throughout their product lineup was the addition of a dual clutch transmission for the 2012 Chrysler 200 and Dodge Avenger sedans but reports indicate that those new high tech transmissions will not be offered on 2012 model year vehicles.

Blame the shift, not on better styling or better technology, but under-performing lease companies with unfavorable lease policies.

Earlier today we brought you the news that the 2012 Dodge Challenger SRT8 Yellow Jacket will make its debut at the 2011 LA Auto Show and now we know that the 4-door muscle sedan will also get a bright yellow special edition package debut in LA with the introduction of the 2012 Dodge Charger SRT8 Super Bee.

The Chrysler Group has announced that when the 2011 LA Auto Show opens, show goers will lay their eyes upon the newest limited edition Mopar muscle car in the form of the new 2012 Dodge Challenger SRT8 392 Yellow Jacket.

The Chrysler Group’s Mopar performance and aftermarket division always brings out some great concept vehicles to the SEMA Show and 2011 was no different with the biggest splash being made by the Dodge Challenger SRT8 ACR – designed to pay homage to the Dodge Viper SRT10 ACR that has recently reclaimed the Nürburgring production car lap time record.

The Chrysler Group announced this morning that they would be offering a new police vehicle that would join the popular Dodge Charger Pursuit with the introduction of the new Ram 1500 Crew Cab 4x4 Special Service package – a specially equipped police truck powered by the popular 5.7L Hemi V8.