Chrysler (Page 30)

While the 2011 Dodge Avenger Heat features a revised interior and a subtly altered exterior, the biggest news for the new midsized Dodge sedan is the improved suspension system and the new premium engine option.

Active duty military personnel and members of the reserves will get a break through the Nissan Vehicle Purchase Program, the Japanese manufacturer announced just in time for the Memorial Day holiday, which honors those men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice in defending our freedom.

Chrysler announced over a year ago that they were working with the Department of Energy to put together a demonstration fleet of plug-in electric hybrid Ram 1500 pickups and yesterday, the Ram brand delivered the first 10 PHEV Ram 1500s to the municipal services group of Yuma Arizona.

I recently had the pleasure of spending a week behind the wheel of the 2011 Dodge Avenger Heat, which included a nice long road trip to the Mecum Indy Spring Classic along with the duties of daily driving tasks – all of which clearly displayed the improvements made to the Avenger compared to the previous model year.

Chrysler’s Mopar division has announced the MoVenture - a cross-country road rally and scavenger hunt pitting 10 teams of hardcore Mopar enthusiasts head to head as the groups race from Detroit to Golden Colorado in 2011 and 2012 Chrysler vehicles.

The Kurt Busch Foundation has announced a raffle with an incredible grand prize – a customized 2011 Dodge Charger R/T featuring upgrades and styling based on Kurt Busch’s #22 Penske Charger race car and the Mopar Redline Charger that debuted at the 2010 SEMA Show.

The 1974 Jensen Interceptor III offered British design and styling with the heart and soul of a classic American muscle car thanks to the Chrysler 440 4-barrel under the hood – and one of these rare Chrysler-powered luxury drop-tops made an appearance at the 2011 Mecum Spring Classic in Indianapolis.

President Obama praised Chrysler Group LLC Tuesday for repaying $7.6 billion it owed the federal government and Canada an impressive six years ahead of schedule.

This afternoon, Chrysler and Fiat CEO Sergio Marchionne will speak at a ceremony at the automaker’s Sterling Heights Assembly Plant, where he will formally thank the US and Canadian governments for their financial support but more importantly, Marchionne is expected to announce that the company is paying off the $7.53 billion owed to the two governments.

The 2011 Mecum Spring Classic Auction in Indianapolis is chock full of amazing vehicles but nothing Ive seen before at Mecum – or anywhere else – is such a unique piece of muscle car history as the 1974 Plymouth Cuda Tooling Proof Body.