CNNMoney.com is reporting that Chrysler will be the only U.S. domestic automaker to air a commercial during this year's Super Bowl. The spot in question will be 60 seconds long, the most expensive length to buy during the big game, and advertise the Dodge Charger of all vehicles. Chrysler spokeswoman Dianna C. Gutierrez is quoted saying, "What better way to illustrate to our customers that we are still here than to air on the Super Bowl..." Oh Dianna, we could think of a few ways.
Has Chrysler determined there are so many people who believe it's disappeared that spending millions on a Super Bowl ad to remind them it hasn't is a good idea? This idea ranks right up there with boarding a private jet bound for the nation's capital to ask for money from Congress. In other words, it will backfire. The expense of buying air time during the Super Bowl to advertise the outdated Charger could easily be seen by some as a waste of money, dollars that could have been used to do better things, like, say, developing a better Charger.
There's nothing Chrysler can say in a commercial that will wipe out the ill will that remains in some people's hearts after the government loans and forced bankruptcy, so Chrysler should do what its cross-town rivals are doing: be quiet and start developing better products. Once the folks at Chrysler build a better Charger (and Avenger, Caliber, Journey, etc.), then we'll by happy to watch their Super Bowl ad. Until then, we're more looking forward to watching spots from Honda, Hyundai, Kia, Audi and Volkswagen on February 7.
We heard about it in Los Angeles, and now we see it here in the D. Meet the 1:33 Edition of Dodge's most potent ever Viper. Why the name? We're glad you asked. Back in November, hot-shoe Dodge Chris Winkler managed to hammer the track-focused Viper ACR around Laguna Seca in 1:33.944, faster than any other production car has ever gone (Note: the spoiler says 1:33.915). Impressive, no? Only 33 of these special Vipers are being built.
Here's what makes 'em so grand: Thanks to new, more bonkers gearing, the 600-horsepower monster does everything quicker. Try this statistic on for size: 0 to 202 miles-per-hour happens 14 seconds quicker with this 2010 Viper ACR than the 2009 model. Can we get a wolf whistle? The 1:33 Edition also gets a unique two-tone Black Clear CoatRed Clear Coat exterior color, the inverse of the original ACR, as well as modified end caps on its massive carbon-fiber wing, too. We're going to miss the uncircumsized Dodge Viper (how would you describe it?), but at least it's going out with a big bang.
Dodge is rolling out three special edition Nitros here at the Detroit Auto Show named Heat, Detonator and Shock. For now, we're focusing on the Detonator, a massively loud yellow mid-size SUV. Aside from the eye-scorching paint, the Nitro Detonator gets standard 20-inch wheels, eight premium speakers hooked into a 368-watt amp plus a nine-inch subwoofer. Tinted glass, too.
The real news, however, is the engine. All three special edition Nitros get an aluminum 4.0-liter V6 that makes 23 percent more horsepower and 12 percent more torque. Specifically, the overhead cam V6 pumps out 260 hp and 265 lb-ft of torque. That's some decent grunt, though a 4.0-liter-V6-powered Nissan Pathfinder makes 266 hp and 288 lb-ft of torque. However, the Nitro Detonator has gray stripes on the hood. Costs $25,995, too.
Entering the Chrysler display promised to yield few surprises here at the Detroit Auto Show. The automaker doesn't even have a press conference scheduled – mostly because there isn't a lot happening new product-wise. But that doesn't mean The Pentastar doesn't have anything to be proud of, including the latest iteration of the Dodge Ram Heavy Duty, which was recently named the Motor Trend Truck of the Year.
Ostensibly to celebrate that award, but probably more likely to add a little excitement to its booth area here in Detroit, Chrysler has somehow managed to attach a brand-new 2010 Dodge Ram Heavy Duty to the ceiling of its display. So, if you plan on visiting Detroit this week to see all that the world's finest automakers have to offer, make your way to the Chrysler booth... and keep your eyes skyward.
Automobiles and footwear, they're not that different, right? They're both transportation devices; Jimi said "his dusty boots is his Cadillac," putting it all in perspective. Sergio Marchionne has Balkanized the marketing of Chrysler's divisions, and Dodge has taken the opportunity to split from its long-serving agency BBDO, which has handled advertising and media buying for the whole of Chrysler.
BBDO's contract runs out this month, and according to Automotive News, Dodge is going with the "Just Do It" Agency Wieden+Kennedy. In addition to coining that iconic phrase for Nike, a brand which W+K has been associated with since its birth in 1982. The firm's Portland, Oregon arm also puts its mark on ESPN's "This is Sportscenter" campaign, and was responsible for the recent Target Christmas spots. Lest you think there's some kind of magic juju that goes into car advertising, W+K knows what it's doing there, too. Adweek awarded Honda's "Grrr" ad the title "Commercial of the Decade," and the well-traveled "Cog" spot was also W+K's work, so it's obvious the firm knows a thing or two about auto. It's not clear what direction Dodge's advertising will go – especially now that it's been split off from Ram – but the company is likely breathing a sigh of relief that it didn't get tasked with the Chrysler brand, instead. We're not sure there's any type of advertising that could sell Sebrings.
A few weeks ago, everyone, including us, was wondering when The Chrysler Group was going to have anything new to show us at next week's Detroit Auto Show. You can look at the latest news about potential Ram models, Chrysler's special editions and Dodge's just-unveiled offerings either as wheezing gasps, or signs of pointing in the right direction. Since it's a new year, we're going to give Chrysler (and Fiat) the benefit of the doubt... for now.
Dodge says it "has taken 'base model' out of its vocabulary" by moving heaps of kit from the Options column to the Standard column on cars like the Journey, which for 2010 will automatically receive 17-inch aluminum wheels, cruise control, sunscreen glass, body-color mirrors, floor mats and passenger grab handles. It has also added "Heat," "Hero," "Crew," and "Uptown" packages to the Journey's options list for those who like trim names that sound like they came from an SNL skit.
To match its Chrysler 300 siblings, the Dodge Caliber gets a restyled interior "executed with premium materials and detailed craftsmanship" alongside its new instrument panel. Not left out of the marketing brainstorm, the Caliber wears a number of new trim monikers as well, including "Express," "Mainstreet," "Heat," "Uptown" and "Rush." Four of Dodge's other models – the Nitro, Avenger, Challenger, and Viper SRT10 – get their loving spoonfuls as well.
If Chrysler is looking to gain any one thing from its new parents at Fiat, it's engine technology. Specifically, the Pentastar will be enlisting its Italian overlords to supply direct injection systems, turbocharging, and Fiat's Multiair variable valve technology, along with new dual-clutch transmissions. Chrysler claims all of this technology is going to boost the overall fuel-efficiency of its vehicles by 25 percent between now and 2014, with over 80 percent of Chrysler, Dodge and Jeep vehicles getting new mills in the process.
To that end, Chrysler has finally announced the details of its new powertrain lineup, including two small-displacement four-cylinders and a new V6.
On the four-pot front, Chrysler will begin fitting one of two new 1.4-liter four-cylinder engines on future models: a naturally aspirated version kicking out 100 horsepower (at 6,750 rpm) and 95 pound-feet of torque (at 4,250 rpm), as well as a turbocharged variant that churns out 170 hp (at 6,750 rpm) and 170 lb-ft of twist (at 3,000 rpm). In keeping with its Italian ancestry, Chrysler has dubbed these new mills "Fully Integrated Robotized Engines" and each features Fully Variable-valve Actuation (FVVA) – what we've come to know as Multiair across the Atlantic. Chrysler maintains that both engines offer a 10 percent reduction in emissions and fuel consumption while putting out between 10- to 15-percent more power than its outgoing mills.
This is a depressing way to start the new year. According to a "source close to the project" speaking with Automobile, plans to produce the Devon GTX have been cancelled due to the Dodge Viper discontinuation.
As a refresher, the 650-hp, Viper-based coupe was unveiled last year in Pebble Beach and was due to go into limited production this year in Southern California. We even had the chance to go for a spin the GTX late last year after one of the prototypes set a lap record at Laguna Seca. Devon hoped to thrust America back on the main supercar stage with the bespoke coupe, but without a source for the chassis and 8.4-liter engine, those plans have apparently been dashed. We're hoping to get more details directly from Devon, so stay tuned for an update.
The Dodge Challenger arguably features the most retro design of Detroit's three modern day muscle cars. Sure, the Ford Mustang and Chevrolet Camaro exhibit cues that evoke their forebears, but neither slavishly recreates a whole car from yesteryear like the Challenger does. For 2010, Mopar has announced a new Performance Appearance Package for the Challenger that adds a host of bits and bobbles to the muscle car's otherwise attractively simple design.
The new Performance Appearance Package adds a body-color hood with a scoop (no word on whether it's functional, but we sure hope it is considering its size), a body-color "Go-Wing" rear spoiler and strobe stripe performance graphics. A separate package for the interior gets you a Mopar-branded T-handle shifter, bright pedal kit (for automatic-equipped models only), bright door-sill guards, premium carpet floor mats and a vehicle cover. We noticed Mopar's use of the adjective "bright" when describing metal parts of the Performance Appearance Package, and after examining the pics can only guess that this means a shiny, chrome-like material was used.
The price for the exterior package is $1,995 and the interior package will cost you $945 if you're ordering an automatic Challenger and $780 for one with a manual. Keep in mind, none of these accessories will help your Challenger keep up with a Mustang or Camaro. That's why it's called the Performance Appearance Package: it gives your Challenger the appearance of performance without actually adding any.
The Dodge Challenger has found plenty of happy homes, and we've had the pleasure of driving quite a few examples, ranging from various production models to an array of tuner versions, including the Classic Design Concepts Widebody Challenger and the Hurst Series 4 Challenger. We can now add one more to the list: Mr. Norm's Super Cuda. Yes, it isn't a Challenger by name, but few will mistake what vehicle forms the base of this coupe despite its uniquely Plymouth appearance.
With a supercharger fitted atop a Hemi V8 to make a prodigious amount power, Mr. Norm's Super Cuda has the potential to make muscle car fans swoon and green types have a heart attack. Is this a case of muscle car overdose, or do we have a genuine classic on our hands?
