Chrysler Reintroduces Brand in the UK with £10 Million “Different Is What We Do” Campaign

A 60-second spot that aired during the break in Sky TV’s Super Bowl coverage last Sunday was the opening shot in Chrysler’s new advertising campaign with which it re-launches the brand in the United Kingdom.

The commercial shows the 300C sedan cruising through Detroit and then emerging through a tunnel in the streets of London, where it is joined by the rest of the brand's UK line-up. It is very similar to this ad only now we see Chrysler's re-badged Lancia models as well.

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Chrysler Boss asks if the 700C Concept Minivan is Stupid, Beautiful or Crazy [with Poll]

If it's attention that Chrysler wanted, it sure got what it asked for with the most secretive concept model of the 2012 Detroit Auto Show, the 700C minivan. And this despite the fact that the automaker didn't even issue a formal press release on its conceptual people carrier.

But all for good reason as Chrysler brand global boss Saad Chehab explained in an interview with Australian news site Drive at the Cobo Center.

Chebab told the website that Chrysler did not release any supporting information on the 700C because it "wanted unsolicited opinion about the car and its potential" from the motor show visitors. He also said that the 700C was a last minute addition to Chrysler's Detroit Motor Show booth.

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Chrysler Rolls Out Odd-Looking 700C Concept Minivan in Detroit

Unlike the 2013 Dodge Dart, the Chrysler Group was able to keep the 700C Concept under wraps until the grand opening of the 2012 Detroit Auto Show. In fact, the Auburn Hills based company did better than that: it has yet to release any information whatsoever on the concept model…

Given the lack of details, we can only speculate on the 700C though out first guess would be that it is a study previewing one of many possible design directions for a future replacement to the Town & Country.

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Next Chrysler Minivan to be Sold as a Rebadged Dodge Only in Canada

Lately, there has been an abundance of news regarding the Chrysler Group's future plans. About a month ago, the automaker's CEO Sergio Marchionne told reporters that the Chrysler Group would stop selling duplicate offerings to provide each of its brands a stronger and more unique lineup.

As part of the firm's revised plan, Marchionne said at the time that the company would only offer a replacement for the Chrysler Town & Country discarding the Grand Caravan from Dodge's range.

And while that may be true for the U.S. market, the Detroit News is reporting today that the Dodge Grand Caravan will most likely live on in Canada, which would not get the next Town & Country.

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IAA 2011: Lancia Displays its Stars and Stripes in Frankfurt

If anything else, and with a few exceptions such as the Ypsilon supermini, the aging Musa and the Delta compact hatchback, Lancia's range is beginning to look eerily similar to that of the Chrysler brand.

At this week's 64th International Auto Show in Frankfurt, the Italian company displayed its entire lineup including the Thema sedan, Flavia Cabrio and the Voyager MPV, which are rebadged versions of the Chrysler 300, 200 Convertible and Town & Country respectively.

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U Spy: Lancia Grand Voyager CRD Snagged on Michigan Highway

Remember the rebadged Chrysler Town & Country minivan that debuted at the Geneva auto show in March this year as the Lancia Grand Voyager? How can we forget, we hear some of you cry out loud.

Well, the…Italian Grand Voyager may have yet to appear on the firm's official webpage and Fiat's press division may still have that single image showing a Town & Country photoshoped with Lancia badges (no, really, 6 months after we reported it, the Italians continue to display the same digitally manipulated picture…), but the minivan has made its appearance on the road.

But not where you'd expect. The Lancia Grand Voyager was spotted by Carscoop reader Molly S. travelling alongside a light-blue Chrysler minivan on the M-14 highway in eastern Michigan.

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Nearly 300,000 Chrysler and Dodge Minivans Recalled Over Airbag Issue

The Chrysler Group has issued a recall on 299,718 Dodge Grand Caravan and Chrysler Town & Country minivans from the 2008 model year to fix a problem that could cause the airbags to deploy unexpectedly.

The automaker said that the issue is related to the Occupant Restraint Control (ORC) modules that controls the airbags. According to Chrysler, the OCR module may have been exposed to moisture. If this happens, it could lead to the airbag warning light going on while in some cases, the airbag could deploy for no reason.

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Redesigned Chrysler Grand Voyager MPV Reaches UK Shores

Chrysler’s facelifted for the 2011 model year Town & Country has arrived in Britain as the revised Grand Voyager. Different name aside, the UK market model features the same styling revisions as its American counterpart, including a redesigned nose, LED tail lamps, new rear bumper and revised tailgate on the outside, and a restyled dashboard and steering wheel on the inside.

However, instead of the new 283HP 3.6-liter Pentastar V6, the Grand Voyager is offered exclusively with 2.8-litre CRD diesel engine producing 161bhp at 3800rpm and 265lb ft of torque.

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Multiple 2011MY Chrysler, Dodge and Jeep Vehicles Recalled to Fix Steering Columns

A dozen vehicles from the three core Chrysler brands covering more than half of the company’s 2011 models are being recalled in the United States to fix a potential problem with the steering column.

The recall covers 11,351 vehicles and affects certain 2011 model year Dodge Journey crossovers, Jeep Wranglers, Chrysler 200s, Chrysler 200 Convertibles, Dodge Avengers, Dodge Nitros, Jeep Liberty SUVs, Dodge Calibers, Jeep Compass crossovers, Jeep Patriots, Dodge Grand Caravans and Chrysler Town & Country minivans.

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Chrysler Tones it Down a Notch with its New Imported from Detroit Campaign for the 2011 Town and Country

The refreshed 2011 Town and Country minivan is the point of focus in the latest commercial in Chrysler’s “Imported from Detroit” campaign. The new TV spot is called “The Quiet Ones” and it takes us to Michigan and the state’s 2011 hockey champions, the Novi Wildcats, featuring one of the team members, Mason Pew. Read more »

Chrysler Teases 2011MY 300, 200 and Town & Country “S” Concepts at LX Spring Festival

Chrysler found the perfect opportunity to preview its upcoming range of ‘S’ models at the 6th Annual Spring Festival of LXs in Irvine, California this past weekend. The Detroit automaker showed off the “S” trimmed 2011MY 300 sedan, 200 Convertible and Town & Country in concept forms, though all three models are scheduled to enter production later this year starting with the 200 this spring.

According to Chrysler, the “S” treatment is a cosmetic package designed to appeal to younger customers that want something more “edgy” in terms of style. On the 300, this translates to a bespoke gunmetal finish, a new front grille, smoked headlamps and taillights, beefier alloy wheels in a unique design, a boot lid spoiler and if we’re not mistaken (since Chrysler has not released any official details), a lowered suspension. The interior also receives a makeover with red leather seats sporting the “S” logo and bespoke trim.

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Volkswagen Routan Subject to the Same Recall as Chrysler Minivans

Given that the Volkswagen Routan is built on the Chrysler Town & Country and Dodge Grand Caravan platforms in a Chrysler plant, it comes to no surprise that the German model is being subject to the same recall as its American twins. In a filling to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Volkswagen said some vehicles may experience inadvertent ignition key displacement from the run to accessory position while driving causing the engine to shut off.

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Chrysler Group Recalling 248,000 Crossovers and Minivans Over Engine Shutoff Risk

More than 248,000 Dodge Journey crossovers and Chrysler Town & Country and Dodge Grand Caravan minivans from the 2010MY are being recalled because of a defect that could allow the ignition key to move from the run to accessory position while driving and cause the engine to shut off.

In a notice on the government safety agency's website, Chrysler said there are approximately 32 customer complaints and 465 warranty claims for the affected vehicles alleging inadvertent engine shutoff while driving, adding that the company is aware of 2 alleged rear-end collisions related to this problem.

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New Lancia Grand Voyager Minivan is a Rebadged Chrysler, and Yes, this Picture Too Appears to be a Chop

The third Chrysler model to wear a Lancia badge is the Town & Country minivan, which replaces the Phedra and will premiere alongside the Thema and the Flavia concepts at the Geneva Motor Show next month. The Fiat Group decided to keep the European market name of the Town & Country, calling it the Lancia Grand Voyager.

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Chrysler and EPA Working on Hydraulic Hybrid System for Passenger Cars [with Video]

Chrysler and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today announced a new partnership to explore the possibility of adapting the EPA's hydraulic hybrid system for passenger cars and light-duty vehicles. Developed by the EPA, the hydraulic hybrid system is currently used in industrial applications, including large delivery trucks and refuse trucks, but Chrysler, keen on developing a new portfolio of hybrid vehicles, wants to adopt it for use on passenger vehicles. Read more »

Lancia to Unveil Chrysler 200-based Model at Geneva Show, may name it Flavia

*The above image is a Carscoop illustration

It appears that all those the rumors regarding future Lancia models are true as the Italian automaker is gearing up for this year’s Geneva Auto Show with several new additions to its line-up.

At the Detroit Motor Show, Fiat Group execs revealed that along with the Chrysler 300-based Thema flagship, Lancia will also unveil its own version of the Chrysler 200. The mid-size model will be offered in both sedan and convertible body styles, and is destined to replace the Sebring in the European market.

“The new Chrysler 200 will come – cabriolet included – to Europe as a Lancia, and Flavia is a very good hint as its possible name,” Fiat Group CEO Sergio Marchionne said on the sidelines of the 2011 Detroit Auto Show.

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Lancia's 2011 New Year Greeting Card Teases 2012 Ypsilon, Announces Two More New Models

In a surprise move, Lancia literally outlined its forthcoming 2012 Ypsilon supermini through an animated New Year's greeting card posted on a special minisite. And if that's not enough news for you, the chalk-like drawings were accompanied by a teaser message that reads, "A new horizon, three new Lancia models".

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Chrysler and Volkswagen Issue Massive Recalls on Separate Issues

Chrysler and Volkswagen have issued massive recalls, affecting a combined total of almost 600,000 vehicles. The American automaker is recalling 367,350-2008MY Chrysler Town and Country/Dodge Caravan MPVs, while Wolfsburg’s finest will notify 228,236 owners of Golf, Jetta sedan, Jetta Sportwagen, New Beetle and Rabbit models, manufactured between 2006 and 2010 that their vehicles are being called in.

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2011MY Chrysler Town & Country Pricing Released, Starts at $30,995

Chrysler states that its refreshed 2011 Town & Country "delivers great American design, innovative technology and unparalleled functionality, all at surprising value". Well, we'll you be the judge of that, but for now we can tell you that the facelifted minivan will soon hit U.S. dealerships in three trim levels (Touring, Touring L and Limited) and prices starting from $30,995, including the $835 destination fee.

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Pentastar V6 to Find its Way Into 13 Models Across the Chrysler Group Range, Including 2011 Challenger

The Chrysler Group's new Pentastar V6 gasoline engine will either replace current six-cylinder units or be introduced for the first time on a total of 13 vehicles across the Chrysler, Dodge and Jeep range by 2013, the company announced this week.

The 3.6-liter V6 unit will be offered with different levels of output, the most powerful [for now] iteration being the one fitted on the upcoming 2011 Dodge Challenger, which will be rated at 305 bhp at 6,350 rpm and 268 lb.ft. at 4,800 rpm, representing a 55 horsepower increase over the previous 3.5-liter V6.

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