The unfortunate reality for Chrysler in North America is that aside from the new Ram, the Wrangler and the minivans, few of its products are considered desirable alternatives in their segments. At least part of that is due to what many consider - rightly or wrongly - to be outdated powertrains. That impression certainly won't be helped by this latest release from Chrysler. When the Dodge Journey was launched in the European market this summer, it was offered with both a 2.0L turbodiesel engine and an optional 6-speed Getrag dual clutch transmission. Here in the home market we only have the option of four and six cylinder gas engines with automatic transmissions that have four and six ratios respectively.

To make matters worse, the Sebring and Avenger which were already available overseas with the diesel engine now also offer the dual clutch gearbox. The DCT uses a pair of wet clutches that are coupled to alternating ratios, one handling 1,3, 5 and the other taking care of 2,4 and 6. The electronic controls offer quick, seamless automatic shifting and a six percent reduction in fuel consumption than the four speed automatic. Over here we're going to have to wait until 2010 to get DCT's in Chryslers to go along with the new Phoenix engines. I'm generally a manual transmission kind of guy, but my experience with VW's DSG has convinced me that DCTs can be OK. How come the Europeans get so much of the good stuff first?

[Source: Chrysler]

When Chrysler introduced us to its EV line-up the other day some of us were a little taken aback. Although they hadn't explicitly said so prior to the unveiling, the fact that they had shown off two ER-EVs and an all-electric concept at the last Detroit Auto Show led some to assume that one or more of these might be involved in this new unveiling. Obviously this was not the case. Instead we we're treated to the somewhat dowdy Chrysler mini-van mainstay, a Jeep of SUV-like proportions and a freshly painted Lotus Europa with a UQM electric set-up. Oh yeah, there was also the peculiar Peapod.

That got us to thinking, what if Chrysler had of reached into its closet and pulled out some of its previous concept vehicles and presented them with electric drivetrains installed instead. Recycling is pretty green, no? They must have something from the not-so-distant past that had decent aerodynamics or some other quality that might give it an advantage as an EV over the ones they actually chose. We decided to take a look for ourselves and humbly share our choices after the jump.

Chrysler's co-president continued to talk up his employer's plans for electrically-driven vehicles this week at a media luncheon in California. Press told the gathering that he had driven three different producible prototypes of plug-in hybrid vehicles recently. The vehicles have been developed by the new ENVI unit that was established in late 2007 specifically to work on electric vehicles. According to Press, the vehicles can accelerate from 0-60 mph in four seconds and have a range of over 300 miles. Press hasn't said when these vehicles would be built, but earlier this summer, company officials indicated a 3-5 year timeline to produce such vehicles. If so that would put the company at least 1-2 years behind the expected launch of the Chevrolet Volt and a potential plug-in version of the Toyota Prius. For production, it's likely that the performance of the cars would be dialed back significantly in order to increase electric range although a higher-performance Dodge vehicle is not out of the question.



[Source: Los Angeles Times]
Photos Copyright ©2008 Sam Abuelsamid / Weblogs, Inc.

Click the Aspen Hybrid for a high-res gallery

This summer, Chrysler hits the market with the 2-Mode hybrid Dodge Durango and Chrysler Aspen. Chrysler and former owner Daimler partnered with General Motors and BMW back in 2006 to help bring the 2-Mode hybrid system to light-duty vehicles. The setup was originally developed for use in buses by Allison transmission when it was a part of GM.

The 2-Mode transmission made its passenger vehicle debut last year in the Chevy Tahoe and GMC Yukon. Built by General Motors at its Baltimore, MD transmission plant, the GM and Chrysler systems have identical internals, but there are some packaging differences where the units mate up to the two manufacturers' engines and transfer cases. We attended Chrysler's New England launch event for the hybrid Aspen and Durango. Read on to see our initial driving impressions.


Photos Copyright ©2008 Sam Abuelsamid / Weblogs, Inc.

As the years pass, fuel saving technologies like hybrid drivetrains will become increasingly common. Chrysler currently holds the distinction of having the worst average fuel economy of any major manufacturer in the United States, which is certainly not something they are proud of, we're sure. The automaker's first hybrid vehicles, the Dodge Durango and Chrysler Aspen duo, were just priced at a fairly aggressive $45,340 base and speculation has already begun on what models will be next in line for the hybrid system.

Early bets are being placed on the Chrysler 300C and Dodge Charger platform, which seems like a safe wager considering that they, like the Durango and Aspen, are rear wheel drive vehicles. General Motors has already announced that the Vue will be the first front wheel drive vehicle to get the 2-Mode hybrid system jointly developed by GM, Chrysler and BMW, so it is possible that Chrysler could go with a front engine, front wheel drive platform as well.

[Source: The Detroit News]

click above for high-res gallery of the 2009 Dodge Challenger SE and R/T

Dodge and its Ram badge has long been associated with power, and the marque is considered to be Chrysler's performance brand. In these days of record high fuel prices, though, being associated with horsepower could also mean an association with the guzzling of gasoline. Believe it or not, Dodge does not want this image, so it may be tweaking its marketing strategy a bit in a bid to change with the times.

"We can't be all about the monster Hemi and smoking tires, and we realize that," says Dodge brand director Mike Accavitti. "Nobody wants to be the gas guzzler brand. There's not a real secure future in that type of marketing strategy." This new, kinder, gentler image could even be adopted by the new Dodge Challenger, which was just recently released with a large and very powerful 6.1 liter Hemi V8 as its lone engine option. Soon, though, Dodge will release lower power models of the iconic pony car, equipped with both a smaller Hemi engine with cylinder deactivation technology and a 3.5 liter V6, though the six cylinder will be paired only with a four speed automatic transmission.

Dodge has managed to eke more mileage from its full-size Ram pickup truck, which is a good first step. The move from a "power" brand to a brand associated with "strength," though, will take much more than one product cycle refresh before consumers forget the line, "That thing got a Hemi?"

[Source: Automotive News - sub. req'd]

We knew already that the 2009 Dodge Journey would be receiving a dual-clutch transmission for overseas markets, but Chrysler has just announced that the '09 Dodge Avenger and 2009 Chrysler Sebring will also offer the tranny. Mated to a 2.0 liter diesel engine, both fuel economy and CO₂ emissions will improve by about six-percent. Chrysler's dual-clutch transmission is jointly produced by Getrag. One clutch engages the even ratios while the other operates on the odd. Efficiency is increased due to increased mechanical efficiency.

We are hopeful that the American market will get some dual-clutch love from Chrysler after their new transmission plant in Indiana is ready in 2009, though we're not expecting it to be mated to the diesel-four if it does show up on our shores ... we're not that lucky.

Click the Jeep for a high-res gallery of the Jeep Grand Cherokee CRD

Currently, every Chrysler, Dodge or Jeep vehicle, with the exception of the Dodge Viper, is being sold in Europe with a diesel engine option. What's more, half of them are able to hit the 35 mile per gallon mark in combined driving. In what may seem like the ultimate slap in the face, they are all built right here in America, but we cannot buy them. All of this information is available here, which is a popular article circulating on Digg. The writer of the article makes the aforementioned points as an argument as to why Chrysler should be able to sell their diesel vehicles here in the states. At this time, only one of Chrysler's diesels, the Grand Cherokee, is being sold here.

One problem stands in the way of the rest of the diesels being sold stateside, and it's a big one: emissions. This is a much bigger problem than the article seems to contend. There is more to the greening of our fleet of vehicles than fuel mileage, and emissions are a very important part of the puzzle. Diesel engines can be made to meet the emissions requirements in the U.S., but they add to the cost of the vehicle. When we add in the rising price of diesel fuel, diesel vehicles can become a tough sell. In the coming years, it is likely that manufacturers will introduce more diesel engines here in the U.S., and the hope remains that as they do, the price of the technology will go down.

[Source: MPGOmatic]

At the Washington Auto Show, Jim Press (the guy who famously left Toyota for Chrysler) said the Japanese government worked closely with corporations, like Toyota, for the betterment of society. Jim said he is excited to work with Cerberus, the private owners of Chrysler, to contribute to society as well. In the U.S., Press said, things like the Alliance of Auto Manufactures and the new CAFE standard lead to great results, e.g., the Dodge Durango HEMI Hybrid. Do you have questions about Chrysler's HEMI hybrid? The Washington Auto Show has two days left and I will ask your questions when I head back there. Post your questions in comments now.

Dodge's angry, honey-I-shrunk-the-truck Scion-killer is apparently a go. And, despite some reservations, Chrysler has commissioned Chery to build it as part of Chrysler's three-year, $3 billion product renewal plan.

It's of course too early to tell what exactly the production model will have in store, but the concept sported a 170 hp supercharged four-cylinder, putting it placing it just below a GTI in size and performance. I don't know about everyone else, but this is a concept that I think would be a perfect addition to the already quite competitive B-segment just the way it is. Wishful thinking, I know, and maybe even irrelevant thinking, since the car will probably be sold exclusively over the pond. Unless you think Chrysler and its three new heads are smart... hmmm....

[Source: AutoBlog]

Small cars often come in handy, especially when writing the initial check to purchase it and when pulling up next to the gas pump. For obvious reasons, the smaller the car and the smaller the engine, the less it costs and the less gas it uses. Anyway, Chrysler has been after a small B-Class car of their own for a while now, and appeared to have a deal in hand with the Chinese carmaker Chery for a car in that segment, namely, the Dodge Hornet. We have brought you quite a few news stories since then regarding that deal, which seems odd, considering that a deal had apparently been struck already... but, it seems that Chery might think that the deal is off based on the new owner of the Chrysler group. According to this story on Autoblog, Chery wants to renegotiate the deal with Cerberus, the new owner. I guess we'll just need to keep an eye on this one for now and hope that the vehicle gets built at some point.

Previously on AutoblogGreen:

• Chrysler VP talks about Chery and the Hornet
• Dodge Hornet, Chery S12, the QQ, and more updates on the Chery/DCX allianace
• DCX board approves small car partnership with Chery

[Source: Autoblog]

OK, they kinda still do ignore the green-set. But, if you consider the SMART car green, or a diesel Sprinter van green... well then, they have you covered. See here and here for proof.

I'm not really convinced that the Brabus version of the SMART car is a good idea, I mean it defeats the intended purpose of the vehicle. There are better choices out there, in my opinion, than the SMART for a high-performance conversion. How about a MINI Cooper S for instance?

But, the Sprinter conversion, on the other hand, I think that may have a place in the market, if it indeed used as a commercial vehicle as they are intended. According to Autoblog, the top performing engine for the vehicle is the gasoline option giving the Sprinter 310 hp and 295 lb-ft of torque. For us, though, the top performing engines are diesels, ranging from the PowerXtra D3 to the PowerXtra D6 for the 2.2 liter CDI engine. The maximum amount of torque is 354 lb-ft from that engine.

We have covered the Brabus SMART car before, so here is the link. The short version: 101 hp and 11 seconds or so for the 0-60 mph sprint. Here are additional cars that have been touched by the hands at Brabus.

Related:

• Smart Brabus edition red coupé and cabrio now available

[Source: Gizmag, Autoblog and Brabus]

Most Americans love seeing the phrase "plug 'n play." The alliteration bounces off your lips while the words magically translate to "no set-up required." Well, mostly. Every now and then, you have to turn a skeptical eye to a claim or product and here we may just need to turn two. In a recent press release, Brazilian technology company Abcesso announced that they would begin exporting an add-on component that essentially turns your standard gas-only car into a flex-fuel vehicle. The product is called AutoFFV. "Auto" because the unit is 100 percent fully automatic - plug 'n play. Once plugged in, your car will be able to run on "any mix of Gasoline and Ethanol."

To Abcesso's credit, they spend some time on the FAQ section of their website defending both ethanol and the AutoFFV. They claim that neither the fuel nor the product will do any damage to your car. They also visit the ol' cold start problem and say that the system software taps the temperature sensor and adjusts accordingly, so no issues should arise. As for the dashboard warning light problem they say that the "'check engine light' in Dodge/Chrysler vehicle will not occur with the AutoFFV system." Not sure why they don't mention Ford, as it's their flex-fuel cars which are currently under the magnifying glass of the NHTSA and FTC.

In any case, from what I can tell, very little has been done to address the use of ethanol blends as high as E85 in modern engines that weren't designed for them. Most reports I found discuss the benefits and safety of E10 while disregarding any blend much higher. Perhaps, we'll have to wait and see.

[Source: Abcesso]

According to AutoWeek, Automotive News has reported that Ford will introduce North America's first light-duty diesel truck in either 2008 or 2009. The confirmation came from Ford's former vice-president of manufacturing for the Americas, Dave Szczupak,who retired last week.

According to the former executive, the F-150 is slated to get a cleaner version of the 3.6 liter V-8 diesel engine used in the European model Range Rover that was developed in conjunction with PSA Peugeot Citroen. The British-market SUV generates 267 horses and 472 lb-ft of torque while sipping fuel at a rate of just 25 mpg.

Szczupak said that two major tasks lie ahead for Ford diesel engineers to get the engine U.S.-certified. First of all, components must be redesigned to generate a cleaner combustion inside the cylinder. Secondly, the diesel team must choose an effective yet affordable emissions system whether it include a lean NOx trap or urea injection.

Other automakers are progressing with efforts to enter the light-duty diesel truck segment, however, none are situated as well as Ford to introduce the first vehicle. Toyota and Nissan are working to get diesel engines inside their Tundra and Titan, respectively, however, neither company has announced a deal with an engine supplier. As for the domestics, 2010 seems to be the magic year. Dodge is expected to receive V-6 and V-8 diesel engines from Cummins at that time while GM announced it would produce a small V-8 diesel truck engine just after.

[Source: Automotive News via AutoWeek]

Ever since they unveiled the Dodge Hornet at the Geneva Auto Show last spring, Chrysler has been looking for a partner to share the development costs of building it. Chrysler really needs a small B-Class car like the Hornet; particularly in overseas markets but increasingly in the North American market as well. Currently they have no suitable hardware to use a basis for such car. It's being reported all over that Chrysler is now very close to a deal Chinese car-maker Chery to do the manufacturing for them. Chery is the company that is also hooked up with former Yugo importer Malcolm Bricklin to distribute their cars in the US through his Visionary Vehicles company. Chery is one of the smaller Chinese car-makers and made there reputation by cloning the Daewoo Matiz and building and selling it as the Chery QQ. Chrysler is talking about bringing the Hornet to market as early as 2008, which means that they must already be well along in the development and are probably just using Chery as a low cost contract manufacturer.

Related:

• Passenger car sales continue to increase in China

[Source: TheCarConnection.com and The Detroit News]