Chrysler's Sebring replacement

Chrysler Nassau Concept – Click above for high-res image gallery

We at your favorite Maryland Chrysler dealer, Prince Frederick Dodge Chrysler Jeep, spent our morning like we alwyas do. Drinking a cup of coffee, wiping the cream cheese from our bagels off our shirts and looking to see what Chrysler has in store. We came across this article from AutoBlog and thought we would share.

Flash back to the 2007 Detroit Auto Show and sitting on the Chrysler stand was the Nassau concept. Nothing ever came of the angular five-door, but some of the elements that debuted on the show car eventually worked their way onto the Sebring. That connection stands to be revived with a report by the Detroit Free Press that the Sebring's replacement will carry the Nassau name when the all-new midsize sedan goes on sale within the next two years.

The concept's sleek lines aren't likely to inspire the Nassau, but considering Chrysler purchased the name, it's fair game and will help to put Chrysler's lackluster sedan out of the public consciousness.

Chrysler hasn't official confirmed the name yet, but when the Nassau goes on sale – likely in 2012 – it will be joined by the refreshed Dodge Avenger, with a thoroughly revised interior and a choice of either a 2.4-liter four-cylinder or Chrysler's new Pentastar V6.


SOURCE [AutoBlog]

Fiat 500 electric car headed to U.S. market

Chrysler has announced that the electric version of the Fiat 500 will hit U.S. shores in 2012

The 500 EV will be developed at the company’s headquarters in Michigan, and it will use a lithium-ion battery. Pricing will be announced closer to launch, but Chrysler says it will competitive with similar electric vehicles. When it arrives, the 500 EV will compete for early adopters with the Mitsubishi iMiev and Nissan Leaf electric cars.

The first vehicle from Chrysler and Fiat’s union, the gasoline-fueled version of the Fiat 500 is scheduled to debut at the end of 2010. Your sales staff at Prince Frederick Chrysler Jeep Dodge will keep you informed as we start getting closer to these hitting the lot.

In other Chrysler news, the company has been chosen by the U.S. Department of Energy to receive a grant up to $48 million as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act Vehicle Electrification program. Chrysler plans to build 140 electric Dodge Ram pickups for a three year test in real-world conditions.

The Ram PHEV powertrain will include a 5.7-liter HEMI V-8, hybrid transmission, and a lithium-ion battery. The vehicle will be able to go up to 20 miles using only electric power. Overall fuel economy is expected to improve more than 65 percent.

Dodge is not new to exploring the potential for a hybrid truck. Dodge had previously built a 2000 Ram Contractor hybrid and later a 2002 Ram 2500 HD diesel-hybrid pickup truck as demonstration vehicles for potential military and commercial applications. A Ram hybrid went into limited production in 2004. And hybrid versions of the HEMI-powered Dodge Durango and Chrysler Aspen SUVs were briefly sold in 2009. Chrysler had recent plans to sell a hybrid Ram, due to difficulty making a business case for the truck, development work was halted.

Source: Consumer Reports

Speeding Tickets: 65 issued per minute and other fun facts

It’s every driver’s nightmare: flashing blue and red lights in your rear-view mirror. Speeding tickets can strike a blow to anyone’s day. While you pull away from the office with the ticket in your hand, you wonder “Is going ten or fifteen miles an hour over the speed limit that big a deal?” Or “How much is my insurance going to go up now?” Here is some information that answer such questions that will surely cross your mind.


[Via: Auto Insurance]