By Charles Krome

Most gearheads know that Chrysler’s first go-round as a government-funded entity—for all the gnashing of teeth it caused—actually led to a number of very important product innovations that completely changed the course of the auto industry: The introduction of wide-scale platform sharing and the debut of the modern-day minivan. True, Chrysler wasn’t the very first to begin using the former or selling the latter, but it was the company that proved both could be successful in mass-market applications here in the U.S.

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By Chris Haak

Chrysler Group had a busy offseason between the 2010 (which we’ll call the “treading water” year) and 2011 model years.  Though the lineup is not yet fully updated, with a handful of dowdy, uncompetitive vehicles, the company spent a decent amount of its precious cash to improve the competitiveness of its lineup through an series of intense mid-cycle enhancements.  Rather than the Honda-style taillamp redesign after year three, several key Chrysler vehicles received new engines, new interiors, and some new front and rear sheetmetal.  The vehicle we’re talking about today, the company’s flagship luxury minivan, underwent suspension surgery as well.  The result is a vehicle that retains the 2008-2010 Town & Country’s utility while improving refinement and perceived quality.  It’s also quite spry for a minivan.  (Yes, that’s kind of like saying a six footer is short – for a basketball player).

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By Chris Haak

A few years ago when I had the opportunity to interview Justin Thompson, the designer of the then-new 2010 Buick LaCrosse, I asked him how designers felt when their original works were refreshed via a mid-cycle enhancement (MCE).  Suddenly, a piece of the car that they had labored for literally years of their life on was unceremoniously ripped off the car and replaced by something that may or may not quite mesh with the rest of the design.  I also asked him which designers were assigned to do the updates, and he indicated that a separate team worked on the updates, while the “whole car” group had moved onto – you guessed it – the next whole car.  Reading between the lines, the “B team” was doing the update work, while the more established designers were working on the stuff that we still haven’t seen.

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By Chris Haak

Just the good ol’ boys
Never meanin’ no harm
Beats all you never saw
Been in trouble with the law
Since the day they was born.

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By Charles Krome

Frankly, I had my concerns when I heard the Chrysler Group was going to reconstitute its Street and Racing Technology group as its own individual brand. It didn’t seem like the best use of the automaker’s resources to me, especially when you consider that Chrysler is still in the process of getting its regular lineup sorted out—remember, the only Chrysler Group subcompact currently on the market is the low-volume Fiat 500, while its entries in the compact and mid-size sedan segments remain way behind the times. And beyond this, the automaker is already trying to support another new brand, Ram Trucks. But while the left side of my brain still had some questions after I attended the recent kickoff of the SRT High Performance Tour at the Walter P. Chrysler Museum in Auburn Hills, Mich., the gray matter in the right side of my skull came away more than satisfied with what’s going on.

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By Chris Haak

Paging through the September 2011 issue of Automobile magazine today, I was looking at an ad for the new Chrysler 300 that had the tagline, “Luxury Feels Better Earned,” and I really liked the message.  If you’ve worked hard in your life and come into some measure of success, it probably feels better to treat yourself to some luxuries.  In contrast to “trust fund babies,” hard-working folks who put in the time in their chosen profession probably have a better appreciation for where they’ve come from and how arduous it was to get to their current station in life.

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By Kevin Miller

In January of this year, Chrysler Brand CEO Olivier Francois channeled Eminem on Chrysler’s stage at Cobo hall when he introduced the new 300; the rap didn’t roll off of his tongue and I found it painful to watch. When the new 300 rolled out onto the stage, I was not that excited; it looked to me like just another big fat 300. After a quick peek, I lost interest and explored other stands in Detroit. Eminem meme not withstanding,  I think I should have been paying better attention to Francois that day in Detroit.

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By Chris Haak

Last week, about two years after exiting bankruptcy protection, Chrysler Group LLC has repaid its outstanding government loans.  Between a $5.9 billion USD repayment to the US government (principal plus interest) and a $1.7 billion USD repayment to the Canadian government, the company repaid $7.6 billion USD of its obligations to the two countries’ taxpayers.  Today, Fiat announced that it has purchased the 6 percent of Chrysler owned by the US government for $500 million USD.

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By Kevin Miller

“Comfy Throne, Cushy Ride.” Those are my first logbook phrases written about the 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee, and they summed up my experience with the latest generation of Jeep’s flagship SUV. Entirely new for 2011, the Grand Cherokee benefits from Chrysler’s improved interior materials and design, lending the big truck a luxurious feel. That luxury is backed up by heated leather seats, infotainment system with navigation system and awesome sound, and an air suspension which gives a velvety ride as well as increasing ground clearance for off-roading.

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By Chris Haak

It’s not easy being number one.  And, if you listened to GM executives after their company lost the global sales crown in 2008, being the biggest doesn’t matter, but being the best does.

And now, in a curious twist of fate, GM is poised to re-take the global sales crown from Toyota for 2011.  GM held that title for three quarters of a century, and Toyota stands to hold it for just three years (2008, 2009, and 2010).  So what’s behind this shift?

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