“This country can’t be knocked out with one punch, we get right back up again and when we do the world is going to hear the roar of our engines. Ya. It’s halftime America, and our second half is about to begin.”

Those are only some of the words spoken by Clint Eastwood in the Super Bowl ad from Chrysler this year.

Last year it was Eminem, a solid bass beat, and a new tagline meant to revitalize a demoralized city and country – “Imported from Detroit”.

This year the ‘social’ feeling of the company’s most important ad once more carries forward that love of America and a believe that we can come back from anything and be better than before.

Personally I think they knocked it out of the park but have look at the ad for yourself and let me know what you think in the comments.

Chrysler’s Super Bowl Ad with Clint Eastwood more social statement than car ad [Video] is a post from: The Inquisitr

Chrysler on Wednesday revealed Q4 2011 and Detroits smallest automaker posted earnings of $225 million on revenue of $15.1 billion, 41 percent higher then the year prior. That amount also equals the first profitable quarter the company has had since a government bailout and subsequent bankruptcy saved Chrysler 2009.

That total also gave Chrysler a net income of $183 million in 2011 compared to a loss of $652 million in 2010. Annual revenue also increased in 2011 with the auto manufacturer taking in a whopping $55 billion.

Chrysler’s increasing success comes on the backs of the company’s Chrysler, Jeep and Dodge vehicles. Worldwide sales of cars and trucks for those brands increased by 22 percent, allowing for sales of 1.85 million vehicles in 2011 while Chrysler increased it’s share of the US market from 9.2 percent in 2010 to 10.5 percent in 2011.

Chrysler’s turnaround also comes despite a big charge taken by the company to pay outstanding debt to the United States and Canada. Without that charge the company would have earned $734 million.

Speaking of the company’s turn around at the hands of new owner Fiat, company CEO Sergio Marchionne noted:

“The house is in good order. Now we greet a new year of high expectations with our heads down, forging ahead and focusing on executing the goals we’ve set for ourselves as a company.”

In the meantime the governmental bailout could play well into the hands of the Obama administration during an election year, the administration was quick to hail Chrysler as proof that the government’s decision to offer auto bailouts was a success. In fact since the bailout Chrysler has added 9,400 jobs to now employee 57,000 people with plans expected for 1,600 new workers to join the company’s Belvidere, IL plant where they will build the new Dart.

By choosign to build the Dart in the United States the Obama Administration handed another 5 percent ownership stake back to Fiat.

Do you think Chrysler has done a good job in turning around operations in a very short period of time?

Chrysler Posts $225 Million Profit In Q4 2011, First Profitable Year Since 2009 Bailout is a post from: The Inquisitr

American automaker Chrysler, is expected to have a good 2012. Sergio Marchionne, CEO of Chrysler and Fiat, said that the company is expected to generate nearly $2 Billion in sales this year.

American car companies, particularly General Motors, haven’t been doing the best since the economy dipped in 2008. Ford however has managed to do well and continues to remain profitable and didn’t take a bailout from the government.

The company plans to fully merge with Fiat by 2015, planning on being one single company by then. Chrysler filed for bankruptcy in 2009 but thanks to increased sales, a 37% increase in December to be exact, it has allowed the company to make a turnaround for the better.

“The company raised its 2011 forecast of cash flow to more than $1.2 billion from previous estimate of above $1.0 billion when it reported in October a swing into profit in the third quarter. Last week the Auburn Hills, Michigan-based company posted the biggest 2011 gain in US vehicle sales among its major competitors: a jump of 26 percent from the prior year.”

Despite the news of the down economy, American automakers seem to be making a rebound as sales increase. Going forward, car makers need to continue to create and develop cars that people want, and not forget to innovate within the industry. As far as luxury car makers such as Mercedes-Benz, Audi, and BMW, they’ve managed to do good as well.

What automobile maker do you prefer? Also, which car manufacturer do you think makes the worst vehicles? Let us know in the comments below.

Chrysler CEO: “We’re generating cash. The house is in good order.” is a post from: The Inquisitr

When the Detroit Auto show rolls into Detroit, Michigan in January Chrysler will roll out the 2013 Dodge Dart which it says was “adapted from the award-winning Alfa Romeo Giulietta.”

The Dart will be Chrysler’s first compact sedan since 2005 and in their release Chrysler teased fans of the vehicle with hints about it’s design and parts, for example they say it will contain significant quantities of Alfa-derived equipment and that it would not be a simple Giulietta with a cross-hair grille.

Dodge has also revealed that the Dart will be longer and wider than the Giulietta and will be delivered as a four-door sedan rather than a hatchback model.

As you’ll notice from the company’s teaser photos the care also appears to have sculpted rear and front bumbers with a elongated rear-taillight.

The company has also revealed three different power plants from Fiat, a 16-valve 2-liter 4-cylinder; a 16-valve 1.4-liter turbo 4-cylinder with Fiat’s MultiAir valve-throttling system; and a 16-valve 2.4-liter 4-cylinder with MultiAir. The Dodge Dart will also have three transmission types which have not yet been disclosed.

For the car’s sporty look and feel it will also offer a four-wheel independent suspension and optional 18-inch wheels.

Are you excited to take a closer look at the 2013 Dodge Dart when it debuts in January 2012 at the Detroit Auto Show.

Chrysler Teases About 2013 Dodge Dart, Unveiling Set For Detroit Auto Show is a post from: The Inquisitr

Nearly every measurable survey of consumer confidence in the United States during recent months have shown that consumers are not happy with the economy and where we are headed, yet consumers continue to buy automobiles and in November they bought plenty of new rides.

According to a report by the Associated Press automobile sales rose 14% in November 2011, the highest single month jump since August 2009.

Among the month’s biggest winners was Chrysler who watched vehicle sales jump by 45%. Following close behind in terms of overall sales increases was Volkswagen with a 41% increase. Also witnessing double sales games were Ford, Hyundai and Nissan.

While not as impressive both General Motors and Toyota also saw numbers increase by 7%. While not a double digit gain it had to be good news for Toyota who had not seen a gain since April 2011.

When asked why such a large jump in purchases occurred one expert noted:

“Pent-up demand.”

That demand comes because the average car has been on the road for upwards of 11 years, causing the price of getting a vehicle fixed to rise.

One company hurt by the month of November was Honda who witnessed a 6% decline in sales. Honda sales have been falling off since May when their supply chain was severely damaged because of the Earthquake in Japan.

Are you surprised to learn that so many people are buying vehicles despite a general sense of gloom over the U.S. and world economies? I suppose people have to get to work, pick up the kids from soccer practice and just drive in general.

Automobile Sales Jump 14% In November, Chrysler Witnesses Huge Gains is a post from: The Inquisitr

Glitchy touch screens and bad transmissions caused Ford Motors, Inc. to fall 10 spots in Consumer Reports’ annual auto reliability survey down 10 spots from the same period in 2010. Under their new ranking Ford now sits at 20 out of 28 major brands.

The news comes after Ford spent years closing the gap on quality with Japanese automakers however the only U.S. brand to top the lists 15 top brands in 2011 was Chrysler.

Findings for the survey were taken in the spring and based off Consumer Reports magazine subscribers who owned or leased 1.3 million vehicles from 2002 through 2011 model years.

The reporting magazine is considered the number three recommendation source for Americans behind only brand loyalty and recommendations from family and friends.

Among Ford’s problems were issues with the MyFordTouch system and MyLincolnTouch dashboard which users say are prone to freezing while being overly difficult to use. Ford buyers also said the automatic transmission systems used in the Focus compact and Fiesta subcompact vehicles tended to shift awkwardly.

Ford’s group vice president for quality Bennie Fowler says the company takes customer feedback seriously and they are immediately looking into the issues revealed by the Consumer Reports survey.

There was some good news for Ford as its Lincoln luxury brand moved up one spot over last year to 14th.

Leading this years list for a second year in a row was Toyota Scion which was followed by the Toyota Lexus brand and then Honda’s Acura.

For their part Fiat has done a great job since purchasing Chrysler, allowing the company to move form 27th place last year to 15th place in 2011. Chrysler’s Jeep brand rose 7 spots this year to finish in 13th.

Are you surprised to learn that Ford’s quality slipped so far in such a short period of time?

Consumer Reports Shows Ford Slipping 10 Spots For Quality is a post from: The Inquisitr

Fiat owned and operated car manufacturer Chrysler is getting ready to build a new vehicle in one of their production plants but it’s probably not what you would expect, the company is going to manufacture  the new Maserati Kubang SUV in Detroit and then export the vehicle to other destinations around the world.

The vehicle debuted today in Frankfurt and will add plenty of new jobs to Chrysler’s Jefferson North assembly plant when it eventually goes into full production.

The Maserati will have the same underbody as the Dodge Durango and Jeep Grande Cherokee SUVs, both which are built at the Jefferson North plant.

Where the Maserati SUV will differ will be it’s sheet metal design and Ferrari engine. The luxury SUV will sell for somewhere in the $100,000 range and hopes to compete with the likes of BMW and Mercedes-Benz who offer their own luxury utility vehicles.

The Jefferson North plant currently employs 2,800 workers over two shifts, with the introduction of a new vehicle a third shift will likely be added. During the middle part of 2010 Chrysler added 1,080 new jobs to their payroll to create their new Dodge and Jeep SUVs.

The move comes just after the Fiat 500 minicar was introduced to America by the company, however that subcompact is assembled in Mexico.

The company is also working on an Alfa Romeo SUV and 20 other vehicles based on the company’s shared platform which was created when they took a controlling interesting in Chrysler.

Do you think Fiat is making a wise decision by producing the Maserati Kubang SUV at a plant in Detroit, only to export them out of the country?

Maserati Kubang SUV Being Built In Detroit is a post from: The Inquisitr

I’ve been following much of the Super bowl nonsense via my two Twitter streams, not that you can avoid it, and I think much of the conversation is being split between the game and the ads that are being run during the commercial breaks.

Groupon is the early failure with what apparently are totally tasteless and insensitive ads but in the winner circle at this point is the ad from Chrysler starring Eminem and – Detroit.

I just finished watching the ad (via Jalopnik) and I gotta admit, it’s a pretty powerful ad.

Chrysler’s most awesome Super Bowl ad with Eminem – Imported from Detroit [Video] is a post from: The Inquisitr

GM Dealership Closures

The specific General Motors dealerships closing list has yet to be revealed. GM says it will be holding discussions in the coming weeks to make its final decisions. The process, according to published reports, is beginning today.

The GM dealerships in question reportedly have 120,000 unsold vehicles valued at $2.5 billion. All of the GM dealership closures are expected to occur by next October.

General Motors announced it was cutting 47,000 jobs this past February. In April, the company discussed further cuts, including the elimination of the Pontiac brand.

Chrysler, meanwhile, revealed this week that it was shutting down a quarter of its American dealerships. A full list of Chrysler dealerships closing can be found here.

General Motors Dealerships Closing: 1,100 Locations Affected is a post from: The Inquisitr

Chrysler says just over half of its dealers make up 90 percent of its sales, which is why it wants to eliminate the more poorly performing locations. Some of those dealerships have already indicated they will fight the proposal.

The Chrysler dealerships set to close account for 14 percent of the company’s total U.S. sales, representatives say.

Chrysler Dealerships Closing List

The following is a complete list of the Chrysler dealerships closing. You can also find an interactive state-by-state breakdown here.

Chrysler Dealerships Closing: The Complete List is a post from: The Inquisitr

The criticism from the right blaming autoworkers for the demise of the American auto industry hasn’t always been fair. It isn’t the fault of workers that the big three have produced products people don’t want; management fairly takes a big share of the blame. But then you read these stories you can see partially where the right was coming from.

Reuters reports:

Ford Motor Co expects operating savings of $500 million per year from an agreement with the United Auto Workers that will push hourly wage rates into the “ballpark” of foreign-based rivals, the company said on Wednesday.

The agreement trims average wages and benefits for UAW hourly workers to about $55 per hour this year, while the U.S. operations of foreign-based automakers — or what executives call “transplants” — pay workers on average $48 to $49 per hour, Ford said.

That’s right, $55 per hour. If they work a 36 hour week or longer, that’s $100,000 USD a year, and that’s the reduced pay.

Now I’m all for people getting paid what they deserve, and many of these assembly line jobs could involve a fair bit of technical knowledge. But in a market that in part has been killed by cheap Asian imports, and where many Americans struggle to find jobs, let alone get $10/ hour, workers at Ford have their pay cut to $55/ hour. And a non-American owned company pays workers in the United States $48-$49 per year.

Ford didn’t take a handout from the US Government, but presuming their pay rates are similar to workers at GM and Chrysler, you can safely say that this is part what the auto industry bailout is paying for. Your taxpayer money at work indeed

Ford and Unions negotiate a pay cut…to $55/ hour is a post from: The Inquisitr

Autonet Mobile’s Model

Autonet Mobile launched its first major distribution deal just a few months ago. Chrysler started offering its routers built-in to new Chrysler, Jeep, and Dodge vehicles last September. The automaker charges $449 for the dealer-installed device, then $29 a month for the Autonet Mobile Wi-Fi service.

The system runs over a 3G network and distributes the signal over a 100 foot range around the vehicle. Autonet Mobile had been developing the technology for three years prior to the Chrysler launch and had sold a smaller number of units through independent dealerships and car shops. The system had also been distributed through select Avis rental vehicles.

Autonet Mobile’s Future

Autonet Mobile now says it has about 3,000 monthly customers, which provided a revenue of $1 million in 2008 — a strong jump from its 2007′s total of only $150,000. Now, the company’s leaders have indicated they are “on the verge” of revealing distribution agreements with another automaker. So far, Autonet Mobile will only reveal it is “one of the ‘Big Three.’”

Autonet Mobile execs have also said they are seeking a fresh round of funding to help fuel the growing demand for the company’s product.

Autonet Mobile: Rolling Wi-Fi Coming Soon To More Cars is a post from: The Inquisitr