Mercedes-Benz Tops Secret Shopper Study of U.S. Dealers

Mercedes-Benz dealers were number one for customer treatment in the US according to an independent study by survey company Pied Piper. The California-based company hired 3,524 “secret shoppers” and sent them to US dealerships in order to determine how their salesmen were performing in anything from explaining a car’s features to closing a deal.

This is the third year in a row that Mercedes-Benz, which looks set to top the sales charts this year in the luxury segment, has topped Pied Piper’s study.

The German firm was followed by Jaguar and Lexus dealers, who tied in second place. According to the survey, Toyota and Chrysler’s Ram sales representatives were ranked the best among mass-market carmakers, while Mitsubishi and Suzuki finished at the bottom, as did Lincoln in the luxury segment.

According to CEO of Pied Piper, Fran O’Hagen, in general the brands that scored the poorest were those with the worst sales per dealership. O’Hagen added that’s easy to explain, as these brands cannot retain competent salesmen for a long time.

He also commented that reduced staff has had a negative impact in customer satisfaction now that sales are on the rise again and dealers don’t have the necessary staff to cover their needs.

However, as O’Hagen pointed out, the secret of success in this particular business is not really a secret at all. Good dealerships focus on a customer’s needs, get to know them and ask a few questions about their driving habits – and that takes skill and time.

The “secret”, according to O'Hagen, is to "think not like a salesman, but as a customer".

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Chrysler Grand Voyager MPV New Design

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.

The diesel unit gives the people carrier a 0-62mph (100km/h) time of 12.8 seconds and a top speed of 115mph (187km/h), while returning a combined fuel economy of 33.6mpg UK (28mpg US) with a CO2 figure of 222g/km.

For the 2011 model year, the Grand Voyager will be offered in three trim levels LX (£27,995), Touring (£29,995) and Limited (£35,995).

The entry LX model benefits from new leather wrapped steering wheel, steering wheel audio controls and cruise control as standard, while Touring models gain Uconnect Phone bluetooth connectivity with voice recognition, auto dimming rear view mirror, AM/FM/CD/DVD radio with a 6.5-inch touch screen, 30Gb hard disk drive and rear reversing camera.

Limited models also receive blind spot monitoring, crosspath detection and new Nappa leather upholstery.

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Chrysler Seeks Fiat Synergies to Start Cars Production In China

China is the world’s largest car market: last year alone, more than 18 million vehicles were sold there, of which 13.76 million were passenger cars. Furthermore, analysts McKinsey & Company predict that it will grow tenfold between 2005 and 2030.

Do you want to know Chrysler’s share in this massive car market? A measly 31,000 in 2010 and a projection for just 40,000 in 2011. Therefore, it is only natural that the American carmaker is looking for ways to increase its share in this rapidly expanding market.

Problem is, you just don’t walk into China and start building cars: “To find a partner, negotiate, get government approval, build a plant – that’s a long time” Mike Manley, head of Chrysler’s international operations told Reuters news.

But, according to Manley, Chrysler already has a way to get rid of all that fuss and make things happen quickly: “Fiat are already through that”.

Fiat Spa, who manages Chrysler and is sharing technologies and models, has since 2009 established a joint venture with GAC, the country’s sixth biggest carmaker, to build cars in China.

"If there's an opportunity for us in the same way as we've done with Fiat in terms of technology or using their distribution, our speed to market is going to be so much quicker," Manley said, adding that if Chrysler, or rather Jeep, wants to succeed in the competitive small SUV market, it would have to build them in China.

Jeep is already planning to launch the Compass and Grand Cherokee models in China, while Chrysler is examining the possibility of importing the 200 and 300 sedans from the United States.

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VIDEO: Chrysler’s Super Bowl ad Wins 5 Awards at French Festival

Chrysler’s TV commercial “Born of Fire”, which aired during the 2011 Super Bowl, won five awards at the 58th Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, where over 24,000 entries from all over the world were competing.
The commercial for the 2011 200 sedan was created by Chrysler together with advertising company Wideden+Kennedy of Portland, Oregon, and took home four “Gold Lions”, for Best Direction, Best Script, Best Use of Music, Best Automotive Commercial and Best Editing, as well as a “Bronze Lion” awarded to the brand for Best Editing.
The two-minute commercial features the Motor City, emphasizing its values, and Detroit-native Eminem with his song “Lose Yourself”. It was also used to introduce the “Imported from Detroit” campaign that will be at the core of the brand’s promotional material and its message that you don't have to buy imported cars to enjoy luxury.
Chrysler has additionally created an “Imported from Detroit” merchandise line that can be found at the company's website, with a portion of the proceeds going to the following four Detroit-based charities:
• The Marshall Mathers Foundation
• Boys & Girls Clubs of Southeastern Michigan
• Habitat for Humanity Detroit
• Think Detroit PAL

VIDEO

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Viper V10-Powered Chrysler PT 10 Cruiser Truck for Sale on eBay

Whether you love it or loathe it, Chrysler’s PT Cruiser was a running success for the Detroit automaker and over its ten-year lifespan, we saw countless projects cars and tunes based on the retro-styled compact model. However, ask any true Mopar fan what the ultimate modification is for any Chrysler Group model, and you’ll most likely get the answer an engine swap with the Dodge Viper’s ferocious V10 powerplant.
Here at Carscoop, we’ve shown you plenty of Viper-powered cars ranging from a Chrysler 300 and a Dodge Challenger to a Saab 9-3 and a Jeep Wrangler. Now it’s time to add the Chrysler PT Cruiser to our list of venomous engine swaps with this eBay find.
The PT/10 Cruiser Pickup Truck is said to have been built in 2000. It is based on a custom chassis with power coming from the Viper’s V10 engine churning out 500 ponies. Other goods sourced from the Dodge sports car include the 6-speed transmission, rear suspension, steering rack and seats.
The seller claims that only two examples were built and that this one “has never been driven on the street and has only been used as a show car, there are some minor things that need completing like putting in a set of analog gauges, and some minor wiring tweaks”, adding that “it does start and run great”.
However, if you’re interested, we’d advise you to go check the car in the flesh for yourself before you make any move as a quick search on the internet revealed that some of the photos shown on the eBay page are quite old dating back to January 2006
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PHOTO GALLERY

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2012 Chrysler 300 SRT8

It’s big, it’s brash, it’s powerful and it’s attempting to take on the sport saloon segment. Yes, it’s the all-new 2012 Chrysler 300 SRT8 and it was revealed today at the New York International Auto Show that runs for the public from April 22 to May 1.

The flagship model ofChrysler’s redesigned 300 series packs a more muscular 6.4-liter Hemi V8 pushing out an estimated 465-horsepower and 465 lb.-ft. of torque, up 40 horsepower and 45 lb.-ft. over the 6.1-liter mill it replaces. All that power is channeled to the rear wheels through a carried over five-speed automatic transmission with steering wheel-mounted paddle shifters.

Chrysler’s projected performance numbers include 0-60 mph (96 km/h) sprint time in the high 4-second range; quarter mile in high 12 second range; 0-100-0 mph (0-160km/h-0) in less than 16 seconds, top speed of 175 mph (281 km/h) and stopping power from 60-0 mph in 120 feet.

The Auburn Hills-based company says that despite the elevated performance, the 2012 300 SRT8 returns an estimated 25-percent fuel economy increase on the highway thanks to the use of a new active valve exhaust system, which allows the standard Fuel Saver technology (four-cylinder mode) to engage over a wider rpm range. Chrysler said specific fuel economy numbers will be announced closer to the vehicle launch.

The standard 300’s chassis has been tuned on the SRT8 to improve handling. Among other changes is the introduction of a new Adaptive Damping Suspension (ADS) system that uses a variety of inputs such as vehicle speed, steering angle, steering speed, brake torque, throttle position and lateral and vertical acceleration, to adjust the suspension settings. Additionally, the driver can manually choose between "Auto" and "Sport" settings that change the shock damping and harshness characteristics.

The SRT8 also gets a specially-tuned fully-hydraulic steering system and a new braking system with 14.2 inch (front) and 13.8 inch (rear) vented/slotted rotors and four-piston Brembo calipers. Chrysler’s sportiest sedan model rides on new seven-spoke 20-inch forged alloy wheels shod in beefy tires.

The SRT-tune adds some bespoke exterior styling features such as the front grille, side sills, rear fascia that incorporates 4-inch round dual exhaust tips, and a boot lid spoiler. Interior goodies include a new leather-wrapped, flat-bottom steering wheel, real carbon fiber trim pieces, sport seats and unique instruments.

The new 2012 300 SRT8 will reach Chrysler showrooms in the third quarter of the year.

GALLERY

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New Chrysler Dodge Mopar 2011

The Chrysler Group’s Mopar brand is on to its next project, this time based on the new 2011 Dodge Charger sedan. The factory-customized version of the rear-wheel drive Dodge saloon follows in the footsteps of last year’s Mopar ’10 Challenger and will be a limited edition model.

"After the success of our Mopar '10 Challenger, we moved on to the iconic Dodge Charger and added even more performance," said Pietro Gorlier, President and CEO of Mopar, Chrysler Group's service, parts and customer-care brand. "As a new company, we will continue to leverage the heritage of the Mopar brand at every turn."

For the time being, we only get a single illustration of the Mopar ’11 Charger as the Detroit automaker said it will release details of the vehicle later this month. However, the picture reveals that the special edition Charger will keep the Mopar ’10 Challenger’s black color scheme with contrasting racing stripes and gloss black alloy wheels along with a variety of other Mopar enhancements.

2012 New Chrysler 200 Convertible

New Chrysler 200 Convertible is not a bad looking car, the Chrysler 200 Convertible will be performing at New York Auto Show, and while the design of the conversion is not the creation of the most interesting, because the rear still looks a lot awkward. Besides the elimination of fixed roof, we expect the Chrysler 200 Convertible become largely the same as partners sedan, with improved interiors and engine options all brought. This means that both the 2.4-liter inline-four and 3.6-liter V6 Pentastar must underhood, and the end result is a car that, while better than the model it replaces.

A Chrysler Sebring-Based Bentley Replica

Here’s a scary admission for you: I actually don’t mind the first generation Chrysler Sebring. It was sort of “Mustang-lite” in the styling department and is still a lot better looking than the latest incarnation of America’s middle-age spread, the almost universally despised third generation Sebring. And, as you no doubt know by now, we love us some eBay-found Euro reskins of fifteen plus year old American cars.

Today’s entrant is this, dare I say it, rather convincing replica of a 2009 Bentley Continental GT convertible or GTC based on a ’96 Chrysler Sebring Convertible. Fashioned in ghetto / Saudi Arabian sheik white with the typical, so-not-a-Bentley blinger rims that’d make even Lil’ Jon a lil ill, our wanna-B (you see what I did there?) comes complete with 175,000 miles on the clock and a full fibreglass body.
Before it leaves the seller’s hands, he or she claims to be fitting new carpet, a new windscreen, new door mirrors and a custom dual exhaust with genuine Bentley tips. All the buyer needs to do, we are told, is reupholster the seats, install a Bentley dash and centre console and fit a new convertible top, a new sound system and a sat nav system. And et voilà, your very own Bentley - sort of.
You have to admit, US$21,100 (€16,302) isn’t half bad for something that looks this good. You could get a ’96 Sebring for a lot less, but who wants one of those? You certainly can’t pick up a second-hand Bentley for this sort of money, that’s for sure. So, what’s the verdict? Would you or wouldn’t you? Let us know in the comments.

photos 

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Toyota Prius blossoms into...Chrysler 300

From our 2011 Tokyo Auto Salon "Strange But True" files comes this custom creation of what appears to be a second generation (judging by the interior door panels) Toyota Prius hybrid wearing a...Chrysler 300 front end. The show car also features sliding rear doors, lowered suspension, larger five-spoke alloy wheels, Chrysler 300-style tail lights and a high-end audio-visual system that replaces the rear seats. More pictures after the break.

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Chrysler Sebring Convertible spec

The LX is outfitted with a standard 2.4-liter, I4, 173-drive motor that accomplishes 20-mpg in the burb and 29-mpg on the roadway. A 4-speed mechanical transmission with overdrive is standard. The Limited is outfitted with a standard 3.5-liter, V6, 235-drive motor that accomplishes 16-mpg in the burb and 27-mpg on the roadway. A 6-speed mechanical
Chrysler Sebring Convertible


Chrysler Sebring Convertible


Chrysler Sebring Convertible


Chrysler Sebring Convertible


Chrysler Sebring Convertible


Chrysler Sebring Convertible


Chrysler Sebring Convertible


Chrysler Sebring Convertible


Chrysler Sebring Convertible


Chrysler Sebring Convertible


Chrysler Sebring Convertible


Chrysler Sebring Convertible

2008 Chrysler Sebring Convertible, Car Review.