Consumer Reports: Jeep® brand most reliable, Dodge and Chrysler also gain
Consumer Reports
magazine announced the results of its annual auto survey today and said the
Jeep® brand has risen to become the most reliable domestic model, while the
Chrysler and Dodge brands also recorded gains.
"We are pleased to
see the strong movement of our brands in this important survey," Doug Betts,
Senior Vice President?Quality, said in a response to the Consumer Reports
survey. While the Jeep brand is now the highest ranking domestic brand in
Consumer Reports' reliability rankings, the Chrysler brand made the biggest
leap in the industry, moving up 12 positions, the statement said.
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Daily News Summary from Chrysler Group May 2, 2011
The Daily News Summary is a digest of significant news about Chrysler Group LLC from print, electronic and online media. It is produced by the Chrysler Communications News Resource Team. Today's summary includes these reports: Chrysler returns to profit Chrysler turns first profit since bankruptcy Car-chase flick 'Fast Five' opens Compass points way to some good, dirty fun Chrysler 200 is a contender, but not a champ
Chrysler returns to profit, Wall Street Journal, May 2
o Chrysler Group reported a small net profit for the first quarter as a result of rising vehicle sales, the Wall Street Journal reported. The auto maker said it generated $116 million in net income, compared with a loss of $197 million in the first quarter of 2010, the Journal said. Revenue rose 35% to $13.1 billion, as global sales of new cars and trucks increased 18% to 394,000 vehicles, the article said. "Chrysler Group's improved sales and financial performance in the first quarter show that our rejuvenated product lineup is gaining momentum in the marketplace and resonating with customers," Sergio Marchionne, who serves as chief executive of both Chrysler and Fiat, said Monday, the Journal reported.
Chrysler turns first profit since bankruptcy, New York Times, May 2
o Chrysler has turned its first profit since leaving bankruptcy two years ago, the New York Times said. Several trends put Chrysler Group LLC back in the black - its sales rose 18 percent worldwide in the first three months of the year as the economy improved and buyers responded to a fresh lineup of new cars and trucks, the Times said. Chrysler's new vehicles caught buyers' eyes in the latest quarter, the article said. U.S. sales of the revamped Jeep Grand Cherokee SUV jumped 64 percent, while sales of the Chrysler 200 sedan more than quadrupled over those of its predecessor, the Times said. Chrysler said buyers were willing to pay more for its cars and trucks; Edmunds.com estimates the company lowered incentive spending by nearly $1,000 per vehicle in the quarter, the article said. Revenues rose 35 percent, the Times said.
Car-chase flick 'Fast Five' opens, Wall Street Journal, April 29
o If you are a motor-head moviegoer still seeking satisfaction from a car-chase film, "Fast Five," should do the trick, the Wall Street Journal said. The fifth film in the "Fast &
Furious" series that began in 2001 brings car maker Chrysler Group LLC into the mix, the Journal said. The company put together a highly orchestrated series of product placements focusing on its 2011 Dodge Charger, the article said. Once on screen, the menacing-looking Dodge cars that many people are accustomed to seeing as police cruisers fit pretty seamlessly into the plot, the Journal said.
Compass points way to some good, dirty fun, Montreal Gazette, May 2
o Although it's one of the smaller Jeeps, the Compass shows a big ability to handle the muck, the Montreal Gazette said. The new styling is a big step toward acceptance into the Jeep clan, the paper said. The paper's auto writer "pushed the Compass pretty hard on dry gravel roads, axle-deep muddy ruts and huge puddles of water and the Compass handled it all," the article said. Besides that, it was a whole lot of dirty fun, the review said.
Chrysler 200 is a contender, but not a champ, Minneapolis Star Tribune, April 29
o The Chrysler 200, a thoroughly reworked update of the Sebring, gives the company a viable, albeit still-compromised competitor for the segment, the Minneapolis Star Tribune said. The refreshed look is simpler and cleaner, the article said. Other highlights to the interior include wonderfully comfortable and supportive seats and great noise isolation from the road, the review said. The 200's cabin has a greater attention to detail, with better materials and a higher level of fit and finish than the Sebring, the article said. Power from the Pentastar engine is smooth and linear; it has an assertive but refined voice to it, the review said. The ride quality of the 200 is also much improved, the paper said. Chrysler made a point of updating the suspension and steering, and it shows, the review said. Perhaps the best thing this Chrysler has going for it is its overall value a similarly equipped Honda Accord or Toyota Camry would run at least $4,000 more, the article said.
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