Chrysler to Extend 'Halftime in America' Ad Campaign - Detroit Free Press

Halftime isn't over for Chrysler, despite the political flak it took for its Super Bowl commercial with Clint Eastwood.

The company said today that it has decided to turn the "It's Halftime in America" commercial that ran during the Super Bowl in February into a series of commercials for its four brands -- Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep and Ram.

According to the company, each ad has its own theme and dives deeper into the essence of each brand.

The commercials will begin airing tonight on national television.

"As you watch, you will see familiar scenes from the Super Bowl spot that weave their way in each of these commercials, all of which were scripted and filmed at the same time," Olivier François, Chrysler's chief marketing officer, said in a blog on Chrysler's media site.

Eastwood, however, is not among those faces. The people in the commercials are also actors, but Chrysler said the commercials are inspired by true stories.

Each spot was created by Chrysler and its Portland, Ore.-based advertising agency, Wieden+Kennedy.

In February, Republican politicians and conservative pundits criticized Chrysler and Eastwood for a message that they thought endorsed President Barack Obama and the federal government's rescue of the automotive industry.

"I thought that the Republicans' reaction to this was -- was unnecessary and out of place," Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne said in a "60 Minutes" segment last Sunday.

Last May, Chrysler repaid all loans made to it by the Obama administration six years before required. The only U.S. aid Chrysler has not repaid is what it received from the Bush administration.

The four new commercials tell stories about people overcoming life's obstacles.

Separately, Ram released a teaser photo of a chrome grille on its Facebook page in advance of the New York International Auto Show. Every day through next Wednesday, Ram plans to reveal a new photo on its site under the title "A Giant Awaits."

By Brent Snavely: 313-222-6512 or bsnavely@freepress.com




Visit the Happy Car Salesman, Ed Dancel at Southfield Dodge Chrysler Jeep Ram. 248-354-2950

Dodge Enters Rally Car Racing with Dart - Detroit Free Press

Dodge and SRT Motorsports is getting into rally car racing with its new Dodge Dart and a one of the sport’s biggest stars: Travis Pastrana.

The 2013 Dodge Dart will participate in the 2012 Global RallyCross Championship Series with Pastrana — a four-time Rally America Champion and 17-time X Games Gold Medalist — behind the wheel.

The new Dodge Dart Rally Car will make its official public debut at the New York International Auto Show next month.

The car will be powered by a 2.0-liter, 4-cylinder, 16-valve turbo-charged engine with 600-plus horsepower engine with 550 pound feet of torque.

“At Dodge, racing is an integral part of our heritage and embodies our competitive spirit,” Reid Bigland, president and CEO of the Dodge brand said in a statement.

Pastrana, 28, is a stunt performer and a proven winner in freestyle motocross and rally car racing and has competed in NASCAR.

“To be able to partner with Dodge to field my own program this year is a dream come true,” Pastrana said in a statement. “The new Dodge Dart offers the perfect platform for rally cross, and I look forward to putting it on the podium all season long.”

The Global RallyCross Championship combines circuit racing, off-road racing and rally competition into one race. The sport debuted in the US at X Games 16 in Los Angeles in 2010.

“Travis is a living example of what action sports activities are all about,” Ralph Gilles, president and CEO of Street and Racing Technology Brand and Motorsports said in a statement.

The production version of the Dodge Dart compact car debuts this spring. The Dart will be the first Chrysler group car to be built on a Fiat platform. Fiat, Chrysler’s majority owner, gained a controlling stake in Chrysler in 2009.

By Brent Snavely: 313-222-6512 or bsnavely@freepress.com






Visit the Happy Car Salesman, Ed Dancel at Southfield Dodge Chrysler Jeep Ram. 248-354-2950

Chrysler Unveils Six New Jeep Concept Vehicles

This Jeep J-12 concept is one of six new concepts Chrysler Group LLC unveiled Tuesday, March 27, 2012. The new concepts will be on display at the annual Easter Jeep Safari in Moab, Utah, which begins March 31. Developed in conjunction with Chrysler's Mopar aftermarket parts division, the J-12 bears a strong resemblance to the Jeep Gladiator pickups of the 1960s

The Grand Cherokee Trailhawk concept wraps 18-inch Goodyear Wrangler SilentArmor off-road tires around painted 5-spoke alloy Mineral Gray wheels, combining aggressive off-road performance with quiet highway manners. Modified Mopar rock rails -- engineered to fully protect the lower body from rugged rocky terrain -- are included and add to the functional off-road capability. The Trailhawk sports a color theme of stone white, mineral gray and red, including Jeep logos on wheel center caps. A red trim line outlines a matte black hood applique that is utilized to reduce glare.

The Mighty FC Concept is a rugged work truck based on the Forward Control Jeep trucks of the 1950s and 1960s. Designers started with a 2012 Wrangler Rubicon, repositioned the cabin over and ahead of the front axle, lengthened the wheelbase, and added a custom built drop-side cargo box. The Mighty FC's bed measures more than eight feet in length. Mopar's new Portal Axle set improves off-road function by offering the greatest amount of ground clearance without requiring excessive suspension lift. The tires are a massive 40 inches.

A new Mopar 6.4-liter HEMI V-8 engine conversion kit -- available this summer -- will transform a 2012 Wrangler into this Jeep Wrangler Apache from Mopar, producing approximately 470 horsepower and 470 pound-feet of torque to the rear wheels. Other modifications on the Jeep Wrangler Apache include Mopar Pro 60 5.13 front and rear axles, high-clearance flat fenders, rock rails, Katzkin leather seats and a Mopar branded interior.

The Jeep Wrangler Traildozer is a collaboration between Jeep Design and the American Expedition Vehicles (AEV) engineering team. The team took a 2012 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon and added a 470 horsepower 6.4-liter HEMI V-8 engine mated to a Getrag 238 six-speed manual transmission. The Traildozer has an AEV Dualsport RS 3.5-inch suspension lift. For severe off-road body protection, Mopar premium front and rear bumpers and rear corner guards were added.

Mopar offers more than 250 accessories for the 2012 Jeep Wrangler, and built a vehicle for Moab that showcases many of them: a two-inch performance lift kit, 35-inch Goodyear Wrangler tires mounted on Classic five-hole wheels, front and rear off-road bumpers, a Warn 9.5ti XP winch, Mopar rock rails, Kicker dash 6.5-inch two-way speakers and more. Some prototype Mopar accessories debuting on this Wrangler are a locking center console box, a rear cargo cubby cover, new windshield-mounted LED lamps, a new hard-top headliner and an "Add-A-Trunk" partition that creates secure storage space in the cargo area.



Visit the Happy Car Salesman, Ed Dancel at Southfield Dodge Chrysler Jeep Ram. 248-354-2950

Sporty New Dodge Dart Coming in May - The Detroit News

Chrysler Group LLC has announced pricing for the new 2013 Dodge Dart. The sporty compact will start at $15,995 and is expected to arrive in dealer showrooms in May.

The Dart is a critical car for the Auburn Hills automaker — the first real fruit of its marriage to Italy's Fiat SpA . It is being built at Chrysler's factory in Belividere, Ill., and is aimed squarely at the heart of one of the most competitive segments of the market. Chrysler also has announced that a souped-up, 600-horsepower version of the vehicle will compete in this year's 2012 Global RallyCross Championship Series.





Visit the Happy Car Salesman, Ed Dancel at Southfield Dodge Chrysler Jeep Ram. 248-354-2950

Sergio Marchionne: Resurrecting Chrysler

The fear among Chrysler employees that the company’s isn’t going to survive is gone, Chrysler and Fiat CEO Sergio Marchionne tells "60 Minutes" in a story that aired on the influential television newsmagazine tonight.

“I remember when I came here, in 2009, there's not a thing worse for a leader than to see fear in people's faces,” Marchionne tells reporter Steve Kroft according to a transcript provided to the Free Press. “It's been a long, rocky road; but the fear has gone.”

Kroft interviewed Marchionne in Auburn Hills and Turin, Italy, and traveled to Chrysler's Belvidere, Ill., assembly plant in February to see Marchionne announce 1,800 new jobs for the plant.

The "60 Minutes" story recounts how close Chrysler was to collapse in 2009 before Marchionne negotiated a controlling stake for Italian automaker Fiat.

It also took a look at the hectic, workaholic schedule kept by Marchionne -- who flies back and forth between Italy and Auburn Hills to manage the two automakers -- and touches on the Republican reaction to the Super Bowl commercial featuring Clint Eastwood.

In Italy, Marchionne is required by the government to travel in bullet-proof cars and is always surrounded by state security, according to Kroft. And to manage Fiat, Fiat Industrial and Chrysler, Marchionne carries five phones. Typically, Marchionne goes to bed at 10 p.m. and wakes up 3:30 a.m. so he can discuss business in Italy as the day is ending there.

In February, Chrysler’s “It’s Halftime in America,” Super Bowl commercial was criticized by some Republicans who thought Eastwood was endorsing U.S. President Barack Obama and the federal assistance provided to the U.S. auto industry.

“I thought that the Republicans' reactions to this was-- was unnecessary and out of place,” Marchionne tells Kroft.

But the larger theme of the "60 Minutes" story was Chrysler’s improbable turnaround. In 2011, Chrysler earned a profit of $183 million -- its first since 2005. Now, Chrysler is gaining market share in the U.S. and Fiat is struggleing. Fiat would have lost money last year without Chrysler's improving performance and profits.

Marchionne’s biggest concern today?

“That we're gonna slip on execution, we're gonna get something wrong, big,” Marchionne tells 60 Minutes.

“Can you afford that?” Kroft asks.

“One car, yes….twelve months ago, it would have been a-- it would have been a disaster.”

By Brent Snavely Detroit Free Press Business Writer


Visit the Happy Car Salesman, Ed Dancel at Southfield Dodge Chrysler Jeep Ram. 248-354-2950

Marchionne Interview To Air on '60 Minutes' - The Detroit News

Just three years ago, auto executives didn't want to touch struggling Detroit automaker Chrysler "with a 10-foot pole," current Chrysler and Fiat chief executive Sergio Marchionne told "60 Minutes" reporter Steve Kroft for a segment airing Sunday.

Marchionne will explain how he managed to turn the once bankrupt auto company around. He also shares how he used a $6 billion federal bailout to resurrect Chrysler when many of its employees feared for their jobs.

"I remember, when I came here, in 2009, there's not a thing worse for a leader than to see fear in people's faces," he told Kroft. "All these things are long shots. … If it was that easy, then everybody would do it."

So far, Marchionne has upgraded 16 Chrysler models and added the Dodge Dart, which gets 40 miles per gallon and starts at less than $16,000. The company has also repaid its loans to the U.S. Treasury.

Sunday's "60 Minutes," which airs at 7 p.m. on CBS, also features a visit to an assembly plant in Belvidere, Ill., where Chrysler produces the Dodge Dart and Marchionne recently announced a plan to hire about 1,800 workers.

"I think the world of American workers," Marchionne told Kroft. "What happened here at Chrysler would have been impossible without the commitment that they've shown, absolutely impossible."



BY JOSH KATZENSTEIN jkatzenstein@detnews.com



Visit the Happy Car Salesman, Ed Dancel at Southfield Dodge Chrysler Jeep Ram 248-354-2950

The Evolution of Southfield Dodge Chrysler Jeep Ram - Ed Dancel

Thinking back to when I was first hired in at Southfield Dodge Chrysler Jeep Ram in December of 1997, it's amazing to see how many changes we've undergone. Back then we sold Chrysler, Jeep, Plymouth and Eagle brands and our dealership was just a plain old boring brick box with windows.

We've gone through several Corporate mergers...starting with Chrysler to Daimler-Chrysler to Cerberus and now Fiat Chrysler...and in order to adapt to these changes, our dealership had to change...we had to undergo a couple of “Extreme Makeovers”. One was done in 2004 and the latest was finished in March of 2011.

The first renovation which started in 2003 included a new entry feature with an impressively dramatic brushed aluminum paneled entry and polished metal accents, two outdoor covered display areas and a 21st century showroom that featured a state-of-the-art furniture and brand display system.

In 2010 we underwent yet another renovation in order to enhance and improve our facility for customer enjoyment and brand recognition. Our latest improvements upgraded customer accessibility and dramatically transformed our present interior and outdoor display areas.

The resulting renovation design includes a new monumental entry feature with a handicap lift, a state-of-the-art expanded showroom with two car elevators on opposite ends of the building, a greeter's desk, interactive information kiosks with touchscreen displays, a cafe style refreshment stand with tall chairs and round tables where customers can sit and chat, a children's play room and a customer lounge with a flat screen TV and soft comfy leather couches. Other changes include new furniture for the sales staff and managers, renovated bathrooms, a new employee break room and a bigger customer lounge in the service department.

So why did we invest in such expensive renovations? Well, with so many customers now researching vehicles and pricing online before they come in, it's harder for us dealers to turn more than slim profits on new vehicle sales. So we are focusing on trying to make serious money on accessories, maintenance and repairs, as well as on used cars.

The goal is to not depend on buyers who, at best, will return years later for another car. Instead, we increasingly want to develop relationships with owners to keep them coming in multiple times a year, whether it is for car maintenance or repairs, to chat with service advisers or just kick tires on the latest new model while grabbing a free cup of coffee. A nicely renovated store with comfortable and inviting surroundings we believe will help tremendously.

So next time you're in the area, come check out our new showroom. You'll see...we've certainly come a long way from just a boring old box with windows.



- Ed Dancel is a sales consultant at Southfield Dodge Chrysler Jeep Ram 248-354-2950

Chrysler's Ram Truck Rides High With Red Wings - Detroit Free Press

Fred Diaz had no idea the Detroit Red Wings would break the National Hockey League's record for consecutive home wins when the Ram marketing team negotiated to sponsor a special-edition truck for the Wings.

"The initial plan was to do 1,000, and that ended up being a gross underestimation," said Diaz, CEO of Chrysler's Ram truck brand.

Now metro dealers expect to sell nearly 2,000 of the $36,684 Red Wings Ram, and the playoffs are still a month away.

It's a break that validates Chrysler's decision in 2009 to separate Ram from its Dodge brand.

Dan Frost, owner of Chrysler dealerships in Taylor and Southfield, said he has sold about 110 Red Wings Ram trucks. "But even people that aren't fans of the Red Wings are attracted to the truck because of the value," he said.

While the truck benefits from the added sales, the Wings benefit from the advertising. Ram has run a commercial called "Ram vs. Mule," comparing the toughness of the truck with the toughness of Red Wing forward Johan Franzen, whose nickname is Mule.



"Every once in a while, from a partnership point of view, you catch lightning in a bottle," said Tom Wilson, president of Olympia Entertainment.

Ram picks up momentum since split from Dodge

The decision to split Ram and Dodge has enabled the third-largest pickup brand in the U.S. to grow, according to Fred Diaz, CEO of the Ram brand.

Diaz also credits the decision to split the two brands with driving a more focused marketing message as well as a bevy of new Ram models that are drawing more customers.

"Now we have an entire department that is supremely focused on nothing but truck and commercial vehicles," Diaz said.

In 2011, Ram sales rose 22.6%, and its market share rebounded to 16.3% of large pickups -- its highest mark since 2008. For the first two months of this year, Ram's market share has continued to climb, reaching 18.3% in February.

What's more, some Ram residual values -- what a truck is worth at a certain point in the future -- are comparable to those of the Ford F-150, or about 34% of the purchase price after four years, according to data from ALG.

Even with those gains, though, some question the decision.

"It didn't help either brand," said Art Spinella, president of the consulting firm CNW Research in Bandon, Ore.

Spinella said the percentage of 2,800 potential truck buyers who said they would consider buying a Ram in January was unchanged from a year earlier.

"The customer doesn't care," said Dan Frost, owner of Southfield Chrysler Jeep Dodge. "To the customer, as far as they are concerned, it's still a Dodge pickup."

Jeremy Anwyl, CEO of www.Edmunds.com, said it takes years to change a brand's perception.

"I am reminded of when Datsun became Nissan," Anwyl said. "But you talk to people today and Datsun may not even be a memory."

'A lot of head scratches'

To be sure, the breakup was not easy, even for Chrysler insiders.

"At the time we got a lot of head scratches," Diaz said. "People were reducing brands, not creating brands."

The decision was based on the observation that Dodge -- with vehicles ranging from the macho Charger and Challenger to the Caravan minivan and Ram pickups -- had a muddled image.

Ram has clarified its brand image by ramping up its rough, outdoor appeal with actor Sam Elliott providing the gritty voice-overs on commercials with the tagline, "Guts, Glory, Ram."

Elliott's voice is one that Ram hopes to keep using, said Marissa Hunter, head of Ram advertising.

Separately, Ram is rolling out an advertising campaign called "Giants" that debuted during the Super Bowl pregame show and targets younger buyers and women, Hunter said.

During the last two years, Ram has launched at least six models aimed at different types of truck buyers.

Examples include the Outdoorsman, aimed at hunters and fishermen, and the Tradesman, designed to meet the needs of plumbers, carpenters and construction workers.

A special Red Wings edition of the Ram 1500 Express 4X4 Crew Cab, which was expected to generate about 1,000 in sales, is on track for sales of more than 2,000.

"I wouldn't be surprised, that if we had stayed with Dodge, that no more than maybe 20% of those things would have actually been done," Diaz said.

According to the automaker's five-year plan, Ram is scheduled for a major upgrade this year.

"It is our intent to deliver an updated product that provides to ... consumers all of those things that they demand in a pickup truck," Hunter said.

That means the 2013 Ram will likely be shown at the New York auto show in April.

What's left for Dodge?

In 2009, Ram was by far the highest-volume model for the Dodge brand.

This year, Chrysler is bringing back its Viper high-performance sports car, but it won't be a Dodge. Instead, it will be under a new SRT performance brand.

That leaves the Avenger sedan, the Journey crossover, Charger and Challenger sports cars, the Durango and Nitro SUVs and the all-new, Fiat-engineered Dart that replaces the Caliber, which was discontinued in December.

The Dart will help Dodge further redefine its image as a brand with a racing heritage for a reasonable price, said Reid Bigland, CEO of Dodge.

"Dodge is clearly a mainstream American brand ... and a brand that is really about value and performance," Bigland said. " 'Guts, Glory, Dodge' really doesn't fit."

Contact Brent Snavely: 313-222-6512 or bsnavely@freepress.com


Visit the Happy Car Salesman, Ed Dancel at Southfield Dodge Chrysler Jeep Ram