Dodge Dart To Offer 5 Models; Pricing Starts At $15,995 - Detroit Free Press

AUSTIN – The new Dodge Dart — Chrysler’s first compact sedan since it phased out the Dodge Neon — will sell for a price range of $15,995 to $22,495, Chrysler said today.

The Dart, which will go on sale by June, is the automaker’s most important new vehicle this year and also will be a crucial test for Chrysler and Fiat because it is the first to be based on a Fiat platform.

The 2013 Dodge Dart will be available in five different trim levels that will be priced as follows, excluding a $795 destination charge:

• Dodge Dart SE $15,995: The SE is powered by a 2.0-liter 16-valve four-cylinder engine, which produces 160 horsepower, 148 pound-feet of torque and is mated to a six-speed manual transmission, or available six-speed automatic.

• Dodge Dart SXT $17,995: Includes additional features such as well as 17-inch aluminum wheels; remote keyless entry; six-speakers; security alarm and 60/40 split folding rear seat.

• Dodge Dart Rallye $18,995: Adds a customized look with a performance front and rear fascias and a choice of four interior colors.

• Dodge Dart Limited $19,995: Includes an 8.4-inch Uconnect touch screen with rear backup camera, projector fog lamps, 10-way power driver seat and automatic headlamps.

• Dodge Dart R/T $22,495: This performance version of the Dart offers more power and a racing-oriented styling but won’t be available until fall. The Dart R/T will be powered by a 2.4-liter Tigershark MultiAir four-cylinder engine that produces 184 horsepower and 171 pound-feet of and is mated to a six-speed manual transmission or available six-speed automatic.

By Brent Snavely Detroit Free Press Automotive Writer




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

Southfield Chrysler
28100 Telegraph Rd
Southfield, MI 48034

My Little Girls are Growing Up - Ed Dancel

Seven years ago today, my beautiful twin baby girls, Marli and Chloe were born. They were born by Cesarean section because it was safer.

My babies were what the doctors termed as Monoamniotic twins, meaning they shared the same amniotic sac within their mother’s uterus.

This was serious stuff because there was a chance that they could have gotten tangled up in their own umbilical cords. But that didn't happen.

We had a great team of medical professionals over at Hutzel Hospital in Detroit Michigan who monitored Jill, their momma, for about a month before they deemed it safe for the babies to come out.

I was in the operating room when they were born. Marli came out first then Chloe soon after. Jill and I made sure that our doctor told us which side, right or left, where he took the babies out of because we had already named them even before they were born; Marli right and Chloe left.

Here we are seven years later...I have two lovely, happy and healthy girls. I am so proud of them.

My little babies are growing up so fast. Pretty soon they won't be so little any more. That is why I try and savor as many happy moments and memories as I can with them.

Below is an eight minute video montage of Marli and Chloe growing up. Enjoy!!






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

Students From Specs Howard Film a Video at Southfield Dodge Chrysler Jeep Ram

The rise of gas prices is a concern not just for drivers but for businesses across the nation. Students from Specs Howard School of Media Arts came to Southfield Dodge Chrysler Jeep Ram to film an interview with sales manager Brian Mejia to find out how gas price hikes are affecting the dealership.

Mejia says, "Every person who buys a car gets a full tank of gas. But sometimes when gas prices are high, new car sales gets a little bit of a hit. Instead of buying trucks people buy smaller cars. When gas prices go down, people come in and buy the trucks. So actually our sales can fluctuate as much as gas prices do. Average fuel economy of trucks and cars are about 19 miles per gallon."

With gas prices the way they are and rising, people everywhere are feeling the effects. But the question is, why are prices the way they are? According to an agent with AAA of Michigan, there are 3 big factors. First is the trouble in the Middle East. Also with the Euro being stronger than the dollar, the price variation makes it harder to get a hold of. And lastly the strong economic reports.

So where can we go from here? With gas prices on the rise, is there any way we can have an engine that doesn't use so much gas?

Mejia says, "You're never going to change the fact that a combustion engine needs 14 parts of air for every part fuel. You're never going to change that. That's chemistry. Unless batteries get better. You can get better gas mileage in these combustion engines now. We have 8 speed transmissions in a lot of our cars. That really contributes a lot."

Some people question themselves if they want to buy or lease a new vehicle. Mejia comments, "65% to 70% of our customers lease cars. You can lease a car versus buy for cheaper out pocket.

Turns out Brian Mejia sold a car to Specs Howard about 16 years ago. The interview ends with Mejia saying, "He's an interesting man."



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

2013 Ram 1500 is Ready to Rumble - The Detroit News

New York— The pickup wars will heat up again today as Chrysler Group LLC unveils a new version of its Ram 1500 truck at the New York International Auto Show.

The 2013 Ram 1500 is chock-full of new technology, much of which is designed to assuage customers concerns about rising fuel prices.

The pickup wars used to be all about towing capability and payload capacity. But with gasoline prices climbing towards $5 a gallon, these battles are increasingly about fuel-economy.

It is a fight Ford Motor Co. seemed to have won when it introduced the 2011 F-150 equipped with its economical EcoBoost motor. Instead of a traditional gas-guzzling V-8 engine, these trucks were powered by a less thirsty V-6 that delivered comparable horsepower and torque thanks to the addition of turbocharging and direct fuel-injection technology.

Now, Chrysler is hoping to one-up Ford with a V-8 Hemi-powered truck that it says will get even better gas mileage than Ford's EcoBoost model. And it will also offer a V-6 version that promises to best Ford's most fuel-efficient offering.

"A lot of people doubted that anyone would want a V-6 in their full-size pickup. Ford has proven that they do," said Reid Bigland, head of U.S. sales for Chrysler. "It's pretty tough to put a jack hammer in a small car. People need pickup trucks for their work, but they don't want to go broke at the pump just to drive one."

The new Ram 1500 will be available with a 3.6-liter Pentastar V-6 that Chrysler says will deliver 13 percent more torque and 20 percent better fuel-economy than its current 3.7-liter V-6 offering or a 5.7-liter V-8 Hemi that promises a 10 percent mileage improvement. Both trucks boast a bunch of other fuel-saving features, including a class-exclusive eight-speed automatic transmission, thermal management and stop-start system and active aerodynamics such as computer-controlled grille shutters and an air suspension that lowers the truck to make it less thirsty at freeway speeds.

The Pentastar V-6 delivers 305 horses and 269 pound-feet of torque. The V-8 Hemi offers 90 more horses and 407 pound-feet of torque. Chrysler says it will also offer best-in-class towing and payload capacity of 11,500 pounds and 3,125 pounds, respectively, in the Ram 1500 Tradesman version.

The air suspension can also lower the truck to make loading and unloading easier.

"Even towing, it's got fantastic power," said Mike Cairns, vehicle line executive for Ram Truck. "The eight-speed transmission allows it to still be a real truck engine and still pull very heavy trailers."

The whole truck has been given a major style makeover inside and out, too. Chrysler had originally planned only a modest refresh of its current model.

"Instead, we decided to go crazy," said Ram brand chief Fred Diaz.

"We virtually redesigned the truck from the ground up."

And it set its sights on Ford. Diaz noted that the EcoBoost relies on twin turbos, which he suggested would be less reliable than Chrysler's approach to fuel economy.

He noted that the EcoBoost is out of warranty after 60,000 miles.

"Turbos are very expensive to replace," he said, adding Chrysler will also offer a 100,000-mile powertrain warranty.

"But they don't have the horsepower that Ford has," pointed out analyst Jim Hall of 2953 Analytics LLP, noting that Ford's most powerful motor still outclasses the Ram. He said the real loser in this competition is General Motors Co., which has yet to introduce a modern V-6 offering capable of competing with either the EcoBoost-equipped Fords or the new Rams. And he said that is what more and more truck customers are looking for today.

"If you're ever going to really load the truck up, the six is going to be pretty bad," he said. "But most people never come close to loading their trucks all the way up — and for them, one of these new V-6s is going to be fine."

And a lot cheaper to fill up.

Chrysler says the new Ram 1500 will go on sale in October.

By Bryce G. Hoffman and David Shepardson
The Detroit News
(313) 222-2443




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

Chrysler Reveals New 2013 Viper - The Detroit News

New York —Chrysler Group LLC unveiled the 2013 SRT Viper at the New York International Auto Show on Wednesday, and announced the iconic Detroit two-seat sports car will return to the American Le Mans racing circuit.

Wearing a Detroit T-shirt, Ralph Gilles, president and CEO of the SRT brand, unveiled the bright red Viper on stage as hundreds of journalists looked on.

Gilles said in an interview that the new Viper has stability control and a new "launch control button" to speed the first-gear rollout. It will be the first Viper to have cruise control and will be among the fastest vehicles in the world.

The new Viper has a full leather interior and is about 100 pounds lighter than the last version.

It will have 640 horsepower, 600 pounds of torque and will top out at 206 miles per hour, about 5 miles per hour faster than the previous version.

"It's the highest naturally aspirated torque engine in the world," Gilles said. "It makes more torque off idle than most cars make at full power."

Gilles said the Viper represents what Chrysler is all about.

"I think (the Viper) represents the soul of the company," Gilles said, noting the intense interest in the car among fans, journalists and other auto company executives. "The car is a rock star all by itself."

Chrysler halted production of the Dodge Viper in June 2010 and wasn't sure if it would keep the brand alive, Gilles said. More than 100 owners showed up unannounced on the last day to herald the car and Chrysler held an impromptu car show. "No one knew if it would continue," Gilles said.

The Viper has been a source of American pride, Gilles said.

"Here it is duking it out with some of the best brands in the world. Here's this ruffian American doing it with the big boys," Gilles said. "There's a little bit of this Rocky Balboa story in there that people just love."



Chrysler rebranded the Viper under its SRT brand.

The company is reopening its Conner Avenue plant in Detroit, which will employ about 100 workers to build the Viper by hand. About 50 workers have completely refurbished and cleaned the plant, painting everything white — even the ceiling. The plant added some robotics but it is still largely hand built, Gilles said.

Chrysler considered building the Viper at plants outside of Detroit and even considered importing frames from Europe, Gilles said.

The company began building "full representational" prototypes this week and will launch the vehicle this fall, Gilles said.

In late 2008, Chrysler announced it was putting its Viper brand up for sale as it struggled to stay alive. Gilles noted that was under private equity owners Cerberus Capital Management LP, which he dismissed as the "three-headed dog era."

The company has kept costs low as it redesigned the Viper, and built test cars by collecting and repurposing show cars. "Our budget was pretty tight," he said.

Chrysler started production of the Viper in 1991 and built about 30,000; about 26,000 are still on the roads. Chrysler showed 700 Viper owners in late 2010 a potential new Viper in Utah and no pictures leaked out.

The company has sold 1,500 on average a year and just over 2,000 in a good year. Gilles said he expects to expand exports of the Viper around the world over the prior version. "The car's been designed for every corner around the globe," he said. Gilles said the Viper is profitable, but the company isn't targeting big sales. "We're not obsessed about volume," Viper said.

The plant can build up to 2,200 a year — and Gilles said current Viper owners will get first crack at the new model.

Gilles compares the Viper to the Porsche 911 and updating an iconic vehicle.

Told that Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne had praised the vehicle in a Detroit News interview last month, Gilles laughed. "He didn't tell me that," he said. "That made my day. He's like your father. You just don't know if the grades are good enough."

BY DAVID SHEPARDSON DETROIT NEWS WASHINGTON BUREAU
dshepardson@detnews.com
(202) 662-8735




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

Auto Sales Strong in March, Led By Small Cars - Detroit (AP)

The auto industry looks set to ride the appeal of smaller cars to its best monthly performance in almost four years.

The consulting firm LMC Automotive predicts U.S. sales of new cars and trucks reached 1.37 million last month, up 6 percent from March of 2011 and the highest number since May of 2008. Industry analysts say sales could run at an annual rate of 14.1 million to 14.5 million vehicles, continuing a strong performance in January and February. Some companies could break sales records.

Chrysler Group said its U.S. sales jumped 34 percent in March on strong sales of Fiat small cars and Chrysler sedans. Ford sales rose 5 percent while General Motors reported a 12 percent increase, led by small and compact cars. Other automakers report later Tuesday.

The factors driving sales early in the year continued last month. Americans who couldn't bear a new car payment during the economic downturn are back on the market. They're leaning toward new compacts and sub-compacts to save on gas, although incentives on trucks are good enough to lure buyers who want something bigger.

For Chrysler, it was the best month for the company in four years, while Ford had its best March performance since 2007. The gains come as consumers grow confident enough in the economic recovery to buy new cars.

Chrysler says Fiat sales hit 3,712, compared to just 500 last March when the car was first on the market. The subcompact Fiat is growing in popularity as new dealerships open and fuel prices rise.

Sales of Chrysler's 200 and 300 sedans each doubled over last March. Both cars have recently been revamped and have better fuel economy than previous models, which is attracting new buyers.

Jeep brand sales rose 36 percent on the strength of the Jeep Grand Cherokee.

Incentives on trucks also helped sales in March. Chrysler said its Ram pickup sales were up 23 percent over last March. General Motors Co. and Ford Motor Co. also were expected to report big gains in truck sales.

March also saw more growth in loans to subprime buyers. Jefferies analyst Peter Nesvold wrote in a note to investors that non-prime buyers, or those with less than stellar credit, are coming back into the market after being shut out for several years due to lack of loan availability.

AutoNation, the Fort Lauderdale, Fla., auto retailer, said Tuesday that its sale rose 15 percent in March, mostly on the strength of Detroit brands, which were up 26 percent.

March could be a month of records. It could be the best sales month in the history of Hyundai Motor Co., Nissan Motor Co., and Volkswagen, said Jesse Toprak, vice president of market intelligence for auto buying site TrueCar.com. He also expects Detroit's three car companies, plus Honda and Toyota to post big monthly numbers.

With the nationwide average for gas approaching $4, small cars remain the catalyst for sales. Compact and subcompact models combined are expected to account for 23 percent of retail sales for March, according to LMC. Compacts include cars such as the Toyota Corolla and Chevrolet Cruze, while subcompacts include the Honda Fit and Ford Fiesta.




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

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