Porsche Partners With Volkswagen
July 15, 2012 by PGI Auto · Leave a Comment
Porsche has announced that the Volkswagen Group will have a new addition to their company – Porsche AG. Full integration is expected to be completed by the beginning of August, though steps in this direction have been being made for years. In 2009, Volkswagen and Porsche signed an agreement that would combine these two separate [...]
Jeep Mopar
December 15, 2011 by Larson Automotive Group · Leave a Comment
Filed under: Aftermarket , SUV , Jeep Jeep enthusiasts have been asking for a Wrangler pickup for years, and 2011 is the year they finally got their wish – at least in kit form . The only thing that could keep the JK-8 Independence kit from being a success is the $5,499 price, which doesn’t include assembly. But it appears that the serious Jeep fans are all-in, and Mopar is stepping up to meet demand. Wards Auto reports that Mopar’s original estimate of 200-300 kit sales was trumped by 400 dealer orders. Team Mopar is reportedly stepping up to meet the demand, as President Pietro Gorlier tells WA that more kits are on the way. Gorlier adds that Mopar continues to be cautious about sales expectations in part because the kits are so large and difficult for dealers to store in any real numbers. Early demand for the kits, which is also available for the Wrangler Unlimited , also shows Chrysler that a next-generation Wrangler truck could take the market by storm. Gorlier points out that Jeep President Mike Manley has gone on record as saying that the next redesign of the Wrangler could include a pickup option, though no definite plans have been announced. Mopar pickup kit for Jeep Wrangler a hot seller, coming early originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 14 Dec 2011 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
2013 Dodge Dart
December 8, 2011 by Larson Automotive Group · Leave a Comment
Filed under: Hatchback , Chrysler , Dodge Dodge might have teased us with a few images and some initial powertrain details on the 2013 Dart , but Fiat and Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne has provided even more in an interview with Reuters . According to Marchionne, the Dart is one piece of a larger puzzle for Chrysler in 2013, and the all-new Dart – based off a widened and stretched Alfa Romeo Giulietta – will hit 40 mpg thanks to a host of new engines and transmissions. As previously reported , the turbocharged 1.4-liter MultiAir fitted to the Fiat 500 Abarth will grace the top of the Dart range, but Dodge also plans to fit modified versions of the 2.0 and 2.4-liter World Gas Engine, comically rebranded as the Tigershark. When the Dart debuts, a Fiat-sourced six-speed dual-clutch transmission will feed the front wheels, but later in 2013 Dodge will reportedly offer a nine-speed automatic gearbox supplied by the ZF Group and manufactured in South Carolina. ZF officials claim fuel economy will be boosted between 10 to 16 percent over the dual-clutch ‘box, and that should put it handily in the 40 mpg range. And that last bit is important, as Fiat will receive its final five percent of Chrysler stock from the feds when it produces a vehicle with a 40-mpg rating. Marchionne: 2013 Dodge Dart will have optional 9-speed auto, hit 40 mpg originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 07 Dec 2011 18:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
2012 Passat Alltrack
December 7, 2011 by Larson Automotive Group · Leave a Comment
Filed under: Hirings/Firings/Layoffs , Plants/Manufacturing , Chrysler , Ford , GM , UAW/Unions According to a top researcher, labor costs for salaried employees at Chrysler , Ford and General Motors will surpass those of workers represented by the United Auto Workers for the first time next year. A report in Automotive News says the calculation was performed by the Center for Automotive Research (CAR), and made public at a recent conference. Sean McAlinden, chief economist for CAR, explained the math like this. The Big Three’s 66,000 salaried employees make an average of $122,500, or just over $8 billion in wages. That’s a little more than the $7.9 billion that 115,000 hourly workers will take home at roughly $69,000 each. Until 2009, McAlinden said, hourly employment had a decisive edge in total compensation, but plant closings and a paring down of the blue collar workforce have left salaried employees accounting for about 37 percent of the Big Three’s American workers. Is this just another sign of a shrinking UAW, or something more significant? It’s hard to say, but the article hints that salaried workers could be the next targets for cost-cutting: “McAlinden said a recent pledge by General Motors CEO Dan Akerson to cut vehicle platforms by half and consolidate advertising with fewer agencies recognized that salaried labor costs are mounting.” White collar salaries to overtake UAW labor costs next year originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 01 Dec 2011 09:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Porsche to build housing tower
November 23, 2011 by Larson Automotive Group · Leave a Comment
Filed under: Car Buying , Etc. , Audi , GMC , Jeep , Lexus , Subaru , Volkswagen ALG has released its annual Resale Value Awards. For 2012, Subaru took home the home the honor of being the top mainstream brand, while Lexus nabbed the top luxury automaker designation. ALG says that once again, Japanese automakers have performed better than their American and European counterparts when it comes to resale. Of the 21 total ALG awards, 11 went to Japanese manufacturers, though Audi bucked that trend by being the single automaker to take home the most awards. Domestic manufacturers, meanwhile, are scarcely represented in the honors. Only the GMC Acadia and Jeep Wrangler received nods for 2012. ALG weighs each vehicle based on past performance, industry trends and segment competition. There were some surprises for 2012 – interestingly enough, ALG skipped the Toyota Prius in the hybrid/alternative powertrain segment in favor of the Volkswagen Golf TDI , and the Subaru Legacy took home the nod in the mid-sized category instead of either the Honda Accord or the Toyota Camry . Hit the jump for the full press release. Continue reading Subaru and Lexus top ALG 2012 Residual Value Awards Subaru and Lexus top ALG 2012 Residual Value Awards originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 22 Nov 2011 16:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
New 2013 VW CC
November 2, 2011 by Larson Automotive Group · Leave a Comment
Filed under: Aftermarket , SEMA Show , Convertible , SUV , Videos , Jeep Considering how long the Jeep Wrangler has been in production, we’re surprised that nobody thought of this sooner. The Jeep enthusiasts at Omix-Ada Inc. have designed what they’re calling the world’s first power folding soft top kit for the beloved Wrangler, which can be fitted to any 2007-2012 model year four-door model. (The company says a kit for the two-door Wrangler is expected to arrive later in 2012.) The Rugged Ridge package comes complete with a vinyl top, power top frame, hydraulics, wiring harness and installation pack, and the top itself includes a zip-out, removable, tinted rear window. Omix-Ada says the whole kit comes ready to install with “no fuss or mess.” We can’t help but notice that the top looks sort of flimsy during operation, but nevertheless, it’s a neat aftermarket tweak to one of the most iconic off-roaders ever to grace our roads (and trails). We’re not sure how well the hardcore purists will receive something like this, but there are plenty of people buying four-door Wranglers as lifestyle vehicles, too. Check out a pair of videos after the jump showing the power folding top in action, along with Omix-Ada’s press release. Continue reading Jeep Wrangler power folding top kit debuts at SEMA Jeep Wrangler power folding top kit debuts at SEMA originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 01 Nov 2011 12:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Special Edition MW3 Jeep : Call of Duty Modern Warfare
September 28, 2011 by admin · Leave a Comment
Jeep and Activision have partnered up once again, this time to produce a new special edition Wrangler designed to commemorate the launch of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3. The 2012 Jeep Wrangler Call of Duty: MW3 Special Edition is set to land on dealer lots on November 8 in conjunction with the launch of [...]
2011 AEV Jeep Wrangler Hemi
August 5, 2011 by Dodge Blogger · Leave a Comment
Filed under: Aftermarket , SUV , Jeep , Off-Road , Quick Spins Conquering Trails And Tarmac In A V8 Monster It’s no secret that when it comes to off-road capability, nothing quite tops the Jeep Wrangler . This grizzled mainstay continues to be the first choice for people wanting to get down and dirty with the great outdoors, and its success story is decades old. It’s like the Porsche 911 of off-roaders. Unlike the 911, however, Jeep has long foregone a higher-strength version of the Wrangler straight from the factory. Porsche , for instance, offers the base 911 Carrera alongside more than 20 other variants, all the way up to the hardcore GT2 RS . So where do Jeep enthusiasts go when it comes time to enhance the off-road experience of the Wrangler? The aftermarket. One such company, AEV , has a package that combines superb off-road prowess with all the creature comforts of an everyday driver. Oh, yeah – and it has a Hemi V8. Continue reading 2011 AEV Jeep Wrangler Hemi 2011 AEV Jeep Wrangler Hemi originally appeared on Autoblog 5.0 on Fri, 05 Aug 2011 11:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Hyundai, Jeep and Chrysler show biggest gains in J.D. Power APEAL report
July 28, 2011 by Dodge Blogger · Leave a Comment
Filed under: Etc. , Chrysler , Hyundai , Jeep J.D. Power loves to know what you think about new cars and the companies that make them. One of their annual reports is called the APEAL study, which looks at automotive performance, execution and layout, and this analytic look at makes and models is tallied up within a 1,000-point scale. The average score for the entire industry currently sits at 781, which is an improvement over last year’s average of 778. Sitting at the top of the APEAL scoreboard for the seventh year in a row is Porsche , with a rating of 879. It’s not surprising to see the German automaker sit in the pole position, but a few other automakers have made vertically positive moves. Hyundai earned 793 points this year, which is a 33-point improvement over the 2010 study and puts the Korean automaker well above the industry average. Other major winners are Jeep and Chrysler . Jeep jumped 32 points for a 2011 score of 759, and Chrysler climbed 27 points, to 775. Curious to see how the rest of the industry shakes out? Click past the jump for the full press release. Continue reading Hyundai, Jeep and Chrysler show biggest gains in J.D. Power APEAL report Hyundai, Jeep and Chrysler show biggest gains in J.D. Power APEAL report originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 27 Jul 2011 19:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8
July 25, 2011 by Dodge Blogger · Leave a Comment
Filed under: Performance , SUV , Jeep , First Drives Jeep’s Best Argument To Skip The Dirt We’ve just returned from flogging the all-new 2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8 on the main 2.5-mile road circuit at Willow Springs Motorsports Park in Southern California. This particular Jeep is nothing like your great-grandfather’s Willys, your cousin’s lifted CJ or even your little sister’s Liberty. Lacking anything close to resembling a Trail Rated badge, this lowered, two-and-a-half ton monster packs a massive 6.4-liter Hemi under its hood, 20-inch forged alloys at each corner and an adaptive damping system to keep body movement in check. Even from a distance, it’s hard to miss this four-door’s oversized brakes, cannon exhaust pipes and intimidating body cladding. This Jeep looks mean, sounds aggressive and picks fights with sports cars instead of mountains. But what is the point of the Grand Cherokee SRT8? Do its owners race it, or is this simply an exercise to antagonize cavalier Porsche Cayenne and BMW X5 drivers? What are the benefits – and drawbacks – to packing 470 horsepower in an SUV? Can this thing even tow? We found answers to all of those questions and more, during our day on the track and long drive back to Los Angeles. Continue reading 2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8 2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8 originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 25 Jul 2011 11:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
