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
Cadillac has new poster sedan
October 27, 2011 by Larson Automotive Group · Leave a Comment
Filed under: Car Buying , Minivan/Van , Europe , Chrysler , Lancia , Fiat The Chrysler – Fiat merger has already spawned some nicely badge-engineered Chryslers for the U.K. market , and now comes payback. The 2012 Lancia Voyager goes on sale in Europe this month, and if it looks like a Chrysler Town & Country Limited, well, that’s because it is. Save for some rather tastefully applied badging identifying the upscale Italian brand – and the removal of the TC’s chrome bodyside molding – we’re hard pressed to see much difference between the U.S. and Euro versions of the people mover, at least on the surface. Underhood, however, Lancia will be offering a 2.8-liter common rail turbodiesel that’s unavailable in the States. While the diesel is only rated at a meager 163 horsepower, its 265 pound-feet of torque is more than the Pentastar V6 gasoline engine, which is also an option overseas. Fiat says the diesel Voyager is good for 30 miles per gallon in the European combined cycle; the 283-horsepower Pentastar manages just 22 mpg in this application. This would be the place where we would normally grumble about not getting the diesel version here in the U.S., but we’re not going to do that this time. After all, it’s just a Chrysler minivan. See the full press release after the break . Continue reading How do you say “Chrysler minivan” in Italian? “Lancia Voyager” How do you say “Chrysler minivan” in Italian? “Lancia Voyager” originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 20 Oct 2011 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Nissan making some safety changes
October 20, 2011 by Larson Automotive Group · Leave a Comment
Filed under: Car Buying , SUV , Crossover , Chevrolet , Dodge , Ford , Honda , Kia , Mazda , Toyota Cars.com recently lined up seven new vehicles for a $37,000 SUV shootout. The 2012 Chevrolet Traverse , 2012 Dodge Durango , 2012 Ford Explorer , 2012 Honda Pilot , 2012 Kia Sorento , 2011 Mazda CX-9 and 2011 Toyota Highlander all squared off against one another in a range of evaluations, including a one-day highway drive and family testing. If you happen to be the deductive type, you may have noticed that the list above includes a fair number of genuine crossovers. Vehicles like the Chevrolet Traverse and Mazda CX-9 bear little resemblance to the body-on-frame bruisers of old, and even models like the 2012 Explorer and 2012 Durango have evolved out of their traditional shells. But when the dust settled, it was Honda’s 2012 Pilot that took top honors thanks to its high level of amenities, spacious interior and clever storage solutions, despite the fact that reviewers found issue with road noise and exterior styling. Perhaps most surprising is the fact that the 2012 Explorer tied for sixth place with the 2012 Sorento. Ouch. Head over to Cars.com to see the full evaluation, and vote for your favorite in our poll. View Poll Cars.com $37,000 SUV shootout yields unexpected results [w/poll] originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 17 Oct 2011 14:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Fiat Doblo headed to U.S. as rebadged Ram in 2013
September 9, 2011 by Larson Automotive Group · Leave a Comment
Filed under: Truck , Europe , Work , Chrysler , Dodge , Fiat In a move that truly shows how entwined Fiat and Chrysler have become, the Italian automaker, along with its U.S. sidekick Chrysler, confirmed today the launch a Ram -badged version of the Fiat Doblo van in the U.S. The Chrysler Group has not released photos or specifications for the Ram-badged Doblo, but says the van will be imported from Turkey as it will be built by Fiat Group’s Turkish joint-venture partner TOFAS. Chrysler adds that TOFAS will invest over $160 million for the necessary U.S. and Canadian homologation of the front-wheel-drive work van. TOFAS will set aside some of that cash to cover any North American, customer-specific modifications for the Doblo. Chrysler says the seven-year deal with TOFAS calls for 190,000 Doblos to be shipped to North America. Look for the first Ram-badged Doblos to hit dealer showrooms in early 2013. Continue reading Fiat Doblo headed to U.S. as rebadged Ram in 2013 Fiat Doblo headed to U.S. as rebadged Ram in 2013 originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 09 Sep 2011 17:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
2012 Ram pickup range updated with new gearbox, added power
September 4, 2011 by Dodge Blogger · Leave a Comment
Filed under: Truck , Work , Chrysler , Diesel Ram is going for broke with its 2012 truck range, increasing power in both the 5.7-liter Hemi and 6.7 Cummins diesel. The gas V8 gets a bump to 383 horsepower and 400 pound-feet of torque. The 6.7-liter Cummins diesel inline six now pushes 350 horses backed by 800 lb.-ft. of torque. Added to that, there’s a new six-speed automatic transmission with an updated torque converter. Ram says that the transmission should not only be stronger, but lead to improved fuel efficiency as well. With the new power in the big Cummins, the 4500 and 5500 series chassis cab trucks get a combined gross weight increase from 26,000 pounds to 30,000 pounds. Full details in the PR blast after the jump. Continue reading 2012 Ram pickup range updated with new gearbox, added power 2012 Ram pickup range updated with new gearbox, added power originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 04 Sep 2011 14:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
GMC back atop HD truck towing and payload ratings
August 16, 2011 by Dodge Blogger · Leave a Comment
Filed under: Truck , Work , Chevrolet , Dodge , Ford , GM , GMC Mustang , Camaro and Challenger owners use statistics like 0-60 times and quarter-mile trap speeds to prove why their chosen muscle car is better than the rest. If there’s any other segment of the industry where numbers mean everything, it’s heavy duty pickups. Need proof? Check out the latest set of towing and payload ratings for the HD versions of the Chevrolet Silverado , Ram , Ford F-Series and GMC Sierra . For what it’s worth, the GM twins officially have the highest set of numbers with up to 23,000 pounds of capacity when trailering a fifth wheel, 18,000 pounds with a conventional trailer and 7,215 pounds of payload capacity when properly equipped. So, GM’s got the bragging rights… for now. We expect Ford and Ram to counter GMC’s latest statistics with revised ratings of their own, after a few small tweaks allow them to earn back their place atop the HD standings. After all, it’s been happening exactly this way for the last several years. For a fun little rundown of how the three American pickup makers play the game of one-upmanship, we suggest you check out this story from our friends at PickupTrucks.com. Speaking of which, after that website’s latest HD pickup comparison, at least GM has earned the right to boast by taking top honors against the F-Series and Ram. GMC back atop HD truck towing and payload ratings originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 16 Aug 2011 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Chrysler recalling nearly 243,000 Ram pickups over tie rod concern
July 13, 2011 by Dodge Blogger · Leave a Comment
Filed under: Truck , Recalls , Chrysler , Dodge 2010 Ram 3500 HD – Click above for high-res image gallery Chrysler has announced a recall that affects 242,780 Ram pickups manufactured between 2003 and 2011. This includes the 2008 Ram 1500, and 2003-2011 Ram 2500 and 3500 Heavy Duty trucks. According to the official recall statement from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, these trucks may have a defective left tie rod ball stud that can fracture during low-speed parking maneuvers. According to NHTSA: This condition could result in the potential loss of directional stability in the left hand front wheel, increasing the risk of a crash. To remedy this potential problem, dealers will inspect the tie rod ends and perform an alignment if necessary. NHTSA states that Chrysler has not yet provided an owner notification schedule, but we’d expect this recall to ramp up within the coming weeks. Follow the jump for NHTSA’s official statement. Continue reading Chrysler recalling nearly 243,000 Ram pickups over tie rod concern Chrysler recalling nearly 243,000 Ram pickups over tie rod concern originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 13 Jul 2011 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Fiat may supply Ram Van replacement for Dodge
July 11, 2011 by Dodge Blogger · Leave a Comment
Filed under: Truck , Europe , Work , Chrysler , Rumormill , Fiat Fiat Ducato – Click above for high-res image gallery It’s looking like Chrysler may be ready to re-badge a couple more European vans and bring them to our shores. The automaker is reportedly weighing the option of bringing the pint-sized front-wheel-drive Fiat Doblo, its bigger brother the Ducato and the seriously meaty Iveco Daily to these shores, all vans to be marketed under the recently minted Ram brand. We figure that Chrysler would aim the Doblo squarely at the Ford Transit Connect , another European hauler repurposed for the U.S., while the Ducato would slot nicely in the hole left by the departed Dodge Sprinter. For bigger jobs, enter the Iveco Daily, which sees use in nearly every other part of the world to haul just about anything. Fiat may supply Ram Van replacement for Dodge originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 11 Jul 2011 08:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Chrysler thinking about offering air suspension on its Ram pickups?
June 30, 2011 by Dodge Blogger · Leave a Comment
Filed under: Truck , Work , Chrysler , Dodge , Rumormill 2011 Ram Truck 3500 HD – Click above for high-res image gallery Word on the web is that engineers at Ram are dabbling in air-ride suspensions. PickupTrucks.com has pointed out that the company’s gargantuan Long-Hauler Pickup Concept rocked an impressive auto-leveling and load-sensing air-suspension package from the people at Kelderman. It’s no secret that Ram has been trying to civilize its full-size pickup offerings. The company recently abandoned the traditional rear leaf-spring suspension setup for heavy-duty coil springs, and the addition of an air-ride option would provide even greater versatility. As PickupTrucks.com points out, air suspensions use pneumatic bladders in place of springs, and an onboard compressor can vary the amount of pressure within each vessel. Lower pressure delivers a comfortable ride, while more pressure can give the vehicle additional ride height and load capacity. As a result, the vehicle can offer a comfortable ride while still being able to handle heavy cargo. It’s the same technology found on road tractors and trailers. The fact that Ram is dabbling in the systems on its concept vehicles leads PickupTrucks.com to believe that we may eventually see air suspensions on the company’s heavy-duty hardware. The move would seem to be the perfect compromise between civility and capability. Chrysler thinking about offering air suspension on its Ram pickups? originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 30 Jun 2011 10:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Chrysler developing TR Ram Life Style Truck to compete with Honda Ridgeline
May 18, 2011 by Dodge Blogger · Leave a Comment
Filed under: Truck , Plants/Manufacturing , Crossover , Chrysler , Dodge , Canada 2006 Dodge Rampage Concept – Click above for high-res image gallery Does the world need a competitor to the Honda Ridgeline ? While sales figures of Honda’s half-truck would lead us to believe consumers aren’t clamoring for such a vehicle ( Honda only sold 16,142 Ridgelines in 2010 , barely more than the 13,047 Dakota’s Dodge moved), recent reports indicate that Chrysler seems to think otherwise. We’ve known for some time that Dodge was considering a small urban-style pickup – ever since it showed off the Rampage Concept (shown above) at the 2006 Chicago Auto Show and then mentioned it again in Chrysler’s rambling five-year plan announced in 2009 – but talk of the so-called Lifestyle Pickup had cooled off… until now. According to wheels.ca , Chrysler suppliers were recently briefed on the automaker’s future product plans, and a replacement for the unloved Dakota is on the docket. It’s thought that Chrysler may build the vehicle in Windsor, Ontario atop its minivan platform, which lends credence to the Ridgeline comparison. We have to wonder if the crossover platform employed by the latest (and very well-received) Durango might be a better bet, but we’ll surely reserve judgement until something more concrete than these rumors begin to surface. We’re also curious as to whether the small pickup would wear a Dodge or Ram badge. Stay tuned for more… Chrysler developing TR Ram Life Style Truck to compete with Honda Ridgeline originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 18 May 2011 14:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
