Related:
Feel the Turbo Activated to Serve You Forever; Chryslerati on eBay! [Internal]

Nine long years ago when Daimler seemingly out of nowhere snatched up Chrysler, minds began reeling. My father, who was still freaked out about German reunification, thought that the Germans owning Jeep was the third sign of the apocalypse. Word on the street was that Daimler was hungry for the soft and bountiful teat of SUV-crazed America. And everyone cried a little bit when they killed Plymouth. Then, suddenly, came word of the 300C and Magnum. Suddenly, Daimler was here to save America from itself by giving us what we really want: V8, rear-wheel drivers with room for four or more. Thank you, thank you, thank you mein ubermenchen! And the Charger was, in a way, even better. But then came the Caliber, and the Compass and worst of all – especially when considering the success of and love for the LX platform cars – the new Sebring. That's a car which I have described as a "horseshit abortion." And that's because I'm nice. Anyhow, obviously, Chrysler's been phoning it in for the last few years. Like Albert Brooks. And now that Dailmer is out of the picture, we're asking you to play the part of the prognosticator and tell us where Chrysler, Dodge and Jeep will be in nine-years. – Jonny Lieberman

Related:
Speculation No More! Chrysler Group Sold To Cerberus Capital Management! | Five-Years From Today: What Kind of Car Do You Want? [Internal]

Related:
Mopars on the Green: Spring Fling XXI [Internal]

Chrysler Performance West Spring Fling [cpwclub.com]

Related:
Plymouth Rapid Transit System Brochure; On the Road, Mopar Style [Internal]

Everyone saw it coming. Even Bob Lutz. The reasons are myriad. An implosion in the housing market, consumers laden with more debt than ever, gasoline prices that are not going down and no super interesting models for dealers to sell have all conspired to tank April sales amongst the nouvelle Big Three. Even Toyota "We Will Crush You" Motor Company's sales fell by 4.4%. And this is after rising 11.7% to pass the General in March. Ford's down 12.9% vs. a year ago. Which is bad. Even the perennial all-star best-seller F-150 is down 12.4%. GM missed a double digit decline but is still off to the tune of 9.5% for April. One bright spot: DaimlerChrysler is up. Specifically Chrysler, as sales of the awesome new Wrangler and ugly new Compass boosted Jeep's sales by 29% last month, perking up the 'merican side's overall sales by 1.6%. Which, even though Mercedes sales were down, lifted DCX as a whole for the month by 1.2%. Which just cheeses Magna, Kerkorian and the Fatherland off. – Jonny Lieberman

Automakers report slow U.S. sales in April [msnbc.com]

Related:
Bob Lutz Wants You To Buy A House To Help GM Sales | Autoextremist: KirkKerks Don't Change Their Spots | Jalopnik Reviews: 2007 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon, Part 1 [Internal]

Related:
Autorama-Lama-Ding-Dong: Dodge Challenger Super Stock Is Back...In Black! [Internal]

Chrysler Recalls SUVs After Dozens of Reported Fires [Reuters]

Related:
Oh What A Bad Feeling: Toyota To Recall 533,000 Sequoias and Tundras; More Recalls [Internal]

Yikes. Aside from being knocked off the number two plinth by automotive juggernaut ToMoCo and losing $12.7 billion, FoMoCo must endure the additional dishonor of being pushed back to the number four sales spot by Dr. Z's Moustache Daimler-Chrysler for the month of January. There may be a silver-lining to these gray clouds, though. Ford said that their sales to rental car companies is down 65% as compared to January 2006. Which, if you are to believe what Adrian Imonti over at TTAC is saying about rentals (we do), is good long-term news. In the short-term? How many different ways can we look at Ford and say, "Ouch — that's got to hurt?" Also, it is definitely time to bring back the Pinto Shooting Brake. At this point in time, why not? – Jonny Lieberman

Car sales shocker: Ford tumbles to No. 4 [Associated Press]

Ford's Baby Bold Move: Automaker Closing Seven Children's Day Care Centers; More: Would You Like To Buy Bill Ford's House? [Internal]

And then it it all comes full circle... There's little we enjoy more than reading Watt's (increasingly) unique Pedro-speak concerning all things that exist in the form of Watt. But, given the "energy diversity" that all the big carmakers are struggling to achieve, well, this is time and place appropriate to us car-blogging types. As the Stooge's Icelandic tour driver explains;

"on our way out of reykjavik we saw the first hydrogen fuel station in the world. the icelandic government along with daimler chrystler, the eu, reykjavik city and more have the past three or four years been trying hydrogen driven city busses in hopes to be able to have the whole bus fleet in reykjavik hydrogen driven by the year 2027 (i think it was)."

A little bit of google-action confirms Mikko's spiel. DCX is (re)fueling select Sprinter vans and city buses with "the ultimate fuel." While not news, it is new to us. Of course, us being us, we're just as amazed that Iggy Pop lives in Miami. – Jonny LIeberman

iggy pop + the stooges | in iceland and europe | may to june 2006 [Hoot Page]

Related:
Celebrity Struggle Buggies: Mike Watt' s '05 E-350; More: Fill 'er Up With High Test: Driving the BMW Hydrogen 7 [Internal]

If you produce the oil that powers the engines, why not own the whole damn car? Or at least a good slice of it? Turns out, the Kingdom of Bahrain's purchase is not unprecedented as Abu Dhabi owns 5% of Ferrari and 15% of Spyker. What does this mean for lay pistonheads like us? Just that F1 will continue to be cash-flush and innovate like mad until Ferrari's manettino gets a sixth-setting in the eventual F430 replacement. Even still, we'd love to own part of an F1 team. Mel Brooks was right; it's good to be king. – Jonny Lieberman

Bahrain buys into McLaren [F1 News]

Related:
Windows 2.4-Liter: McLaren and Microsoft Officially Team up on ECU for F1 [Internal]

Time for a little "between the lines" style analysis. Jeep says, "[T]he Jeep Trailhawk is a more refined highway cruiser without sacrificing any of Jeep's legendary off-road capabilities." Jalopnik says, "Kill the Compass immediately." Jeep says, "The key to the look of the Trailhawk,' said Nick Vardis, Principal Exterior Designer, 'is the vehicle's distinctive proportions, due in part to its 116-inch wheelbase." Jalopnik says, "116-inch wheelbase? That is going to sacrifice a lot of Jeep's legendary off-road performance." As is the extra five-hundred pounds of bulging metal festooning this poor truck. Despite the puffy marketing hoo-haw ("with the sheet metal pulled into shape, much like a drawn arrow in the bow of a skilled archer") it looks like Jeep simply mated a Grand Cherokee with a Wrangler. Guys, you know there's a reason why siblings don't sleep together, right? No, it's not because of potential inheritance squabbles. More PR Hyperbole after you jump. – Jonny LIeberman

Related:
An Unnecessarily Trail-Rated Detroit Embargo Break: The Jeep Trailhawk Concept [Internal]

Jeep Trailhawk: Chrysler Group Design Spreads its Wings for its Rugged, Iconic Jeep Brand

Detroit, Jan 8, 2007 - The Jeep Trailhawk concept merges the spectrum of the Jeep brand by combining the core off-road features of the new body-on-frame four-door Jeep Wrangler Unlimited with the refined sophistication of an all-new on-road open-air concept vehicle, providing a unique and fresh expression for Jeep. Built off the new Wrangler platform, the Jeep Trailhawk is a more refined highway cruiser without sacrificing any of Jeep's legendary off-road capabilities.

"The key to the look of the Trailhawk," said Nick Vardis, Principal Exterior Designer, "is the vehicle's distinctive proportions, due in part to its 116-inch wheelbase. The dash-to-front-axle dimension is dramatically long, giving the vehicle a sense of forward motion, while the front and rear overhangs are tight and abbreviated."

Vardis said the body side is muscular and broad-shouldered, with the sheet metal pulled into shape, much like a drawn arrow in the bow of a skilled archer. Even the pillars are pulled back. The forward motion of the body is further accented by the drive of the raising beltline.

The stance is broad, and the wheels, pushed to the corners of the vehicle, are enclosed in robust flares dramatically offset from the body. Partly trapezoidal in shape, yet not asymmetrical, these angular, crisply-contoured wheel flares reinterpret one of Jeep's fundamental design cues.

"The flares are stretched and pulled taut at one end," Vardis said. "Each presents a 'long side' angled toward the center of the body."

The body in turn tapers toward the front in plan view to expose more of the flares and accent the wide stance. The flares enclose large 22-inch, five-spoke wheels, each with a hefty 34-inch overall diameter. The specially-crafted tires are accented by a red stripe, with the red color repeated on the exposed brake calipers.

The lower body, which kicks outward along the bottoms of the doors, intersects the flares crisply. Tucked beneath this horizontal element is a recessed running board, accented by a silver molding. A tall trapezoidal vent, located at the front fender-front door cut line, is home to the circular Trail Rated badge.

The Trailhawk's long hood is fronted by a signature seven-slot Jeep grille angled rearward to match the lean-back surface of the forward flares, with the slots filled with a mesh texture. Bracketed between the grille and the flares, the chamfered headlamps mimic the lean-back stance. Beneath their clear flush lenses, HID projector beam quad lamps nestled into twin "telescopic" polished aluminum barrels light the way forward while LEDs, configured in parallel stripes provide park and turn signals.

"The main headlamp units are cropped diagonally across the top," said Vardis. "They peer out from an angled brow, giving the vehicle its bold, sinister look. In front view, the left and right lamps evoke the hooded eyes of a bird of prey.
"Like other concepts, we first viewed the math surface of the grille and headlamps together in the computer" added Vardis. "We immediately noticed the hawkish expression, hence the name 'Trailhawk.'"

The taillamps mimic the look of the headlamps, including the striped turn signals, with the surface of the liftgate carved away.

The vehicle's upper structure is set onto the lower body, encased by a crisp, chamfered 360-degree molding that runs around the greenhouse, accenting the high, arching beltline. At the base of the windshield is a seven-slot cowl screen that reprises the grille. The body is painted in Argent Pearl high-gloss, with the flares and lower body a slightly darker low-gloss variant.

The side windows retract fully into the body, leaving no B-pillar above the belt, while the diagonal quarter windows are also fully retractable. Gray-tinted twin longitudinal glass panels over the first- and second-row seats and the glass panel over the cargo compartment are removable, as is the swing-up backlight. With all the glass lowered and removed, the Trailhawk offers occupants virtually the same open-air ambience as a typical soft top Jeep. The fixed central spine contains overhead lighting and several integrated storage bins.

"The Jeep Trailhawk interior emphasizes the vehicle's open air-freedom, inviting elements of the exterior theme into the interior,"said Cliff Wilkins, responsible for the interior design. "Tough mechanical elements which evoke exterior details are contrasted with sophisticated materials and finishes to give a modern, rugged, purposeful interior while delivering a premium off-road experience."

The four-passenger interior is dominated by two major design elements —the cross-car instrument panel (I/P) form and a full-length central spine which forms the floor console. The AC outlets, center stack compass/inclinometer, and the dimensional, double-deck "biplane" gauges are housed in circular casings having the appearance of machined aluminum, with detailing matching headlamp surrounds. The two-tone leather-wrapped aluminum steering wheel features vertical individual switches for lights and speed control.

Riding the transmission tunnel, the console's raised walls create a full-length open bin, handy for the storage of sundry items. Within the console's side rails, two front/rear combination armrest/storage bin modules, movable via concealed tracks, can be positioned fore-aft at the occupants' discretion. Using the familiar touchpad technology of laptop computers, a flip-out pad for the remote control fold-away flat screen navigation unit is housed in the forward armrest.

"The open console's unique utility is enhanced by the relocation of the transfer case 'Terrain Selector' switch to the center stack of the I/P," said Wilkins. "Also, there is the use of an electronic gear selector/park brake lever mounted to the right side of the steering column to continue this effect."

Additional storage is available forward of the drop-open center stack control module, and in the lower door trim panels.
The driver and three passengers can relax in individual premium leather seating in Bark Black and Firewood Orange. The vehicle's floor is a durable spray-finish with integrated non-slip heel pads, practical for all-weather use.

In the cargo area, each quarter panel houses a removable, portable "audio pod" sound system. Handsome in their rectangular dark gray cases accented with silver circular speaker bezels, each "pod" is fitted with a dock for an MP3 player. For carrying of first aid or road hazard gear, jerry-can style boxes in easy-to-find Firewood Orange are mounted forward of the speaker "pods."

The utility of the cargo area is enhanced by a drop-down tailgate featuring integral concealed storage, four cup holders, and a sliding Load 'N Go cargo tray with movable partitions that roll rearward for easy retrieval of stored items.

"One of the most remarkable things about the interior," concludes Wilkins, "is that it was designed and surfaced entirely electronically — there were no traditional sketches or 3-D models. Even so, the interior turned out just as we had envisioned."

Oh dear. While our impending Sebring review will go down in teh internets annuls as "why Loverman is unemployed," one thing is certain — the 2007 Chrysler Sebring is an abomination. One of the most visually vile cars to ever come to market. However, James Healy of the full-color-weather-maps-on-page-one rag writes, "The front of the car is dramatic, alluring, exciting." Um... Bullshit! He continues, "It has a special charm, especially visually" Oy vey iz mir... Can you do that? Can you just make shit up? Really? And his paychecks don't bounce? Unbelievable. – Jonny Lieberman

Sebring emerges as bigger, better, visually charming [USA Today]

Related:
Between the Lines: AutoWeek on the 2009 Cadillac CTS [Internal]

When the AMC Eagle debuted in 1980, we wanted one. And yes, we were like four at the time. But it didn't matter. It had four wheel drive. And jacked up suspension. And available funky faux-wood paneling. While initial sales were decent for the struggling automaker's attempt to build a car-based ute an idea roughly only a decade-and-a-half ahead of its time were decent, they sharply nosedived rather quickly; American Motors sold only 9000 of the cars in the final year of production. In 2007, the current steward of AMC's legacy, DCX, plans to finally replace the Eagle with the Jeep Compass. Vindication is thine, noble Eagle. Vindication is thine.

Soaring Ahead of its Time [AutoWeek]

The Kids of Today Should Defend Themselves Against the '70s: AMC's Spirit of '76 [Internal]

While the story's been developing since last December, it's been announced that General Motors and DaimlerChrysler will work together to develop a two-mode hybrid system that'll be deployable across a wide range of vehicles. Designed to add the good ol' American (and German) value of torque to vehicles, especially under load, while improving fuel economy up to 25%, DCX and GM have decided that the technology makes the most sense for their American-branded vehicles. The system's first slated to first appear in 2007 in the Chevy Tahoe and GMC Yukon, while Dodge will follow shortly thereafter with a hybrid Durango.

Now it's time for some half-assed Jalopnik statistical analysis. Let's go to our commentator, the English major who never took Stat. EMWNTS? "Thanks Bob. If one considers that in many places fuel costs have risen 30% over the last two years, a 25% percent increase in economy isn't keeping even. However, factoring national cost of living increases actually does put the savings level into real dollars. That said, there's still the additional expense of the hybrid system itself, which means that you're paying a premium to maintain the status quo. Back to you, Bob." We're typing with one hand and rummaging through a drawer with the other, searching for our "Whip Inflation Now" button.

DaimlerChrysler, GM sign hybrid vehicle pact [Reuters]

Related:
GM, DaimlerChrysler Hybrid System a Technical Marvel; If Only it Saved Gas [Internal]

Auto Bild recently conducted a comparison between two fuel-efficient SUVs the Lexus RX400h hybrid and the Mercedes ML 320 CDI diesel. On a coast-to-coast run, the Merc bested the Lexus in overally fuel economy, but it's important to bear in mind that most of the miles driven were on the freeway, where a hybrid's regenerative brakes have precious few opportunities to recharge the batteries. The RX also beat the ML in city driving, where hybrids excel by design, and features significantly lower emissions, but there's also the battery-disposal question to deal with. We're calling this one a wash for now. For greenies, which one you'll choose depends on the kind of driving you do most.

Diesel Bests Hybrid in Cross-Country Fuel Consumption Test [Green Car Congress]

Related:
Toyota's New Camry Hybrid to Get Four-Banger

Hot on the heels of the announcement that they'd pump out 750 R-Classes to help Saks raise funds for cancer research, Mercedes-Benz has announced that they'll sell the first twenty new-model S600s through Saks' holiday catalog. The Signature Editon S600s will come in shy of $150k, feature a 510hp twin-turbo V-12, and most likely have the most technologically advanced coathanger hooks ever conceived. After all, Saks wouldn't have it any other way, would they?

First 20 Mercedes-Benz S600 Sedans Offered to Saks Fifth Avenue Customers [Dubspeed]

Related:
R-Class Acts as Saks Shopping Cart, Raises Charity Funds [Internal]

If you spend as much time cruising the internet as we do, you ve undoubtedly seen the Viper-powered Jeep Wrangler that terrorizes Pennsylvania. Well, if you act quickly, you may be able to park this monster in your own garage, as it's up for grabs on eBay.

1998 Jeep Wranger TJ [eBay]

Related:
VW-Powered Camaro Replica For Sale on eBay [Internal]

Brutally overpowered pickups like the Ford SVT Lightning and Dodge Ram SRT-10 have always left us a little bemused. To us, trucks are by and large useful things, good for towing, hauling, or blasting flat-out across the Baja Peninsula. But the people like the horsepower, and who are we to deny them that? And although the Lightning's gone the way of the dodo, to eventually be replaced by something based on the ass-ugly Explorer Sport Trac, some Ram owners want to shore up their defenses should FoMoCo really come back to the party. Enter the Paxton-blown Macedo Motorsports Ram SRT-10. 671 hp. 627 lb ft. More tire smoke than Akron after an incendiary raid.

Tuner Trucks: Macedo Motorsports Dodge Ram SRT-10 [AutoWeek]

Related:
More SEMA Fun: Twin-Turbo Dodge Hemi Sport Truck [Internal]

Related:
DaimlerChrysler's Hemi Portal [Internal]

Can we just say that we're gonna miss J rgen Schrempp? He's got one of the best names in the business, he's fun to pick on, and we love running that one middle-finger photochop of him every so often. Here's one from the house that J rgen devalued, uplifted by those horsepower-happy wackos at Kleeman you know, the people who brought you the Viper/Bentley/Aston/whatever else-stomping C-Class? 5.0L of breathed-on Stuttgarty goodness and a blower conspire to spin out 595hp at 5800 RPM. Just watch your head getting out of the rear doors.

Related:
Mercedes Denies CLS65 Rumors

Mercedes-Benz USA is offering 750 Signature Edition R-Class models for sale to help out Saks Fifth Avenue's Key to the Cure women's cancer research fundraising initiative. Now there's a much better brand-positioning strategy than using Tony Hawk as a spokesman. Skaters don't buy R-Classes; Saks-shopping women do (or most likely will when the crossover-wagon-suburban-luxo-car/van-utility vehicle drops in September). Which reminds us, we've gotta get to Saks, as we're running low on Prada lip balm. Seriously, that stuff does wonders.

Mercedes-Benz Designs Signature Edition R-class For Saks Fifth Avenue s Key To The Cure [Dubspeed Racing]

Related:
Empty Nest on Wheels: Automakers' new "Adult Social Vehicles" [Internal]

Ad Age recently took a survey regarding the return of Lee Iacocca to Chrysler ad spots. The verdict? Over 80% of customers who've seen the ads said Iacocca was "believable and relevant." The downside? Only a third of the coveted 18-24 demographic knew who the codger in the commercial with George Costanza was. Cripes, we're old. Oh, and in response to Lido's famous tagline from the '80s, "If you can find a better car, buy it," 80% of respondents thought they could indeed find a better car. Oh snap!

Lido's a hit; jury's still out on cars [Detroit News]

Related:
Combustion Chamber Watch: Lido Back to Pitching Chrysler? [Internal]