We caught this SRT-badged Dodge Nitro prototype running on the streets of downtown Detroit, causing us to wonder: Is a Nitro SRT8 really in Dodge's future? The undisguised Nitro was spotted pulling out of the famous Detroit Firehouse—the favorite Chrysler-sponsored hospitality spot for journalists covering the Detroit Auto Show. As the Nitro pulled into traffic and stopped at a red light, the SRT badge came into view, and we were able to get out our camera and start shooting just as the light turned green and the Nitro drove out of sight. Our view of this Nitro SRT8's nose was very fleeting, so we can't reliably comment on the prototype's front-end styling treatment. Overall, this Nitro doesn't seem to heavily modified.

Sources familiar with Chrysler's current inner workings have stated
that the majority of the company's engineering resources have been
directed toward improving the current product range to improve and
enhance the vehicles currently in showrooms—which could apply to this
addition to the Nitro brand. Given Cerberus' cautious reassessment of
the Chrysler, Jeep, and Dodge model lineups, however, we're not sure
that the notion of a Nitro SRT8 makes much sense. But there is no
arguing with the SRT8 badge on this Nitro tester. We'll stay on the
case to see if any more Nitro SRT8 evidence surfaces.

Thule Trail includes many mini-games and scenarios that real-life cross-country road trippers will encounter like hitchhikers, prostitutes, dice games, hunting for food and more. It just reminds me of the days hunting and killing 999 pounds worth of buffalo, but only being able to carry 50 and being scolded for being wasteful, then getting dysentery and blaming karma for letting my daughter drown while crossing the river. Maybe this can help you enjoy the rest of your workday. [Thule Trail via Kotaku]

Price Lowered and More Standard Content Added to the All-new 2008 Jeep® Liberty

All-new Jeep classic exterior styling, functional interior space, refined ride and handling for under $21,000 - and with legendary Jeep 4x4 capability for under $23,000

* Industry exclusive Sky Slider™ full-length, open canvas roof
* Most advanced four-wheel drive system available in segment with Jeep Trail Rated® Selec Trac® II full-time four-wheel-drive system
* Jeep® Liberty Limited offers the most combined comfort and convenience features available in segment
* More standard features including side curtain air bags, body color fascia and wheel flares, and aluminum wheels

Auburn Hills, Mich., Jul 19, 2007 -

The Chrysler Group today announced pricing for the all-new 2008 Jeep® Liberty. Completely redesigned from the ground up, the mid-size SUV features classic Jeep exterior styling paired with a functional interior, increased cargo length and rear seat legroom, and the industry-exclusive Sky Slider™ full-length, open-canvas roof.

The base manufacturer's suggested retail price (MSRP) for the all-new Jeep Liberty is $20,990, including $660 destination. Two models are available: Jeep Liberty Sport and Jeep Liberty Limited. The Jeep Liberty will begin to arrive in dealerships later this summer.

"The 2008 Jeep Liberty offers more value than ever before starting at under $21,000 for 4x2 models and under $23,000 for 4x4 models," said John Plecha, Director - Jeep Brand Marketing and Global Communications, Chrysler Group. "We've reduced the MSRP by an average of $1,000 and added approximately $1,400 in features and content to both models. And, the Jeep Liberty Limited sets the bar high with the most combined comfort and convenience features available in its segment."

Standard on both models is a 3.7-liter SOHC V-6 engine that generates 210 horsepower (157 kW) at 5,200 rpm and 235 lb.-ft. (319 N•m) of torque at 4,000 rpm. On-road ride and handling is improved with the addition of a new independent front and new five-link rear suspension systems. Staying true to legendary Jeep heritage, the Liberty offers two four-wheel-drive systems to meet customer needs, including Selec-Trac® II — the most advanced four-wheel-drive system available in its segment.

MyGIG™ Multimedia Infotainment System, remote start, memory seats, mirrors and radio controls, and express up/down windows are added to the vehicle's list of available features and options. Making its world debut is the new Sky Slider™ full-length, open-canvas roof, an industry exclusive; giving the Liberty that "Have Fun Out There" open-air Jeep experience.

The 2008 Jeep Liberty has a full range of active and passive safety systems. Among the vehicle's standard equipment are side-curtain air bags, Electronic Stability Program, Electronic Roll Mitigation, all-speed Traction Control, Brake Assist, advanced anti-lock brakes and tire pressure monitoring. Available options include rain-sensing wipers and ParkSense Rear Park Assist System.

2008 Jeep Liberty Sport
MSRP for the Jeep Liberty Sport 4x2 is $20,990 and $22,600 for 4x4 models (including $660 destination). The Jeep Liberty Sport 4x2 has been reduced by $1,270 and has added $800 more content. The Jeep Liberty Sport 4x4 has been reduced by $1,170 and has added $900 more content.

The Jeep Liberty Sport comes standard with a proven and durable 3.7-liter SOHC V-6 engine (210-hp/235 lb.-ft. torque) that is mated to a six-speed manual transmission.

Standard on the Jeep Liberty Sport 4x4 is the Command-Trac® four-wheel-drive system. The part-time, shift-on-the-fly, fully electronic system provides peace of mind with available four-wheel-drive capability delivered through a two-speed transfer case for use on slippery or loose surfaces such as snow, mud or sand.

Standard features include side curtain air bags; body color fascias and wheel flares; cloth, low-back bucket seats; 16-inch aluminum wheels; P225/75R16 all-season black side wall (BSW) tires; tire pressure monitor; reversible cargo floor; fold-flat, reclining second row seats and AM/FM stereo with compact disc player and four speakers.

2008 Jeep Liberty Limited
MSRP for the Jeep Liberty Limited 4x2 is $25,175 and $26,785 for 4x4 models (including $660 destination). The Jeep Liberty Limited 4x2 has been reduced by $720 and has added 2,000 more content. The Jeep Liberty Limited 4x4 has been reduced by $620 and has added $2,100 more content.

Standard features include Command-Trac® part-time four-wheel-drive system (4x4); YES Essentials seat fabric; fold-flat passenger seat; power front driver seat; Infinity premium audio speakers (eight) and a subwoofer; four-speed automatic transmission; 17-inch aluminum wheels;
P235/65R17 all-season BSW tires; security alarm; speed control; universal garage door opener; tire pressure monitoring system with display; SIRIUS Satellite Radio; electronic vehicle information center; auto-dimming rearview mirror; auto up-down driver window; auto down passenger window; power heated folding-exterior mirrors, full-size spare tire and 115V power outlet.

Available on the Jeep Liberty Limited 4x4 is the all-new Selec-Trac® II full-time, active on-demand system that anticipates and prevents wheel slip before it occurs. The system is ideal for a range of road settings including dry pavement conditions not typically suited for conventional part-time four-wheel-drive systems typically seen on competitors.

Industry-Exclusive Sky Slider™ Full-length, Open Canvas Roof
The all-new 2008 Jeep Liberty brings the "Have Fun Out There" open-air Jeep experience with the industry-exclusive Sky Slider full-length, open-canvas roof.

With an MSRP of $1,200, the Sky Slider roof is versatile and can be moved to several positions, including full forward, full rear or partially open to any position in-between with a convenient express one-touch switch.

The Sky Slider roof is made of a reinforced-acrylic cloth, similar to a convertible top, that is weather resistant and leak proof. The top panel nests into a weather strip seal to help minimize wind noise. The roof uses anti-pinch software that prevents the roof from moving should it detect an object in its path. The Sky Slider roof was designed and tested for safety to meet all regulatory and Chrysler Group requirements.

The Sky Slider roof is an optional feature on both the Jeep Liberty Sport and the Jeep Liberty Limited.

The Jeep Liberty is built at the Chrysler Group's Toledo North Assembly Plant in Toledo, Ohio, alongside the Dodge Nitro.

Jeep Brand
The Jeep brand has expanded to seven nameplates in the 2007 model year, the most available to retail consumers at one time in the brand's 66-year history.

At the start of 2004, the brand's trio of tough, capable, rugged SUVs included the venerable Jeep Grand Cherokee, Jeep Liberty (Cherokee outside North America) and the icon of the brand, the Jeep Wrangler. In 2005, the Jeep Commander was introduced. In 2006, the redesigned Jeep Wrangler was unveiled. Also debuting in calendar year 2006 were three more all-new Jeep vehicles: Jeep Patriot, Jeep Compass and the four-door Jeep Wrangler Unlimited.

With the introduction of the all-new 2008 Jeep Liberty mid-size sport-utility vehicle (SUV), Jeep offers customers the freshest, most capable and widest range of sport-utility vehicles under one brand in the industry.

2008 Jeep Liberty Pricing

• Jeep Liberty Sport 4x2 $20,990 (including $660 destination)
• Jeep Liberty Sport 4x4 $22,600 (including $660 destination)
• Jeep Liberty Limited 4x2 $25,175 (including $660 destination)
• Jeep Liberty Limited 4x4 $26,785 (including $660 destination)

The woes keep on coming. CerebusChrysler DaimlerChrysler is recalling 2007 Jeep Wranglers and Dodge Nitros because an electrical glitch could cause the vehicle to stall. True, both of these vehicles share the family 3.7-liter V6, but the Liberty remains unaffected because it uses an older, glitch-free ECM. While a recall of 80,000 vehicles is just large enough to merit coverage, we're mostly posting this because of the following:

The automaker said the power interruption could lead to a short engine stall, but said the engine would immediately restart if the vehicle was in motion.

Chrysler recalls Wranglers, Nitros over engine [msnbc.com]

Related:
Jalopnik Reviews: 2007 Dodge Nitro R/T 2WD, Part 1; VW to Recall 790,000 Cars. Oof.; SEMA 2007: Jeep Wrangler JT Concept [Internal]

Apparently, the Chrysler Sebring and Dodge Nitro are such crap, even Chrysler executives can't muster the requisite team spirit to defend them. Well, maybe not crap, per se. How about "embarrassing misses." And let's face it, these two are indeed the most embarrassing misses since Betty Ford (you'll get that joke later). Those and other descriptors turned up on an Internet Q&A among Chrysler employees who feel the company turned out two losers that are behind competitors on nearly all major categories, from design to drivetrain to fuel economy to noise and vibration. According to the online convo, the company hit a competitive target that underestimated where competitors would be when the cars were released. Yoinks. – Mike Spinelli

Chrysler rethinks design after duds [Detroit News via Winding Road]

Related:
The Truth About The New Chrysler Sebring's Design [internal]

Why You Should Buy This Car: Looks matter to you most of all. It's impossible to lose in the mall parking lot. You and three of your adult friends go out to eat a lot, and want to do so in comfort. Armored car side metal makes you feel safe and/or secure. You just love sitting up high. That commercial gets you every time, "Rainbows and seashells and blue skies above — now is the time for love. Look around and what do you see? A beautiful world!" The 20" shiny chrome rims are pretty blingtastic. Oh, we're back to looks, aren't we?

Why You Shouldn't Buy This Car: Travel over the slightest road imperfection and the Nitro tries to kill you. Worst riding car in recent memory. While the backseat is indeed comfy, your rear passengers' shrieks of "JESUS!" as you cross even the mildest expansion joint wears on your nerves. It doesn't go off road, even though underneath the svelte looks, it's a Jeep. Very limited cargo potential. Humdrum, ho-hum, parts bin interior. Very boring to drive straight and hopeless on twisty roads. High center of gravity makes it feel tippy. Horrific to park. Less than 20 mpg. Style, my friends, all over substance. – Jonny Lieberman

Suitability Parameters:
· Speed Merchants: No
· Fashion Victims: Yes
· Treehuggers: No
· Mack Daddies: No
· Tuner Crowd: No
· Hairdressers: No
· Penny Pinchers: No
· Euro Snobs: No
· Working Stiffs: No
· Technogeeks: No
· Poseurs: Yes
· Soccer Moms: Yes
· Nascar Dads: Yes
· Golfing Grandparents: No

Vitals:
· Manufacturer: Dodge
· Model tested: Nitro R/T 2WD
· Model year: 2007
· Price as Tested: $29,821
· Engine type: 4.0L SOHC V6
· Horsepower: 260 hp @ 6000 rpm
· Torque: 265 lb-ft @ 4200 rpm
· Redline: 6250 rpm
· Wheels and Tires: 20" Aluminum wheels w/ 245/50s
· Drive type: rear-wheel drive
· 0 - 60: 7.7 seconds
· 1/4 mile: 15.9 @ 86.3mph
· Fuel economy city/highway: 17/21
· NHTSA crash test rating front/side/rollover: NA

Related:
Jalopnik Reviews: 2007 Dodge Nitro R/T 2WD, Part 1 Part 2

Exterior Appearance ****
As ungainly as it is, I like the way the Nitro looks. The high belt line and gun-slit windows scream "Don't look at me while you're looking at me." The busy front is its worst side, but at least the hodgepodge of tough-guy cues is unique. The over-rendered wheel arches and acres of metal adorning the sides are the Nitro's visual strong points, though I must admit to finding the rear of pleasant to look at. A feat, I should mention, that hasn't been pulled off in an SUV since DCX shuttered the Cherokee. If you squint, you can see a Jeep lurking beneath. I even liked the 20" chrome-a-tone wheels, as they caused another friend of mine to ask, "Is that a mini Hummer?" One more thing. Why "Nitro"? With looks like these, I would have called it the "Ram Wagon."

Interior Appearance ***
The innards of the Nitro are a fairly even split between Jeep's and Chrysler's parts bins. The Jeep stuff — door pulls, side speakers and chunky steering wheel — I like. The Chrysler bits — Sebring head unit, dials, and gutter-rot plastics — are fairly low-rent. Yet somehow, unlike in the Sebring, it all worked to formulate a coziness in which to while away some miles. The front seats, while leather, gave merely adequate buttressing, but the back chairs were spacious and comfortable. In fact, several passengers commented on just how accommodating the rear seats are. Which is a good, if rare, endorsement.

Acceleration ***
This little-big guy's got some guts. It's not classic, lowdown HEMI pull, but as you creep up the rev range and the four-valve heads start sucking in and spitting out, the power is impressive. Two hundred sixty horses and 265 torques are nothing to sneer about, even in a fat, topheavy, stylized lunchbox. Numbers? You really want numbers? Well, in R/T trim the Nitro will hit 60 in 7.7 seconds. Which isn't bad. The smaller 3.7-liter mill, shared with the Jeep Liberty, gets to 60 in 9.6 seconds, which is downright slow in the 2007. But as tested, we were impressed with the Nitro's quickness.

Ride *
What we were not impressed with was the Nitro's ride. Holy crap! (Er, let's just say "crap.") You know how the new big Lexus has an auto-parking feature? The Nitro comes with auto lane change. I've been on trampolines that are less bouncy. First of all, the optional 20" wheels do nothing for the driving experience, but they do add unsprung weight. Couple that with two tons of fun originally intended for slow-speed Rubicon adventures, and you have one of the most frightening modern vehicles we've ever driven. Granted, on ultra-smooth freeways, the Nitro is fine — compliant even. But even the smallest road imperfection sends the softly sprung fatty bounding in one direction, while the wheels and tires (maybe) head in the other; you're left holding a floppy wheel and praying for the best. As Consumer Reports is wont to say, "Not acceptable."

Handling **
You ever seen a Great Dane puppy slide around a kitchen floor? That's how the Nitro "handles." Not terrible, but terribly clumsy. The thing is, since the official Jalopnik runway and high-speed test circuit are being, uh, re-paved, I didn't get a chance to flog the Nitro as severely as I should have. But, like most flabby SUVs, you're never inspired to do anything remotely hoonish. You just sort of just cruise around, lording it over other drivers in their smaller, shorter cars. Quite dull, really. Now, if you count parking as part of handling then the Nitro gets zero stars. Due to the chopped window height, you have the visibility of a prison cell. Dodge Rams are noticeably easier to park. Hell, I've docked boats that were less of a hassle.

Braking ***
Good, all things considered. Not awful, not spectacular. Right smack in the middle of the road. Next.

Gearbox ***
See brakes. Also, six gears would help fuel economy. Again, next.

Audio/Video **
Eventually the Nitro will get the iGig or MyGig or YouGig or whatever they're calling the Dodge/Chrysler head unit with the hard drive. Our tester, however, had only a six-disc in-dash changer, an aux input and Howard Stern Sirius. However, as this is a DCX press car, the Sirius wasn't turned on. Seriously, Mercedes-Benz, Chrysler, Jeep and now Dodge have all loaned me cars with deactivated Sirius. I hate that.

Toys *
No, not really.

Trunk **
Like most Jeeps, lugging of stuff was not a design objective. There is some sort of easy loader contraption. Basically, it is a plastic shelf that slides out, which I guess makes loading and unloading easier. But because you have to lift cargo above your bellybutton anyway, I didn't get the point. And, if you push it back in too quickly, whatever you've loaded falls back and gets wedged between the shelf and the back seats. Plus it cuts down on the height of the objects you can load, eating into the Nitro's already challenged haulability.

Value **
Our tester was a fancy floor mat away from cracking the $30,000 barrier. As it has no off-road capability, no towing or cargo capacity, no performance pretensions (let alone aspirations) and aside from that nifty commercial where a red Nitro falls through the earth to China, no killer app. Your thirty-large can be better spent elsewhere. Like on a Magnum with a 5.7-liter HEMI.

Overall ***
I'm giving it three stars and I feel slightly guilty doing so. To me the Nitro is the antithesis of what I look for in a vehicle. Ponderous, klutzy, relatively useless and worst of all dull. However, I can empathetically imagine why other people might really enjoy owning and driving such a tall wagon. It looks distinct — handsome even. Plus you get to sit in a highchair like a big boy. And yeah, if pressed even I will admit the 4.0-liter V6 delivers some pretty satisfying good old 'merican straight-line punch. And the back seat really is the class of the class. – Jonny Lieberman

Related:
Jalopnik Reviews: 2007 Dodge Nitro R/T 2WD, Part 1, Part 3 [internal]

Recently, a friend and I stood staring at the massive, awkward fascia of a Dodge Nitro, trying to make heads and/or tails of it. The otherwise monumental Crossfire motif of the grill was, in fact, dwarfed by the bulging bumper and drooping ground effects. "I think I think it's ugly," I said, unsure as I've ever been about a car. "Yeah, well, I'd rather have [the Nitro] than that," my friend said, pointing to a wholly anonymous Honda CRV parked nearby. He raised a fair and solid point; I hadn't even noticed the Japanese cute-ute sitting not more than 20 inches away. "Or that" he exclaimed, gesturing toward a Lexus RX330, one of the flashier eyesores in the lot. Again, he was right. Based on nothing but aesthetic considerations, the Nitro beat both of those dull-as-eggs class leaders, pants down.

As I drove home, a black-on-black Mercedes-Benz G55 AMG came up fast on my tail. I scooched over to let the erstwhile military SUV pass, admiring the no-nonsense form as it torqued by. Both vehicles are, of course, DaimlerChrysler products, one designed to schlep Bobby and Sally to the soccer field and the other to defend smiling Swiss from unruly Hungarians. Still, I thought, there's a kinship. Both are boxy, imposing and in their own extroverted ways, to-the-point. I followed the Gel ndewagen for a few miles, basking in the secret-to-most knowledge that my Nitro has a really cool uncle. And even if they are only related through (shotgun) marriage, both SUVs descended from a common ancestor, the brick.

As I pulled alongside another cousin, a white Jeep Cherokee, my budding theory fell flat as the Nitro's side panels. Passing America's most perfect ever SUV, I realized the Dodge is a faker. A phony. A poseur. Its battlewagon exterior proportions aren't real, they're just bunting. By way of contrast, the Cherokee's two-box dimensions are nothing but pure functionality. It's a Zippo, an army knife, a pair of Levis. The Nitro is as much a relative of the Cherokee as I am of the Pope. And then I realized the new Dodge in town does in fact share a certain lifestyle choice with the G55. Both dubbed-out, low-pro rides are as likely to go off road as a baby's carriage. Less, actually.

I don't know how many more ways I can say this, nor can I imagine how many more times I will have to, but if an SUV isn't able to go off road it has no reason to exist. High seating position? No. Sit on a phone book. Dodge's new funny-faced entry is built off the same platform as the dufus-looking (sorry Ray) Jeep Liberty. But Dodge castrates the transfer case, leaving a puffy eunuch of a vehicle totally devoid of anything that could be mistaken for an approach angle. Our tester was even two-wheel drive. In other words, the Nitro is pointless. – Jonny Lieberman

Related:
Jalopnik Reviews: 2007 Dodge Nitro R/T 2WD, Part 2, Part 3 [internal]

Must be why the Chrysler-tuning side of BRABUS decided to go underground to seek the next vehicle to Startech-stamp. Because oh look, they came up with the tunneling lack-o-cute, the Dodge Nitro. And really, you just know it's gonna be a killer tune job when the second paragraph of the press release touts the vehicle's new hotness as being "a more homogeneous transition between front and rear wheel houses." Nothing says cool to us like homogeneity. But hey, at the very least they've boosted the diesel version of the next Jeep Liberty from the stock power output of 140 hp to a SD3 performance kit boost-enabled 180 hp. Torque output pops up a similar percent increase — but still only hits 266 lb-ft. Not bad, but we'd rather take the 420 out for a torque-y spin instead. Full gallery below and the release is after the jump. – Ray Wert

Press Release:

Explosive Looks and Custom Accessories
The STARTECH Design Program for the new Dodge Nitro

The new Dodge Nitro stands out in a crowd with its characteristic design. STARTECH presents a complete custom parts and design program that further accentuates the extravagant appearance.

The face of the American SUV gets even more pizzazz with the strikingly styled STARTECH front fascia. The new front element was designed to easily replace the stock bumper by retaining the original mounting points.

For a more homogenous transition between front and rear wheel houses the STARTECH designers have shaped special rocker panels that give the five-door a lower and sleeker appearance.

The rear is refined with the STARTECH rear fascia. The fascia features custom-tailored cutouts left and right for the two characteristic tailpipes of the fully stainless-steel STARTECH sport exhaust system.

For the turbodiesel version of the Dodge Nitro STARTECH offers its SD3 performance kit. The auxiliary module can be installed by any authorized Dodge dealer in about 30 minutes. With it maximum power output jumps from stock 140 hp / 103 kW to 180 hp / 132 kW. At the same time peak torque increases to 360 Nm between 1,750 and 2,500 rpm.

More driving fun, more safety reserves and more elegant looks are the result of mounting STARTECH Monostar IV light-alloy wheels. The one-piece 9Jx20 five-spoke wheels are fitted with tires in size 265/45 R 20 in all four corners.

The STARTECH program also offers many choices for customizing the interior of the Dodge Nitro: The STARTECH Lifestyle interior upgrade package gives the vehicle a more elegant ambiance. Sporty highlights are available in form of aluminum door-lock pins, shifter and foot pedals.

Upon customer request the company-own upholstery shop precision-crafts exclusive fully leather interiors in any desired color or design.

STARTECH 2007.

Related:
When 700 Newton-Meters Aren't Enough: Brabus Tunes Some Mercedes Diesels [internal]

Yes, we know Sirius sucks compared to XM — but, free satellite radio's free satellite radio, and considering the lease deals the folks at the Chrysler Group are now reported to be offering, I feel like it's almost a pity deal. So pony up your $185 or whatever per month, and you too can save a starving automaker — remember, leasing a Commander, Aspen or Durango can help to feed, clothe and pay for college for the entire family of one engineer in Auburn Hills, MI. Do your part. Two more commercials, one for Chrysler and one for Jeep, can both be found below the jump. [Addendum: Sirius doesn't actually suck compared to XM — the comparison was made to accentuate the Chrysler Group's loan deals. Sirius is a very fine satellite radio system, and hey, they've got Howard Stern — and who doesn't love Howard, right? That is all.]– Ray Wert

Chrysler tries risky lease plan [Detroit News]

Related:
Ad Watch: The Dodge Nitro — Now With Twice The Time, Twice The Heaviness Of The Original Commercial; Ad Watch: The Dodge Nitro's So Heavy, Man [internal]

Let's start off with Eberhardt's marketing duties and responsibilities.

First, let's keep in mind I'm a staunch believer that TV commercials and ad campaigns don't sell cars. Sure, they can sell boxes of cereal, but a car's the second most costly purchase a consumer will make — and as such, the best a 30-second TV spot can do is shape the perception of a brand or model among potential buyers. That perception dictates how a consumer will feel about a particular vehicle — and it may even compel them to visit their local dealership. But once there, it's the sales interaction, test-drive experience and the all important "Jalopnik dashboard knock test" (patent pending) that ends up selling the vehicle. (Oh yeah, and if it looks pretty and stuff.) The one exception is when a TV spot promotes a sales incentive. Then, like a public service announcement, it merely provides information on existing products. But branding and sales incentive campaigns are totally separate beasts, and it's never in an automaker's best interest to muddle the message of a brand campaign by attaching a sales incentive campaign to it, right?

Obviously that's not what Joe Eberhardt thought. According to two sources, Eberhardt was the executive who made the decision to slap a zero-percent financing campaign to the ass-end of the now defunct and rightfully lambasted Dr. Z campaign. It's no wonder folks were confused by the commercials. A barely-explained incentive-deal graphic hooked to a vague branding campaign turned a light-hearted attempt to tout the Chrysler Group's "merger of German engineering and American design" into a convoluted and confusing mess of messages. But what makes the decision even more curious was that Eberhardt took the already risky proposition of using a CEO to build brand image, and upped the risk factor by tie-barring his appearance in the ads with Chrysler sales numbers. Eberhardt did the one thing a good soldier's not supposed to do. He left his general open for attack.

But we hear the Dr. Z / zero-financing wasn't the only iffy decision on the marketing side Eberhardt's made — we also hear he made a hardcore push to anoint the New York office of BBDO, and specifically NY creative director David Lubars, as the new creative lead for the Chrysler Group. And from what we hear, that decision's resulted in the strangest commercial we've ever seen — the Dodge Nitro "Planet" ad. (If you haven't yet seen it, here's the 30-second and 60-second versions, spooled up for your pleasure.) If you can figure out its intended message, feel free to let us in on it.

But the questions come not only on the marketing side of Eberhardt's world, but also on the sales side. As the exec veep in charge of selling vehicles, Eberhardt plays a pretty big role in dealer relations — and from what we've heard recently, that should probably be amended to read "Eberhardt plays a pretty big role in straining dealer relations." If you'll remember, right after we were out in Auburn Hills checking out Chrysler Group CEO Tom LaSorda running around with water on his head to raise money for the United Way, there was a sat-call with Chrysler's dealers with a simple message — no Dodge Caliber and fast-selling CUV's until dealers bought up as many of the unsold Dodge Ram pickups and Durango SUV's as they could hold on their lots. This was obviously met with some not-so-happy sounds from dealers — despite offers of financing deals and incentives to help them pay for the inventory Chrysler planned to pile on their lots. But they went along with it.

Fast forward to a few weeks ago. Eberhardt was meeting with the owners of some of Chrysler's largest dealers — and all of them were livid with Eberhardt over the continued shoving of unsold inventory down their throats. According to sources, when dealers pleaded for continued help on financing and an end to the requirement to buy more '06 model trucks and SUV's, Eberhardt became enraged and began to scream at the dealers — something along the lines of "If you were any good at selling [trucks and SUV's], this wouldn't be a problem for you!" Good for Eberhardt — an exec always willing to share the blame — because obviously the dealers had forgotten how giddy with excitement they'd been a month earlier over the prospects of having to sell a bunch of gas-guzzlin' pickups and SUV's.

I've heard there are some new faces over in Auburn Hills as of late — some people carrying bags that say "Mercedes-Benz" on them. I can't help but wonder if they're there to do what some people have said they're there to do — watch Joe Eberhardt like a hawk. – Ray Wert

Related:
Chrysler Group CEO LaSorda Carries The Water Weight Of Unsold Trucks And SUVs Very Well; Chrysler Tells Dealers To Eat Their Durangos — How Can They Have Any Calibers If They Don't Eat Their Trucks and SUV's?; Ad Watch: The Dodge Nitro's So Heavy, Man [internal]

Earlier this week, we had the opportunity to show you the new 30 second BBDO NY spot for the Dodge Nitro, with a hint we'd seen a bigger version of this breaking-through-the-earth ad over the weekend. Well, we've now got the big and anything but cute 60 second Nitro "Planet" spot, and here it is — but other than being a bit more funny (I dunno why I find walking Moai funny, but whatevs), I've still got no idea what the message is. But the more burning question for us is — who the hell is playing cards in Hell with the two demons? Is that Gary Marshall? – Ray Wert

Related:
Ad Watch: The Dodge Nitro's So Heavy, Man; Ad Watch: Dodge Tries To Jump Start Its Heart With The Nitro SUV [internal]

You may have seen this ad already — a 60 second version of the spot above debuted on Sunday — and much of the ducats spent went to showing the commercial on CBS NFL, Fox NFL Sunday, NASCAR racing on NBC and "Law & Order" on TNT. But apparently the commercial, which is supposed to reflect "the masculine, bold design of the Nitro" won't just be airing where you'd be expecting guys to be. Mark Spencer, the senior manager of Dodge's marketing and global communications also plans for the ad to run on "Desperate Housewives" and "Crossing Jordan", because,

"At the same time, the campaign will be in front of women using mass media not usually associated with the Dodge brand, and it's 'Grab Life by the Horns' persona..."

...the Nitro is very heavy? Are they trying to say that, like Spawn, even hellfire won't hurt it? Wait, maybe they're saying production of the Nitro will eventually move to China. Who knows — all I know is I'm confused as hell. More importantly than my understanding the creative, considering Joe Eberhardt's marketing kids are dropping it into TV shows nowhere near their sales demographic, will it really matter? – Ray Wert

Related:
Ad Watch: Dodge Tries To Jump Start Its Heart With The Nitro SUV [internal]

[2006 SEMA Dodge Nitro Panel Wagon Gallery]

Related:
SEMA Preemie: Dodge's Hemi-Powered Nitro Show Truck; Exclusive 2006 SEMA Preview: Yeah, This Dodge Nitro's Got A HEMI; Exclusive 2006 SEMA Preview: Chrysler's SEMA Sebring's Sexier Than The Original [internal]

The modified 5.7-liter V8 [HEMI] will be paired with a Tremec five-speed, Brembo brakes and 22-inch Alcoa wheels (can't wait). The paint job will be a black-purple metallic (also known as blackberry), with a two-tone interior in black and slate gray, with four bucket seats lifted from the its Viper sibling.

[2006 SEMA HEMI Nitro Gallery]

Related:
SEMA Preemie: Dodge's Hemi-Powered Nitro Show Truck; Exclusive 2006 SEMA Preview: Chrysler's SEMA Sebring's Sexier Than The Original [internal]

Related:
Ad Watch: Jeep Goes "Bigger, Deffer" But Doesn't Want To Touch A Lizard; Ad Watch: If Dodge Has a RamRash, We Suggest Preparation-H; Ad Watch: Dodge's Higher Caliber Of Viral Video — Shoots Bear In Face, Eats Pig [internal]

Panel van, sedan delivery, cruising wagon, whatever you call a squareback without windows, Dodge's Nitro Panel Wagon prototype — which it plans to show at SEMA — is squarely in that category. Once mainly the province of flower shops, bakeries and grocery slingers, the windowless utility car gained popularity in the custom-crazee 1970s as a cheap nookie den for the vanless. Now, the Mopar gang is planning to show up Chevrolet's HHR Panel Van in style, if not production. One question: Where's the porthole window? – Mike Spinelli

[via Autoblog]

Related:
Chevrolet Unveils HHR Panel Van in Miami [internal]

With the SEMA show starting next month, Dodge revealed teaser sketches and a few choice details on the aftermarket-tweaked showgirls show trucks it plans to unveil. Two versions of the Nitro SUV are in the works, according to Edmunds Inside Line, one of which will have a Hemi beneath that box hood. The modified 5.7-liter V8 will be paired with a Tremec five-speed, Brembo brakes and 22-inch Alcoa wheels (can't wait). The paint job will be a black-purple metallic (also known as blackberry), with a two-tone interior in black and slate gray, with four bucket seats lifted from the its Viper sibling. The second Nitro will be an ersatz surf wagon, with a sliding load floor. Dodge was mum on its third show pony, a tricked out Challenger.

IL Insider: Hemi-Powered Dodge Nitro Charges in to SEMA [Edmunds]

Related:
The Bomb Is Back: Cherry Bomb Charger to Debut at SEMA [internal]

Holy Toledo! (that's a production facilities joke, you're get it later). Dodge released pricing info on its new Nitro small SUV. The Liberty-based soft roader will undercut its Jeep cousin, with a base MSRP of $19,225 for the two-wheel-drive SXT ($20,735 for 4WD); the midrange SLT starts at $22,635 ($24,145 4WD). At the top of the range is the 255-hp R/T, for which there's no Liberty equivalent, at $25,310 ($26,990 4WD). Tack on $660 to these numbers for shipping and handling. The '06 Liberty ranges in price from $21,290 to $26,190.

Related:
More on the Dodge Nitro [internal]

An Aux input. A necessity for those of us jamming to the iPod.

An AM/FM radio. An oldie, but a goodie.

A CD/DVD player. It plays DVDs on the back seat's optional display or on the front-seat LCD when the car is parked.

Embedded Sirius satellite radio. It's a single chip in the radio, instead of a separate module, with real-time traffic reporting and the ability to route you around a traffic tie-up.

A 20GB hard drive. The drive is ruggedized for automotive use.

A USB jack. You use it for transferring music from memory keys. Also, a line-in jack for playing music off portable players. Unlike Fiat's Blue&Me LINK and several replacement radios, this is for flash-based keys only, not music players. There's no dedicated iPod controller option, though.

Two audio outputs. One goes to the car's speakers, the second to the rear-seat headphones if buyers opt for the console-mounted rear-seat LCD display.

Bluetooth hands-free calling. It's called U-Connect by Chrysler.

A 6.5-inch LCD panel. It also has a touchscreen and voice control.

Chrysler MyGiG Hard Drive for Navigation, Music

Related:
But Somehow Dodge's iPod Connection Is Made [internal]

Related:
Dodge Reveals Nitro Models Ahead of Chicago Intro [internal]

Preprare for a spate of "smashing debut" jokes. A 2007 Dodge Nitro driven by a DaimlerChrysler employee blew a stop sign in Toledo yesterday and smashed into the back of a semi. No one was injured but the yet-to-be launched Dodge SUV, which suffered a bruised fascia, was inadvertantly outed in production trim by the TV crew that captured the aftermath on video. But worse off is likely the test driver, whom we'd imagine might find his next assignment from DCX to be hauling old Neons to the dump. (Please excuse the random ad of old people attached to the YouTube video — those Toledo TV bastards!)

2007 Dodge Nitro Makes "Accidental" Debut [WTOL TV]

Related:
More on the Dodge Nitro [internal]

Jonathan of How Bourgeois has the eye of a hawk and a quick finger on the shutter button. He caught the Jeep Compass and Dodge Nitro rolling around in minor disguise, tentatively taking baby steps out into the wild world of Metro Detwa. Jonathan also notes the low-profile tires on the Nitro and posits that it could possibly be the SRT version of Dodge's Liberty sibling.

HB Spy Shots: Chrysler Double Header

Related:
Spy Photos: 2007 Jeep Compass

Today, Spinelli and Farago discuss a Scottish cop's distaste at Top Gear's glorification of fast driving, the battle between GM and Ford for the real Super Bowl ring (as in that of cash registers), spy video of the next-generation BMW X5 and the new Dodge Nitro set to debut in Chicago. All that and an obligatory Jill Wagner reference. Pow!

Dodge let fly this morning with more info its new, Jeep Liberty-based small SUV set for an unveiling in Chicago this week — one year since the concept version had its closeup in the windy city. The Nitro, which will be Dodge's first non-Mitsubishi small ute will come in three flavors: Dodge Nitro, Dodge Nitro SLT and Dodge Nitro R/T, the first tiers getting a 3.7-liter SOHC V6 producing 210 hp and 235 lb.-ft. of torque, and the R/T getting a new 4.0-liter V6 producing 255 hp and 275 lb.-ft. The R/T Also gets a new performance suspension and 20-inch tires and chrome-clad aluminum wheels — a package that's optional on the SRT. SRTs and higher will get a riff on the Stow 'n Go seating system (found in Chrysler's minivans), called Load 'n Go, a cargo floor that slides 18 inches rearward for loading and unloading. More to come on this one.

Related:
More on the Dodge Nitro [internal]

DaimlerChrysler is investing $600 million in its Toledo North Assembly Plant, which will host its first non-Jeep assembly — the Liberty-based Dodge Nitro SUV. The plant will be expanded by 160,000 square feet and get a team of 150 new robots, all in the name of increasing the plant's flexibility to multiple products can be produced at the same time. Additional improvements will be made to the Toledo South plant, where a larger Jeep Wrangler will be built.

Related:
Spy Photos: 2007 Dodge Nitro, Close to Production [internal]

What's the point of spy shots when you already know what a car is going to look like, you ask? Different air vents! Of course! A slight change in air-vent design sets apart the production Nitro from the concept model, which has been making the rounds at the world's auto shows of late. Shame on you for missing that.

Production Dodge Nitro Spy Photos [World Car Fans]

Related:
Dodge Nitro Set for Ignition in 2007 [internal]

Ok, smart guy, what explosives-related headline would you have gone with? (Yeah, we tried the heart-medication angle too, and couldn't make it work.) Dodge confirmed the rumor that most car watchers considered a sure thing — it's planning to add the Nitro to its line of SUVs, below the Durango, in 2007. The Nitro's based on the Jeep Liberty, but has enough stylistic differences to give it its own character. Boris Karloff's character to be exact.

Related:
Frankfurt European Premiere: Dodge Nitro Concept [internal]

Americans first saw the Dodge Nitro concept at the Chicago Auto Show earlier this year. Now Europeans are getting a dose of Dodge's take on the Jeep Liberty, and judging from the bemused half-smiles and disaffected side-glances, we'd say they freaking love the thing. Auto news outlets are saying the Nitro is close to production in the US, meaning it could be a 2007 model at the earliest.

Related:
Spy Photos: 2007 Dodge Nitro SRT8? [internal]

The Car Connection speculates on a new, V8-powered Dodge Nitro. Apparently, according to sources, the SRT-tuned version of Dodge's new small SUV — kin to the Jeep Liberty — is on the same development schedule as the base model. The question is, will it have some kind of upclocked version of the 3.7-liter V6, or will a Hemi be shoehorned into the lil' rocker's engine bay? Time, or more deeply embedded spies, will tell.

Spy Shots: 07 Dodge Nitro SRT [The Car Connection]

Related:
Spy Photos: 2007 Dodge Nitro [internal]

MPH posted spy shots of Dodge's upcoming Nitro SUV, which will share its blocky comportment with the Nitro concept (pictured) Dodge introduced at this year's Chicago auto show. In actuality, it's a Dodgier version of the Jeep Liberty, with a face only a torch-wielding mob could love. C'mon, we kid.

Dodge Nitro spied in basic black [MPH]

Related:
Chrysler Sets off Nitro Concept in Chicago [internal]