Chrysler Lancer Reviews

The American brand is claiming a record result for the 12 months to the end of May, thanks to the best Jeep performance since the 1990s.Chrysler is also about to light a showroom afterburner with the long-overdue return of its flagship 300C - which has been missing from the lineup for more than a year - and the addition of new SRT8 performance versions of the C-car and Grand Cherokee.The bottom-line number from June 2011 to May 2012 is 15,528 vehicles, a 30 per cent increase over the same period a year earlier. “We are delighted with the group’s sales to date, which show a very strong, consistent rate of growth,” says Clyde Campbell, managing director of the Fiat Chrysler Group.He is one of the keys to the change, taking over the reigns just as Chrysler Jeep Australia was rolled into the global Fiat Chrysler Group and driving everything from a wider model lineup to the shift to a new inner-city corporate headquarters in Melbourne.There is sill a lot of change to come, with doubts over the local future of the Dodge nameplate and a massive expansion of the Fiat family with backing from Europe, but Campbell is optimistic. "The rest of the year looks to be an absolute stand out for the Chrysler and Jeep brands," he says.Reviewing the results for the past year, Campbell says Chrysler Jeep deliveries of 11,931 vehicles in the 2011 calendar year was the best bottom line since 1994 - when the brand was still in the hands of a private importer, Astre Automotive.The arrival of the all-new Grand Cherokee, which is finally a Carsguide recommended vehicle thanks to a new approach to quality and comfort, powered it to the top of the Jeep chart with 5590 deliveries. But Campbell says the introduction of two-wheel drive versions of the Jeep Compass and Cherokee also made a significant contribution to the local growth. 

Rather than advertise, he decided to build an attention getting car, which would show off his skills.In America the Plymouth Barracuda had just been released. They were a two door version of the Plymouth Barracuda, with a huge and distinctive back window which wrapped over the rear half of the car.Tony figured that importing a Barracuda and converting it to right hand drive was too costly for his budget. But good old Aussie inventiveness won the day. Tony decided to build a 4 door Barracuda, using a local Valiant as a base.A 1964 Valiant, with rear end damage , was bought from a wrecker for only $900. "I employed a friend of mine, Graham Hurst, to do the body work. The mangled rear panels behind the rear doors were removed and the sub frame was straightened. Graham hand crafted new rear mudguards from 20 gauge steel", Tony told us."The boot lid and fastback roof panels were also hand fabricated then welded in place and the seams lead wiped for a flush finish". "We then finished it all off with ten coats of Tartan Red paint, the same colour used on the MGB."The tinted rear window was the most complex part of the process. It was made from perspex. To get the right shape, Tony had moulds made in fibreglass .These were used to shape the perspex. This was done by G&S Motor Bodies in Carlton NSW at a cost of $120.The interior was the show piece for Tony's business. The front boasted fully adjustable bucket seats from a Porsche. The rear seat cushion was redesigned so that it would fold flush to the floor, like a station wagon. All the door trims and seats were covered in black doe hide.The headlining and sun visors were black perforated vinyl .Black plush carpet was used throughout. Tony says the Valiant GT Fastback was often mistaken for a Plymouth Barracuda. The car was an absolute stunner and featured in local car magazines, including Australian Hot Rodding. So, just where is this car now? Well, Tony does not know. He sold it and it has passed into the mists of time. Maybe it is still out there, somewhere? Mind you, Tony does know where another car he built went. In 1970 he was one of the first to insert a V8 in the then new Ford Capri. A guy named Jack Brabham bought that one. 

Fiat-Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne announced overnight that the Jeep Compass and the Chrysler Town & Country – known here as the Grand Voyager -- would be dead in two years.The decision is part of a series of money-saving moves to remove product overlaps and give brand clearer identity, differentiating more between Chrysler, Jeep and Dodge, plus the new separated Ram and SRT sub-brands spun off in the US.The Jeep Compass is virtually a Jeep Patriot under its skin, while the Grand Voyager is an up-specced version of the Dodge Grand Caravan sold in overseas markets.The Grand Voyager minivan – a category Chrysler claims to have started -- will eventually be replaced by a smaller crossover-type vehicle, possibly keeping the Town & Country nameplate in the US at least.However in the interim the Dodge version will be the only minivan/peoplemover in the Chrysler line-up around the world.And that could mean a gap for Australia, where Chrysler is also considering dropping the Dodge brand – currently represented here only by the Dodge Journey SUV-styled peoplemover.Chrysler Australia spokesperson Lenore Fletcher says the death of the Compass and Grand Voyager would be a “natural” one. “In talking about the Compass, that would be part of the natural turnover cycle – the product life cycle,” she says.However Fletcher could not confirm whether Australia would be on the map for the dying models’ replacements. “Obviously that section of the market is in a very healthy state, and we’re keen to remain in it,” she says.“Naturally we’ll be looking at whatever products become available and evaluating their suitability to the Australian market. I don’t think we’re going to be without product.“We are really at the moment looking at the Chrysler and Jeep line-ups – we’re just about to launch the Chrysler 300 -- and we’re very positive about our volume expectations in the next 12 months.” 

Chrysler has reported preliminary net income of $473 million for the first quarter of 2012, up more than 300 percent from $116 million a year ago. The company which filed for bankruptcy not so long ago cites a 40 percent increase in domestic retail sales for its change of fortune. "We continue to deliver on the targets in our five-year plan and are now focused on successfully launching the Dodge Dart, a car that is a true melding of Chrysler's and Fiat's engineering and styling strengths," said CEO Sergio Marchionne.  Revenue for the quarter was $16.4 billion, up 25 percent from $13.1 billion in the first quarter of 2011, driven by a 25 percent period-over-period increase in shipments and positive pricing. The Company reported a Modified Operating Profit of $740 million, or 4.5 percent of revenue, in the first quarter, up 55 percent from the $477 million reported in the prior year.  

There has been a 78 per cent sales surge for the Fiat-owned US group of brands. The irony is the sales growth is being driven largely off the new Jeep Grand Cherokee, which is the Mercedes ML-derived luxury off-roader conceived at a time when Daimler had a stake in Chrysler.Jeep's incarnation of the vehicle is one of the smartest SUVs on the market and its $45,000 starter price has helped grab 1541 sales so far this year. Chrysler Australia spokeswoman Lenore Fletcher says sales are strong across the Jeep portfolio, with Patriot and Wrangler sales up 71 per cent and 37 per cent respectively.The new Compass has also logged 842 sales to be the sixth most popular small SUV. "The next sixth months will be good for us," she says. "We have the Chrysler 300C and the SRT8 variant of the Grand Cherokee, and there's more to come."Chrysler Australia will also take control of Australian sales of the Italian brands Alfa Romeo and Fiat from May 1. It is a logical extension of Fiat's control of the US brands and Chrysler Australia managing director Clyde Campbell says he aims to reawaken sales interest in the brands.Combined first quarter sales for Fiat, Fiat Commercial and Alfa Romeo vehicles was 2635 vehicles. Alfa models include the 159, 159 Sportwagon and the Giulietta. The Fiat 500, Fiat 500 Abarth and commercial vehicles the Ducato and Scudo are also sold here.Land Rover has been the other big mover this year with a 65 per cent growth to 2350 vehicles. The Discovery and Evoque have been stars for the US-based company. Disco sales are up 73 per cent to 618 vehicles and the Evoque has sold 597 cars to just trail BMW's X3 on 607 sales. Great Wall sales rose 73 per cent to 2863 vehicles and 11,983 Volkswagen sales was a 36 per cent increase.  

The Mopar-branded system will appear first on the Dodge Dart, and uses an integrated charging-grid bin installed at the front of the centre console, with charging activated when you place a smartphone fitted with the charging case into the bin. Charging is available while the car is running, and is able to juice up a range of devices including iPhone, Blackberry, MP3 Players and Droid-based devices The new technology will appear as a $200 option on the Dodge Dart as it rolls out in overseas markets from 2013, then progress to other vehicles in the Chrysler stable. "At Mopar, we look for every single opportunity to make our customers' lives easier," said Pietro Gorlier, President and CEO of Mopar, Chrysler Group LLC's service, parts and customer-care brand. "Our industry-first in-vehicle wireless charging system is the perfect solution for those connected customers who are always on the go."

It is 50 years since Chrysler sold its first Valiant in Australia.Based on the American Plymouth it went into the market place with bold styling and big power from its six cylinder engine. The styling of the Valiant was the work Chrysler's head of design, Virgil Exner. He was determined to create something which stood out in the "small" (for the USA) car class. And he succeeded. Contemporary motoring magazine reports usually described it as "European".Exner even applied for, and was granted, a US patent for the styling of the Valiant. It is design number 190,533 and dated 5th July 1961, if you are interested.For Australian car buyers the styling was only one distinctive aspect of the car. It offered automatic transmission, with gears selected via a space age looking push buttons located on the right hand side of the instrument cluster.Those with extra cash could order a heart, with its press button controls on the left side. And to make it complete, the radio was a push button "Moparmatic Deluxe", slotted into the centre of the dashboard. Mercury astronauts had less buttons to push than the driver of a 1962 Valiant.The front suspension was by torsion bars, and it gave the Valiant a big American car ride, so the advertisements claimed. But it was the 3.7 litre motor, pumping out 108kw, compared to Holden anaemic 60kw, which really captured everyone's attention.Back in the day, the Valiant was one fast car. It had a top speed of nearly 160km/h and did the 400metres in a little over 19 seconds. Just as importantly, the extra power and torque of the engine meant you could now easily tow a boat or caravan with locally built car, rather than having to buy a very much more expensive Chevrolet, Chrysler Royal or Ford Fairlane.By the end of the first year, Chrysler has sold over 11,000 Valiants, winning sales mostly from Holden The early Valiants are sought-after classics today, though in the early 1970s they could be had for a little as $250. I know, because I almost bought one as my first car.I purchased a 1961 Vauxhall Cresta instead, for $200. These days a good quality Valiant can be had for $12000 to $15,000, while ones need a little TLC go for between $5000 and $7000.As a first time classic car, these Valiants are ideal, because the motor and gearbox are just about unbreakable and body, trim and interior parts are easy to come by in Australia and the USA.David Burrell is the editor of www.retroautos.com.au

When your computer spits the dummy Mark fixes it So what car would you expect this technology guru to drive every day? A 1971 VG Valiant four door sedan, that's what. But not any Valiant.This one is a base model, with a basic 215 cubic inch hemi six. It has a three speed automatic, a radio and is stopped by drum brakes. There is no power assistance of any kind.The VG is a genuine one family car. "It was my grandmother's car. She won it in an Art Union lottery. She only bought one ticket," explains Mark.So not only is the Valiant a bare bones basic piece of transport, it cost almost nothing. Mark continues the story:  "My grandmother drove it for about 20 years and when she gave up driving at age 85 it was given to me".Nothing has been done to the Valiant during its forty years on the road, save for the usual servicing and replacement of worn parts. The motor and auto transmission are original. The interior is original, too. The front seat shows some signs of wear but the back seat gleams as if new.Although the body has a few rust spots, the paint work may be fading in a few places and the chrome a little tarnished, Mark's VG is a perfect example of classic car motoring in its purest form. Cheap, reliable transport that has been cared for but not pampered.And it is rare. How many stock standard VG Valiants with the smallest of the hemi sixes have you seen recently?Any automobile that has survived with its original motor intact, its interior in useable condition and the paint work still presentable renders it very desirable and collectible.In the USA and the UK there values of original cars are climbing at a faster rate than restored collectibles. They are considered to be irreplaceable time capsules. "Worn in, not worn out", is a sound bite starting to gain traction.(pic left: The 215 cubic inch 'hemi' engine.)VG HistoryReleased in March 1970 the VG Valiant was little changed from its VF predecessor, at least in the styling department. The VF was itself a mild facelift of the VE, which was an Australianised version of the 1966 American Dodge Dart.By contrast it was the engine which got all the attention. Gone was the reliable `slant' six, and in its place was a trio of `hemi' sixes.These motors allowed Chrysler to keep its bragging rights for having the most powerful six cylinder engines of the big three in Australia.To ensure we all were aware of the hemi , Chrysler brought a retired Stirling Moss out to Australia to front their comprehensive advertising campaign.VE, VF and VG Valiant's are very much underrated as classic cars.The two door hardtops have never reached the money levels of the Monaro, despite their Dodge Dart heritage and cool, clean looks. Consequently they represent great value for those looking for stylish and reliable classic cars. Buy now and avoid the rush. The distinctive concave rear window was an enduring design feature of the VE, VF and VG modelsDavid Burrell is editor of  www.retroautos.com.au

And the qualities have handed Alessi Chrysler Jeep Dodge the 2011 Chrysler Australia Dealer of the Year award. The dealership’s commitment to excellence was cited when the trophy was awarded during the Chrysler gala event last week. “All winners of the Dealer of the Year award share a common characteristic and that is a commitment to excellence,” said Veronica Johns, Chrysler Australia General Manager of Sales. “Satisfying customers when it comes to their motoring needs is the cornerstone of the Chrysler dealer award philosophy. “The Dealer of the Year award recognises benchmark performance of dealers in the network across all areas of their business, including customer service,” she said. The General Manager of Alessi Chrysler Jeep Dodge, Robbie Alessi, welcomed the accolade. “Central to all that we do at Alessi Chrysler Jeep Dodge is our commitment to our customers. This award is a testament to the commitment by all members of Alessi Chrysler Jeep Dodge to customer courtesy, care and professionalism.”

The American idol is on the way back, with all the gangsta attitude that made it a hit more than two years ago. The Chrysler 300C SRT8 has had a major makeover that goes right down to the road and all the way up to a thumping new 6.4-litre V8 engine. The number run includes 351 kiloWatts and 637 Newton-metres of torque, as well as a 0-100km/h sprint time in 4.7 seconds.The mean-streets look has been tamed a little, and there is a lot more to like in the cabin, but it's still an old-school muscle car that means the SRT8 tag - it stands for Street, Road, Track - has lost none of its impact. A two-day preview drive in Las Vegas is the ideal start to the new SRT8 experience, running down the glitter strip and out into the desert alongside the Grand Cherokee that's already had a tick from Carsguide ahead of its Australian return.The cheapest of the new 300Cs comes in from $45,000 and there will eventually be five models, topped by the SRT8 at close to $65,000. Chrysler Jeep Australia is keeping the exact number a secret until cars land in April, but the bottom line is fairly firm. There is plenty of justify the showroom sticker, from the belter engine to giant alloys and a loaded cabin with leather trim, a big touch-screen display and seriously good sound.The price point is a clever choice, since it positions the SRT8 above the Commodore SS-V and Falcon XR6 Turbo, but below the seriously speedy machines wearing Holden Special Vehicles and Ford Performances Vehicles badges.The basics are fairly basic in the chunky Chrysler, just like Australia's Falcon and Commodore, although the platform under the body is taken from the superseded Mercedes-Benz E Class sedan. The engine is in the nose, there is a five-speed auto gearbox, and drive goes through the area wheels.There is some neat stuff, like a rear-view camera and a system - a lot like the Nissan GT-R - that displays all sorts of performance information and can even log acceleration runs and measure cornering grip. The upgrade comes at a price, as the SRT has put on around 150 kilos since the previous model, although the engine has grown from 6.1 to 6.4 litres.The new 300C body is longer than the old one, which means more space in the back seat, and it's also been rounded-off compared with the chunky edges of the previous car. It's generally smoother and looks more, well, adult. There is a blacked-out grille and 20-inch alloys, subtle side skirts and a tiny blade spoiler on the boots. Oh, and blacked-out shotgun exhaust tips. The SRT work inside runs to well-bolstered front buckets and a flat-bottomed leather steering wheel, as well as embroided badges on the seats.There is no official ANCAP rating yet but the 300C is a top safety pick for the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety in the USA. The airbag protection runs down to one for the driver's knees there are ESP and ABS as usual, with a huge lineup of extras including automatic wipers. Full details will not be available until the Australian cars land.The SRT8 was a Carsguide favourite and stays on the list, thanks to old-school muscle and a cabin that - like the updated Grand Cherokee - finally justifies a premium price and place. The seats are comfy, though short on support in turns, the display screen and sound are great, and it has all the luxury you expect for $65,000. But turn the key and the V8 thunder makes a statement that is backed when you hit the accelerator. The ultimate C-car really kicks hard from a standstill and has huge go when the rev counter spins past 4000.It's all V8 grunt and muscle but the engine has cylinder deactivation to boost economy, not that the gear-short auto really helps. Basic 300s have a new eight-speed automatic but the SRT's performance means its held back to five. The cornering grip is very good, with a predictable feel through the controls, although the steering is a bit woolly and the car wants to walk around on its big tyres in tight corners or anywhere with low-ish grip. When you're on a sandy desert road it can get quite lively.It's not as responsive as the HSV cars, but more punchy than the FPV Falcons. It feels less involving, but that will suit some people and it does have a very distinctive look.So the new 300C SRT8 is much more refined than it was, perhaps a little less playful, but still an old-school thumper that will work for a lot of muscle car fans down under. It's not as precise as the homegrown heroes but it's better than it was, although badly in need of a six-speed automatic.