Jim Benson, owner of Benson Automotive, said he plans to start construction in March on a new 4400-square-foot Fiat showroom and dealership on Wade Hampton Boulevard beside Benson Chrysler Jeep Dodge, one of four car brands he already sells in the …
http://www.postandcourier.com/news/2012/feb/14/fiat-dealership-headed-north-charleston/
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- 2012 Jeep® Wrangler Rubicon,
Truth about Cars,
Feb. 10
o Jeep® promises that they have made the most
civilized Wrangler ever without sacrificing off-road performance, Truth about
Cars said. Despite 25 years of continual improvements to make the Wrangler more
suited to the commuter shopper, thankfully little has been done to alter the
look of the go-anywhere brand, the website said. The Wrangler seems to have lost
little of its off road charm over the years, the article said. It’s obvious the
Wrangler’s new interior was designed with daily driving comforts in mind; the
off-road faithful will be glad to hear that the dash plastics, while more
visually appealing are still hard and easy to wipe down, the article said. The
Wrangler continues to be a unique vehicle in a class all to its own, and with
the 2012 improvements, the Wrangler has achieved a decent balance of being a
passable commute car for the weekend trail warrior, the Truth about Cars
said
Charger, 300 earn 5
stars for crash safety
The 2012 Chrysler 300 and
2012 Dodge Charger have
achieved 5-star safety ratings
from the National Highway
Traffic Safety Administration
(NHTSA). The 5-star rating is
the highest rating for safety by
NHTSA and measures vehicle
safety performance in three
categories, including front and
side crashes as well as for rollover.
Stealthy Jeep Grand Cherokee Concept unveiled, will enter production
Posted: Jan 25, 2012
Gallery – 11 images
At the 2012 Houston Auto Show, Jeep unveiled a very stealthy looking Jeep Grand Cherokee Concept. Built with a ‘production-intent’ the stealth version of the Grand Cherokee could enter production later this year.
What’s the name of the new concept? Nothing – Jeep is holding an online contest “for consumers to name the new production-intent Grand Cherokee concept.” Whoever wins, will get a chance to win a new 2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee.
“Highlighted by a unique platinum-chrome front-end appearance and distinctive black-gloss 20-inch wheels and exterior treatments, our new Grand Cherokee concept provides a completely new look – one that is edgy and aggressive, and certainly different than any Grand Cherokee on the road today,” said Mike Manley, President and CEO – Jeep Brand, Chrysler Group LLC. “Jeep enthusiasts have always appreciated limited-edition models and the ability to customize their vehicles. This new Grand Cherokee comes with a unique, ‘factory-customized’ stealth appearance directly from Jeep, and is certain to attract interest from an array of potential customers.
Based on the Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo X model the model gets an aggressive, chrome and ‘blacked-out’ look with a grille surround in Black, and mesh grille texture in Platinum Chrome, a Platinum Chrome lower fascia applique, Black headlamp bezels and a Black liftgate light-bar.
Check out more news on the Jeep Grand Cherokee.
Inside the Jeep Grand Cherokee Concept gets standard leather-trimmed seats, heated front seats, leather-wrapped steering wheel and shifter, a 9-speaker 506 watt amp sound system with subwoofer, iPod/MP3 connectivity, Parkview rear back-up camera, ParkSense rear-park assist system, Keyless Enter-N-Go, Chrysler Group’s Uconnect hands-free communications system, and more than 50 advanced safety and security feature.
On a side note, Jeep said that it sold 127,444 units of the Grand Cherokee in 2011, up 51 percent from 2010.
- By: Omar Rana
The 2013 Dodge Dart is Introduced by Reid Bigland
2013 Dodge Dart: the hot compact car
Dodge® Official Site — HEMI Engines & Sleek Lines. Dodge — Is Style & Performance Amplified. www.Dodge.com
The 2012 FIAT 500 — Drive a New Italian Classic — Now Available at a FIAT Studio. www.fiatusa.com
Mazda RX-8 Nashville — Buy an All New 2012 Mazda Today. — Visit a Dealer & Compare Vehicle! www.driveamazda.com/Nashville
Past Dodge Dart cars at Allpar: Dart (1960-62) • Dart (1963-66) • Dart (1967-76)
Using the same platform as the Alfa Romeo Giulietta, a new sedan is due to be made in the United States, with full production starting in April 2012 (delayed from January). It will finally fill in a gap left by the Neon.
The car was in early pilot production in late October 2011. As early as 2009, this car was planned on extended Fiat C-EVO dimensions and the Fiat electronics network, along with a retuned Chrysler World Gas Engine and the 1.4 liter turbocharged Fiat engine. One version of the new Dodge will get 40 mpg.
The reliable source oh2o wrote that it will be surprisingly well equipped, with SE (base) getting 16 inch wheels, and SXT and Limited going to 17” wheels; there will be a Rallye option for the SXT. All trim lines will get lots of airbags including knee bags (possibly for passengers as well), LED tail lamps, and optional Blind Spot/Cross Path detection and trailer sway damping; HIDs will be optional as well. Well appointed interiors will have tilt/telescope steering column even on SE; Limited will get a heated steering wheel. Seats will be covered in cloth fabric with accents, denim seats, or leather.
All wheel drive is coming, perhaps with late availability. Some sources claim a nine-speed automatic is in the cards, but if so, it’s going to be a late arrival.
The big new 8.4” stereos will be used with and without navigation, and backup cameras and 506-watt 9-speaker amps will be optional.
Retuning of the World Gas Engine was described by CJDR Tech: the 2.0 will have its VVT system retuned for a broader power band, sacrificing some peak horsepower but increasing gas mileage and performance; the manifolds will be swapped so the intake is in back; and the valvetrain will be updated to roller cam followers, doing away with the buckets on the valve springs.
Similar changes appear to be taking place on the 2.4 liter engine, which was originally quoted as running around 240 horsepower (we assumed the production version would be around 200), but now the 2.4 seems to be rated at 185 hp. Both the new 2.0 and new 2.4 are to be badged as Tiger Shark, (or Tigershark as the press release puts it), but it’s possible there will be a hotter 2.4 for mid-sized cars.
The Fiat turbo 1.4 will also power the PF. Transmissions will most likely include the Fiat dual-clutch automated-manual transmission, with a manual transmission version of that transmission. It will use electrically boosted power steering, according to CJDR Tech.
oh2o wrote that a high priority was placed on aerodynamics, with a smooth underbody and new-for-Chrysler active grille shutters; transmissions will be the six-speed manual and a six-speed dual-clutch with AutoStick.
New source “PhantomSpazz” said the models would be the base SE, volume SXT, Rallye (possibly as an SXT package), R/T, and a Limited. It will reportedly be the longest, widest, and tallest car in its class, and the interior will be quieter than the very-quiet Chevrolet Cruze.
The 1.4 belts out around 160 hp and 170 lb-ft of torque in the Fiat 500 Abarth; it might be “downtuned” to around 150 hp for this application. The 2.4, according to PhantomSpazz, is currently estimated at 185 hp, a moderate boost over the current 172 hp 2.4; however, past rumors suggested that it would be more drivable, with horsepower not as restricted to the higher engine speeds. Torque for this engine is estimated at 170 lb-ft.
The 2.4 will be used in the R/T model, and is expected to get a bit over 32 mpg (highway). The Eco model, with 40 mpg, is slated for late arrival.
“PhantomSpazz” wrote that the interior would be easily best-in-class, including a full animated center cluster — when the car is turned on, the speedometer and gas gauge animate with the Dodge logo; leave your door open and a realistic 3D-rendered PF will show up in the EVIC with its door open. Turn by turn navigation includes a realistic car image; EVIC is seven inches diagonally, and as you drive, you see a flower growing if you are driving efficiently. The colors are “young and hip.” … The LUX interior has a light leather, as seen in Journey, but with bright stitching, or black leather seats with red stitching. It has an aluminum-type dashboard which wraps around the radio, steering wheel and cluster, glowing around the edges. The RT and Lux model also come with mood lighting in the interior. There are lights near the passenger and driver feet, lights behind the interior door handles, lights in the center storage and lights in the bottom of both doors where you would keep maps and books.
“PhantomSpazz” also confirmed that the rear resembles the Charger, with the round racetrack lighting, and suggested that base pricing would not be far above the Fiat 500.
The new electric steering system eliminates the belt-driven “pump,” instead having a sensor and electric motor mounted to the rack itself (of the rack and pinion system). The suspension will use MacPherson struts in front, shocks with upper and lower arms in back, in an aluminum cradle.
The Dart will be built in Belvidere, Illinois, which is being expanded with a 550,000 square foot body shop; the cost for upgrading the plant, including adding new machinery and tooling, is $600 million.
Discussion (hosted by Allpar.com)
Past Dodge Dart cars at Allpar: Dart (1960-62) • Dart (1963-66) • Dart (1967-76) • Mexican Dart
Ford crashes, Jeep® soars in reliability rank, USA Today, Oct. 26
o Ford Motor lost its spot as a shining example of Detroit reliability in the latest Consumer Reports magazine survey announced Tuesday, while Chrysler Group came close to taking Ford’s place with an improved lineup, USA Today said. Japanese automakers continue to top rankings by brand, holding the first nine spots, the paper said. Quality improvements at Chrysler Group boosted the company’s Jeep® brand to the 13th spot — highest of any Detroit brand, the article said. Its Chrysler 200 is No.2 among family sedans in expected reliability, and its Dodge Durango is No.1 among big, non-luxury SUVs, CR says, the paper reported.
