Straightline

Yesterday's marathon Chrysler-Fiat press conference/coming-out party wasn't entirely about EBITA and acknowledging the shortcomings of the Sebring.

Ralph Gilles, the Dodge brand's new boss, laid an Easter egg hunt on the assembled dealers, bankers and journalists. What you see above is a shot of the 2012 Dodge Charger that appeared briefly on the screen during Gilles' talk.

Gilles provided no details on the upcoming full-size rear-drive sedan, but it's obvious from the photo above that the next Charger will be a more expressive, sculpted design that draws inspiration from its historic namesake. Of course, the Charger will still be a four-door, but the sharp-edged line, rising from the front door to the tip of he rear is, well, Charger-esque. It looks a little like the four-door Charger concept vehicle of several years ago--at least from this angle.

What do we know about the platform? Only that it's an update of the existing LX platform that, if we remember correctly, Sergio Marchionne said cost so much to create that it would "shock your pants off." So there's that.

The new Pentastar 3.6-liter engine, which debuts in the new Jeep Grand Cherokee in the middle of next year, will be the volume engine, with a Hemi V8 as the upgrade. Something tells us it won't be offered with the Fiat 500's 1.4 Multiair mill.

Reporting by Dan Pund, Senior Editor, Detroit

Categories: Classic Cars,Coupes,Dodge,Future Vehicles,Sedans

We stumbled across this little gem sitting silently on SEMA show floor yesterday with no crowds and no fanfare It's called the Gumpert Apollo. Evolution Motorsports in Tempe, Arizona is the U.S. distributor of the Apollo and we'll be calling them soon to see if we can get some test numbers on the Gumpert.

Haven't heard of a Gumpert? What? It just happens to be one of the fastest road cars in the world. Next thing we know you'll tell us you haven't heard of a Donkervoort. The Apollo held the Top Gear track record for a while and is powered by a 4.2-liter Audi V8.

Make the jump for a video that explains it all.

Continue reading Bad Name, Good Car: The Gumpert Apollo.

Categories: SEMA Show

Among the numerous innovations we'll see in the 2011 Ford Explorer are these new rear seat inflatable seat belts. Ford says the new inflatable belts spread out crash forces over a much greater area of the body than conventional belts. The redesigned Ford Explorer is due out next year and Ford says it will eventually add the technology to its entire global lineup.

Spy Photos: 2011 Ford Explorer
 

Categories: Car Tech,Crossovers,Ford,Future Vehicles,SUVs

Porsche is getting a jump on the 2009 L.A. Auto Show next month with the announcement of an all-new, top-of-the-line Boxster model.

Dubbed the 2010 Porsche Boxster Spyder, it dispenses with a roof to reduce weight and gets a modest ten-horsepower increase over the current Boxster S. Porsche also mentioned some suspension modifications, but didn't get specific. Overall, the Boxster Spyder weighs just 2,811 pounds, which is about 133 pounds less than the Boxster S.

Worldwide sales are expected to begin in February of next year.

Categories: Future Vehicles,Luxury Cars,Sports Cars

Last week we reported that sources had told Inside Line that the McLaren MP4-12C's introduction to the U.S. market might be delayed and the company had pulled out of the L.A. Auto Show next month.

McLaren responded to the report saying that although there were some discussions about showing the supercar at the L.A. show, the company eventually decided it was too early given the car's expected launch date in 2011.

We were also told that McLaren might be having difficulty setting up a North American dealer network to which a company spokesman said, "And if discussions so far are anything to go by we're not going to be short of people who want to retail the brand for us in the US."

So at this point it looks like the MP4-12C is scheduled for an early summer 2011 on sale date in the U.S.

Categories: Coupes,Future Vehicles,Luxury Cars,McLaren,Sports Cars

Official pricing details on the 2010 Suzuki Kizashi were released by the company today. Base models will start at $19,734 including destination fees. The midgrade Kizashi SE model, which the company expects to sell in the highest volumes, will start at $22,234 with destination.

At the higher end of the lineup, the Kizashi GTS will go for $23,234 while the SLS will start at $25,149. Suzuki said it expects to have the Kizashi in showrooms next month.

Full Test: 2010 Suzuki Kizashi
  

Categories: Sedans,Suzuki

A report by the BBC says that top officials at Renault held a meeting on Wednesday to discuss the company's future in Formula One. This comes on the heels of Toyota's official departure announced the same day.

The report said Renault was considering whether to stay in full time, become an engine supplier or pull out altogether.

UPDATE: Renault CEO Carlos Ghosn told reporters today that Renault will make a decision on its participation in Formula One by the end of the year.  

BBC Sport: Renault Considers Formula One Exit

FT: Renault stays cagey on F1 future

Categories: Motorsports,Renault

No one's about to say that the automotive industry is out of the woods just yet (certainly not with current unemployment rates), but October 2009 sales numbers give reason for optimism, mainly because they look a lot like the October 2008 numbers.

General Motors recorded its first year-over-year increase in nearly two years, selling 177,603 vehicles (up 4 percent from October 2008). GM also notes that 95 percent of those sales came in its "core" brands (Chevrolet, Cadillac, GMC and Buick) -- not terribly surprising given that it doesn't build Pontiacs, Saturns, Saabs and Hummers anymore.

Ford was up 3 percent with 132,483 units sold, though its optimism was tempered by the fact that the Fusion is still the only Ford passenger car in positive territory for 2009. Chrysler sales weren't as bad as September's, but were still down 30 percent from Oct. 2008.

Toyota sold 152,165 vehicles, which is nearly identical to October 2008. And just like old times, the Lexus RX was one of the hottest sellers. Honda continues to struggle, though, as the Fit and Insight just aren't doing well.

Auto Observer: October Auto Sales Uptick May Presage the 'New Normal'

Continue reading Shades of Recovery in October 2009 Sales; GM Finally Up; Hyundai, Subaru Still Hot.

Categories: Auto Industry,Manufacturers

After all the speculation that Alfa Romeo would share platform architecture with next-generation Chryslers and mount a return to the United States, Alfa never came up during today's 8-hour Chrysler-Fiat briefing.

Finally, a journalist asked, "What about Alfa?"

And Sergio Marchionne's reply? "We have Alfa in the 2014 sales numbers. But it's not much. Alfa needs to make a case for itself here, though."

That would be here, as in here in the U.S. But 2014 will apparently be no ordinary year. That's the year by which Fiat claims that Chrysler will more than double its current worldwide sales volume, topping out at 2.8 million units. That could happen, right?

Reporting by Dan Pund, Senior Editor, Detroit

Auto Observer: Marchionne Disarms Alfa-In-U.S. Speculation, Calls Cost of Coming 300 Platform 'Shocking'

Categories: Alfa Romeo,Auto Industry,Chrysler,Fiat

After the late-2010 debut of the 2011 Fiat 500, the Italian automaker plans to bring us the Fiat 500C Convertible in 2011 and the Fiat 500 Abarth in 2012. The 500 Abarth has a turbocharged version of Fiat's Multiair 1.4-liter inline-4 rated at 135 horsepower and 152 pound-feet of torque.

Also today, Chrysler-Fiat announced that Chryslers sold internationally will share product and dealerships with the Lancia brand. We don't see that helping either brand, unless C-F miraculously figures out a way to resurrect the Delta Integrale and move it in mass volumes.

And by the way, we've been told that by 2014, 56 percent of all Chryslers sold will be Italian in origin.

Reporting by Dan Pund, Senior Editor, Detroit

Categories: Auto Industry,Chrysler,Convertibles,Fiat,Hatchbacks