I guess it doesn't help that it's selling well as-is...
Nothing to do with sales really, more of a phasing in/ramp up of the Phoenix engines across most of the CDJ lineup. Most of the first production run of the new engines will be going into the new Grand Cherokee, followed by the minivans, new 300, new Charger, Challenger etc.
Looks like the Caliber/Dodge version of the Jeep-twins new interior; but with a closed dual-glovebox on the passenger side. Probably for the cooler-thing.. and square center-console a/c vents.
I think it actually angles up a little further in the Jeeps, maybe to accommodate the round ac vents versus the narrower square ones? Also I notice at the change-over between the top-section (hvac) and bottom section (where the shifter is) seems to be a little smoother of a transition in the Caliber rendering. And the hvac seems to be all at the same 'level' where-as in the Jeep it's multi-faceted; but the layout is the same, just a little smoother in the Caliber.. from what I can see.
TYCHY, Poland — For decades, automakers looking for the secret to small-car success would journey to Toyota City in Japan. These days, they are coming to Tychy
The fast-selling Fiat 500 is made exclusively at Tychy.
At Fiat’s factory in Tychy, Poland, “a car comes off the assembly line every 55 seconds,” the plant’s director says.
Fiat’s Tychy plant employs about 5,000 people, including about 1,700 hired last year.
“We are lucky there is a crisis,” said the director of the plant, Zdzislaw Arlet. “Everybody wants to build small cars now.”
Since Fiat effectively took over Chrysler this year, engineers from Detroit have been making monthly pilgrimages here to see something they can only envy: an auto plant that is hiring workers and earning a profit.
The mammoth Fiat plant here, which churned out nearly half a million cars last year, may hold some of the answers for Chrysler (as well as Ford Motor and General Motors), as it struggles to regain its footing after its bankruptcy and reduce its dependence on muscle-bound trucks and sport utility vehicles.
For those who remember Fiat before its ignominious retreat from the American market — the name was said to stand for “Fix It Again, Tony” — the Italian automaker may seem an unlikely role model. It left the United States in the early 1980s after widespread quality problems.
But Fiat itself has undergone a revolution under Sergio Marchionne, who became its chief executive in 2004, raising standards for quality and reliability at plants like Tychy and mastering the art of building smaller cars with high efficiency. Chrysler hopes he can do the same thing for it now that he has assumed control of the American company.
“We are lucky there is a crisis,” said the director of the Tychy plant, Zdzislaw Arlet, unable to resist a gibe at the bigger cars and trucks that have traditionally stolen the industry spotlight. “Everybody wants to build small cars now.”
At Tychy (pronounced TICK-ee), one secret is flexibility: The latest robotic technology is balanced by workers who can quickly shift models to match demand. That is one reason Tychy is operating around the clock, six days a week, while most other auto plants in Europe and the United States are running at a fraction of capacity, increasing costly nonproductive downtime.
Indeed, for visiting Chrysler engineers, going to Tychy is akin to an aging heavyweight boxer stepping into a gym where more agile bantamweight fighters train.
Chrysler’s smallest car, the Dodge Caliber compact, is one-third heavier (about 1,000 pounds) than the fast-selling Fiat 500, which is made exclusively at Tychy.
Fiat executives say their goal is not only to produce subcompact European models at Chrysler’s North American plants — but also for Chrysler managers to learn how to speed the introduction of smaller cars in the United States that Americans will want to buy, like a new version of the Sebring, while increasing efficiency the way Fiat has at Tychy.
Chrysler’s offerings, unlike those from Fiat, have long been dominated by Jeeps and S.U.V.’s and big trucks like the Dodge Ram, with cars making up just 30 percent of Chrysler’s worldwide sales last year. As bigger vehicles fell out of favor because of high gasoline prices and the recession, Chrysler’s overall sales dived, falling 44 percent in the first half of 2009 compared with the period a year earlier.
“It’s very difficult to go from big to small, but they are here to compare and learn,” Mr. Arlet said as he walked amid the sparks thrown off by robots along his production lines. “This plant was designed to produce small cars.”
The ideal combination of automated robots and individual workers has been critical to Tychy’s success, said Ron Harbour, an American industry consultant with Oliver Wyman, a consulting firm. Success is not as simple as the more robots, the better.
“With people, you can change the mix in one day or one week,” Mr. Harbour said, referring to the models a production line churns out. “You can’t do that with robots.”
The Tychy plant employs about 5,000 people, including about 1,700 hired last year to make more Fiats, as well as the Ford Ka.
Tychy’s huge scale — it covers more than 4.3 million square feet — also works to its advantage.
Although exact benchmarks are difficult, Mr. Harbour mentions Chrysler’s plant in Belvidere, Ill., as a comparable site, since it produces smaller cars. But its annual production capacity of 265,000 is just over half of the plant at Tychy.
Mr. Arlet is also constantly on the lookout for time- and money-saving improvements, adding that he himself looks to Toyota’s famous Kaizen system for inspiration: Instead of filling up cars at different production points with brake fluid, gasoline, water and other liquids, one machine on each of Tychy’s three lines fills each vehicle.
“A car comes off the assembly line every 55 seconds,” Mr. Arlet said. “In 1996, it took twice as long.”
Along with the new technology came a new focus on quality. About three years ago, workers were assigned an individual identification number that is stamped on whatever sections of the car they assemble so any problems at the end of the line can be traced to the source.
As a result, Mr. Arlet said, the number of cars coming off the line with defects has fallen from 20 percent in 1996 to just 4 percent now — a figure Mr. Harbour said compared favorably to factories in the United States or Western Europe.
“At the moment, Tychy is the best of Fiat as far as quality is concerned,” said Giuseppe Volpato, a professor of economics at the University of Venice who has long studied the company. “I think Poland is becoming the reference point for the whole organization, even in Italy.”
For Mr. Marchionne, turning around Chrysler will probably be harder than getting Fiat back on track. Chrysler not only relies on trucks and S.U.V.’s, it derives 75 percent of its sales from the now-moribund American market.
At the same time, Chrysler is facing increased pressure from Ford, as well as G.M., which emerged from bankruptcy last week. And of course, the original high-quality, small-car brands, like Toyota and Honda, remain fierce competitors, even if Toyota is suffering great losses of its own.
Partly because of the need to move quickly, the pace of cultural exchanges like the visits to Tychy has quickened since Chrysler emerged from bankruptcy on June 10. Fiat took a 20 percent stake in return for technology and know-how that the Italian automaker says is worth $10 billion in lieu of any cash.
Not only engineers and line managers are heading to Europe for the grand tour — so is the top brass.
Late last month, the executives responsible for Chrysler’s three brands, along with the heads of manufacturing, engineering and styling, traveled to a proving ground halfway between Milan and Turin for a weekend of meetings and motoring with their Italian counterparts.
Back in Tychy, Mr. Arlet seemed amazed at the tectonic shift under way in the global auto industry, with Americans coming to Poland in search of the secrets of carmaking, rather than the other way around.
With a confident smile, he declared, “I am looking forward to when the Fiat 500 is made in the U.S.A. and also made here, and we can compare.”
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Quote: Originally Posted by al2683
One of the most realistic parts of this video is that it shows two guys riding together in the Subaru, they are in love, I think it is a touching and realistic portrayal of Subaru owners and I applaud them for it.
I love those trucks. Wish I lived somewhere I could put one to proper use.
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Quote: Originally Posted by edgeandink
The reason they can put down decent 1/4mile times is mostly in part to the solid rear axel and its ability to hook and go. But we all know that doesnt mean crap from a dig.
● 2010 Caravan / Town and Country (RT): (production starts 8/09/09)
(Cargo, SE, SXT)
What's new: Active Head restraints, Fuel Saver Indicator feature included with 3.3L and 4.0L engines; New Sparkle Silver finish 16-inch aluminum wheels and New Satin Carbon finish 17-inch aluminum wheels; Power front and second row windows includes one-touch express up/down
New exterior colors: Deep Water Pearl, Dark Titanium Metallic CC, Blackberry Pearl, Dark Cordovan Pearl, White Gold Metallic CC Dropped Colors: Deep Crimson, Modern Blue, Mineral Gray and Melbourne Green are dropped
What's new: Super Track Pack* (R/T), front seat side air bags no longer available, New Tech Silver finish 18-inch aluminum wheels available on Charger SXT and R/T RWD, New Satin Silver finish 18-inch aluminum wheels available on Charger AWD
*Super Track Pack (AWD) includes anti-lock 4-wheel disc heavy-duty brakes, 3.06 axle ratio, load levelling and height control, high performance suspension and 20-inch BSW Performance tires available with Charger R/T and Charger Daytona
New exterior colors: White Gold Pearl Dropped Colors: Light Sandstone Metallic dropped
What's new: Active Head restraints, R/T FWD and SXT AWD deleted, 6 Premium speakers with subwoofer and 368-watt amplifier are Standard on R/T, larger rear DVD screen (9"), New Sparkle Silver finish 16-inch aluminum wheels, Dark Slate Grey replaces Dark Slate Grey/Light Slate Greystone on SXT and R/T
New exterior colors: White Gold Metallic CC Dropped Colors: Light Sandstone Metallic, Melbourne Green Pearl and Surf Blue Pearl
● 2010 Liberty (KK): (production starts 8/17/09)
(Sport, Limited)
What's new: Active Head restraints, Interactive Decel Fuel Shut-Off (iDFSO) with 3.7L with 4-speed automatic transmission, Visual alerts added to audible alerts when equipped with ParkSense, New painted Tech Silver 17-inch aluminum wheels, New painted/polished 18-inch aluminum wheels
New exterior colors: Natural Green Metallic CC, Dark Charcoal Pearl and Light Sandstone Metallic Dropped Colors: Light Sandstone Metallic, Red Rock Crystal and Jeep Green
What's new: LOAD 'N GO floor and 115V inverter dropped, Cloth seats with colour keyed inserts dropped, 3.7L and 4.0L engines include Fuel Saver Indicator, Pastel Pebble Beige and Dark Pebble Beige replace Dark Khaki and Dark Khaki/Medium Khaki interior
New exterior colors: Natural Green Metallic CC, Dark Charcoal Pearl, Light Sandstone Metallic Dropped Colors: Light Greystone Pearl
● 2010 Ram 1500 (DS): (production starts 8/24/09 for Crew/Quad; starts 9/21/09 for regular cab)
(Regular Cab, Quad Cab and Crew 1500 in several trim packages - ST, SLT, R/T, SXT, TRX 4x2/TRX4 Off-Road 4x4, Sport and Laramie)
What's new: Active Head restraints, brake controller, factory tow mirrors, 22" chrome-clad wheels (with Regular Cab Sport R/T 4x2); P285/45R22 High Performance Tires (R/T)
New exterior colors: Mango Tango Pearl, Rugged Brown Pearl, Bright White Clear Coat, Torred Dropped Colors: Stone White
Engines:
3.7L 6 cyl Magnum
4.7L 8 cyl Magnum
5.7L 8 cyl Hemi MDS VVT
5.7L 8 cyl Hemi HEV
● 2010 Ram 2500 (DJ) (production starts 9/28/09)
(Regular Cab, Crew Cab, Mega Cab - ST, SLT, TRX 4x2/TRX4 Off-Road 4x4, 2500 Power Wagon and Laramie)
Whats new: All-new, “Big-Rig” styling, all-new Crew Cab, Standard advanced multistage front air bags and side-curtain air bags, integrated trailer brake controller
Whats new: All-new, “Big-Rig” styling, all-new Crew Cab, Standard advanced multistage front air bags and side-curtain air bags, integrated trailer brake controller
What's new: Active Head restraints, new instrument cluster with LED back-lighting, Hard top option deleted on Touring (convertible), Power Retractable Hardtop now standard (convertible)
New exterior colors: White Gold Metallic; Linen Gold Pearl Coat (Convertible only) Dropped Colors: Clearwater Blue and Light Sandstone Metallic
What's new: Wrangler “X” models renamed as Sport, new two-tone leather optional on Sahara and Rubicon 2-door and 4-door, new Sunrider® soft top feature modified to be easier to use, Dual top group AEM and Sahara now include hardtop storage bag, new Satin Silver finish 18-inch aluminum painted wheels standard on Sahara models, New Satin Carbon 17-inch aluminum finish painted wheels standard on Rubicon models
New exterior colors: Surf Blue Pearl, Dark Charcoal Pearl, Natural Green Pearl
Sahara model now available with full exterior color palette (adds Stone White, Flame Red and Surf Blue Pearl) Dropped Colors: Jeep Green Metallic, Sunburst Orange Pearl and Detonator Yellow
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-Complied by oh20 for Allpar.com
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Engine Abbreviations:
16v or 24v= 16 valve, 24 valve
DOHC= Dual Overhead Cam
DPF= Diesel Particulate Filter
HEV= Hybrid Electric Vehicle
HO= High Output
MDS= Multi-Displacement System
MPI= Multi-Port Injection
OHV= Overhead valve
PZEV= Partial Zero Emissions Vehicle
SFI= Sequential Fuel Injection
SOHC= Single Overhead Cam
VCT or VVT= Variable Cam Timing/Variable Valve Timing
.. here you go, straight from Allpar.
PS: the thread was almost page 3 - how did that happen?! I vote to sticky this thread!
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