Ladies and gentleman, the wait is now over. For the first time, we can now see the new Chrysler 200 in all its glory. The four-door sedan draws on the 200C concept for the 2009 Detroit Auto Show and it will replace the old and mostly despised Sebring. The 200 will get all-new front and rear lighting, fascias, and new mirrors and wheels. Yet, we can’t help but think this is just a refreshed Sebring. Thankfully, the changes that were made have helped immensely.
Powering the new 200 will be either a 2.4-liter four-cylinder that can be connected four-speed or six-speed automatic, or the new 3.6-liter Pentastar V6. Chrysler has yet to release any power numbers for these motors, but we should have some details in the next few months.
The interior has also been redone. There are cabin upgrades such as a new instrument panel, redesigned seats, acoustic laminated glass for lower sound levels, and revamped HVAC outlets, although there are no full interior pictures at this time. We are hoping that the 200 continues with the current trend of well built interiors that started with the Dodge Ram and Jeep Grand Cherokee.
Hit the jump to see the press release.
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It wasn’t that long ago that Ford was offering us vehicles that were just plain awful. Showrooms were filled with Five-Hundreds, older Escapes, and current generation Focus models. Could this have been the reason why Ford went down the tubes? Possibly.
Ford wasn’t alone though, as General Motors and Chrysler were falling like dominoes as well. General Motors owned more car companies than Coca Cola does drink brands, and needless to say, it wasn’t working. Pontiac went down the drain, as did Oldsmobile, Hummer, and Saturn. What they were left with was Chevrolet, Cadillac, and Buick, three companies that failed to offer a competitive vehicle.
Chrysler, who owned Dodge and Jeep, might have been worse off, if that’s possible. Most of the Jeep products were horrendous and Dodge was in the same boat. Chrysler on the other hand, had a hit on its hands with the 300C, but outside of that, most of their products weren’t very good. After it was all said and done, Chrysler was partly taken over by Fiat, in the attempt to turn the company around and GM was in the hands of the government.
Among the big three car makers in the United States, Ford has undertaken the largest overhaul. The new 2011 Mustang and the new Fiesta are just starting points, but they have changed the way we think about the company. They are wonderfully built, gorgeous to look at, and sensational to drive.
The next machine to come out of the Ford juggernaut is the 2012 Focus, which will be shown at the 2010 Paris Auto Show in just days. The new Focus is an example of Ford’s “One Ford” product strategy and it will likely be the largest seller for the company. The Focus that we have been seeing in photos will be sold in Europe and in North America, with a few changes in the motor offerings and minor details.
Hit the jump to read on.
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While drivers in the United States still love their larger vehicles, the rest of the world is driving around in hatchbacks and wagons. Chevrolet might be attempting to capitalize on this with the Cruze five-door in the land of vegemite and kangaroos, Australia.
The base Cruze will likely feature a few four-cylinder petrols and diesels, but there is a chance that Holden’s in-house tuning company, HSV, will kick it up a notch with a high-performance four-pot, although this has not been confirmed. This will mean that the Volkswagen GTI and the Ford Focus ST will have some competition from GM.
We don’t expect to see or hear anything from HSV for quite some time, as the company is busy making sure its V8-powered vehicles will be able to survive in the future. We hope to hear something soon on the Cruze HSV, although Americans won’t ever be able to drive it.
You can’t enjoy the sweet taste of success without figuring into some trouble along the way and that’s what Hyundai is finding out after it has announced that the Hyundai Sonata, the car that has helped the Korean-based manufacturer surge into third place in the midsize car segment, is now being recalled because of a potential steering problem.
According to the National Highway Safety Administration, a recall of 139,500 units is being issued after it was discovered that “the steering column intermediate shaft universal joint connections may have been either improperly assembled or insufficiently tightened.” If not fixed, the problem could lead to a complete separation or compromised attachment of the connections where the driver could lose steering capability and thus increase the risk of a crash happening.
The NHTSA definitely said a lot to wrap our heads around, but it sure looks mighty serious, and if you happen to own a Hyundai Sonata built anytime between December 11, 2009 to September 10, 2010, then you are advised to call the Hyundai Customer Assistance Center at 1-800-633-5151.
Mitsubishi in Australia has announced some updates for the 2011 Lancer, including the addition of a new SX model. This model will slide between the ES and the VR. There have been other changes to the overall lineup as well.
The car will get improved sound insulation, a USB port, color LCD display and welcome lights have been fitted on every model. If you opt for the VR, VRX, or Ralliart it will now come with Bluetooth.
The new SX model will come with a standard leather steering wheel with audio controls, a rear spoiler, and 16-inch wheels. The SX, ES, and VR will get the 2.0-liter MIVEC engine that will put out 152 horsepower and 198 Nm of torque.
The VRX and the Aspire sedan will get a 2.4-liter motor with 168 horsepower and the Ralliart will feature the Evolution’s inter-cooled and turbocharged 2.0-liter MIVEC motor with 237 horsepower.
Available color choices across the range include Champagne, Cool Silver, Mystic Blue, Lightning Blue, Effect Grey, Red, Black, and White in the ES, VR, and VRX models, with the Aspire available in Champagne, White, Red, Cool silver, Effect Grey, and Black. The Lancer Ralliart models are available in Red, Black, Cool Silver, White, and Lightning Blue.
The SX, ES, VR, VRX, and Ralliart models can come in either sedan or Sportback variants, with the Aspire only being offered in a sedan.
