Image via Wikipedia

The new Extended service program upgrades work exactly like a new car warranty except that they apply to the first owner of a Certified Pre-owned Jeep. In addition to the new lifetime extended warranty programs, Chrysler is also offering an option to purchase Jeep component coverage on top of the standing warranties on each certified pre-owned Jeep upon purchase.

From the press release:

The Lifetime Powertrain Care Coverage upgrade guarantees the engine, transmission and driveline of certified pre-owned Chrysler, Jeep and Dodge vehicles for as long as they are owned by the original CPOV buyer.

“In a tough economy, certified pre-owned vehicles become an even more viable option for vehicle shoppers, so we wanted our pre-owned warranty options to offer the same level of protection as our new car warranties,” said Lisa Way, Senior Manager – Certified Pre-Owned Vehicles, Chrysler LLC. “Our pre-owned customers tell us that worry-free ownership is just as important to them as it is to new vehicle buyers. The plans provide Chrysler, Jeep and Dodge CPOV dealers with an advantage over competitive CPO programs. At this time, no other OEM makes this type of coverage available for CPO units and no other franchised CPO dealers offer them.”

Related articles by Zemanta

• Chrysler to market certified used cars on eBay

Chrysler Introduces Three Advanced Electric-drive Vehicle Prototypes

• One targeted to be produced in 2010 for consumers in North American markets, and European markets after 2010
• Chrysler LLC to have approximately one hundred electric vehicles on the road in government, business, utility and development fleets in 2009
• Chrysler electric-drive technology to be applied to front-wheel-drive, rear-wheel-drive, and body-on-frame four-wheel-drive platforms
• Dodge EV: All-electric Performance Sports Car
• Jeep® EV: Wrangler Range-extended Electric Vehicle to allow customers to roam the planet and take care of it at the same time
• Chrysler EV: Town & Country Range-extended Electric Vehicle
• Chrysler and General Electric pursue joint project with U.S. Department of Energy

AUBURN HILLS, Mich., September 23, 2008 – Actions speak louder than words.

Chrysler LLC announced today that the Company and its ENVI organization have new production-intent, advanced electric-drive technology packaged in three different vehicles – one for each of its brands, Chrysler, Jeep® and Dodge.

Chrysler will select one electric-drive model to be produced in 2010 for consumers in North American markets, and European markets after 2010. Additionally, approximately one hundred Chrysler electric vehicles will be on the road in government, business, utility and Chrysler development fleets in 2009.

The Company said that it is well into the development of advanced, production-intent electric vehicles, and that it will apply electric-drive technology to its front-wheel-drive, rear-wheel-drive and body-on-frame four-wheel-drive platforms in the next several years.

At its World Headquarters here today, Chrysler revealed its electric-drive prototypes – Dodge EV, Jeep EV and Chrysler EV – and demonstrated the driving performance and capability of each.

“We have a social responsibility to our consumers to deliver environmentally friendly, fuel efficient, advanced electric vehicles, and our intention is to meet that responsibility quickly and more broadly than any other automobile manufacturer,” said Bob Nardelli, Chairman and CEO – Chrysler LLC. “The introduction of the Chrysler, Jeep and Dodge electric vehicles provides a glimpse of the very near future, and demonstrates that we are serious and well along in the development of bringing electric vehicles to market.”

ENVI Organization
The development of Chrysler’s Electric Vehicles and Range-extended Electric Vehicles is led by ENVI – representing the first four letters of “environmental” – the Company’s in-house organization that was formed to focus on electric-drive production vehicles and related advanced technologies. The development of electric-drive systems for future Chrysler, Jeep and Dodge vehicles is maturing quickly.

“ENVI was created just over one year ago with the strategic intent to develop electric-drive vehicles quickly for Chrysler, and it is surpassing expectations,” said Tom LaSorda – Vice Chairman and President. “With ENVI, Chrysler is developing technology to bring Electric Vehicles and extremely fuel-efficient Range-extended Electric Vehicles to market.”

Electric Vehicle Technology
Chrysler’s Electric Vehicles utilize just three primary components. These include an electric motor to drive the wheels, an advanced lithium-ion battery system to power the electric-drive motor, and a controller that manages energy flow. The electric-drive system is being developed for front-wheel-drive, rear-wheel-drive, and body-on-frame four-wheel-drive vehicle applications.

“This technology provides customers with a vehicle that has zero tailpipe emissions and a 150 to 200 mile driving range – far exceeding most Americans’ daily commutes, as nearly 80 percent of Americans drive less than 40 miles per day, or 14,000 miles per year,” said Frank Klegon, Executive Vice President – Product Development. “Electric Vehicles provide the opportunity to fulfill social responsibility, reduce dependency on foreign oil, and eliminate monthly gasoline bills, while delivering performance and utility that our customers desire.”

Range-extended Electric Vehicle Technology
The Range-extended Electric Vehicle combines the electric-drive components of the Electric Vehicle with a small gasoline engine and integrated electric generator to produce additional energy to power the electric-drive system when needed. This provides the positive attributes of an Electric Vehicle with the driving range equivalent to today’s gasoline-powered vehicles – with no compromises in performance.

Range-extended Electric Vehicles offer environmental responsibility without giving up driving range, comfort or utility.

Dodge EV
The Dodge EV development Electric Vehicle is a two-passenger rear-wheel-drive sports car that marries high performance with zero tailpipe emissions.

“The Dodge EV sets a new standard for what can be expected in electric-drive vehicles,” said Lou Rhodes, Vice President – Advance Vehicle Engineering, and President – ENVI. “The electric-vehicle technology enables a fun-to-drive performance sports car and helps redefine the vision of an environmentally responsible vehicle for the Dodge brand.”

The electric-drive system consists of three primary components: a 200 kW (268 horsepower) electric motor, an advanced lithium-ion battery and an integrated power controller.

The 200 kW electric-drive motor generates 650 N·m (480 lb.-ft.) of torque. The instant high torque of the electric-drive motor delivers outstanding performance, accelerating the Dodge EV to 60 mph in less than five seconds, with quarter-mile times of 13 seconds. The Dodge EV has a top speed of more than 120 mph.

Working with the latest advanced lithium-ion battery technology, the Dodge EV has a continuous driving range of 150 to 200 miles – more than triple the average daily commute of most consumers. Recharging the vehicle is a simple one-step process: plugging into a standard 110-volt household outlet for eight hours. The recharge time can be cut in half to four hours by using a typical 220-volt household appliance power outlet.

The Dodge EV offers driving enthusiasts a performance sports car that can be driven to work every day – without consuming gasoline or producing tailpipe emissions.

Jeep EV
The Jeep EV development vehicle is a Range-extended Electric Vehicle that provides a glimpse into the future of a “Go Anywhere, Do Anything” vehicle with renowned Jeep Wrangler capability.

The Jeep EV combines Wrangler’s unmatched off-road capability with the ultimate “Tread Lightly” mindset by providing nature ambassadors with the ability to roam the planet and take care of it at the same time.

The Jeep EV Range-extended Electric Vehicle uses an electric motor, an advanced lithium-ion battery system, and a small gasoline engine with an integrated electric generator to produce additional energy to power the electric-drive system when needed. The 200 kW (268 horsepower) electric motor generates 400 N·m (295 lb.-ft.) of torque. With approximately eight gallons of gasoline, the Jeep EV has a range of 400 miles, including 40 miles of zero fuel-consumption, zero-emissions, all-electric operation.

“We are also exploring four-wheel-drive, in-wheel electric motors to demonstrate the full reach of ENVI’s advanced electric-drive technologies,” said Rhodes.

The instant high torque of the electric-drive motor and the ability to precisely control each wheel independently results in off-road capability ideally suited for the Jeep brand, without compromising on-road driving capability.

Chrysler EV
The Chrysler EV development vehicle is a Range-extended Electric Vehicle that demonstrates another possible application of ENVI electric-drive technology in the segment-leading Chrysler Town & Country minivan.

“With the Chrysler EV, we are able to blend seven-passenger capability and the luxury of the Chrysler Town & Country minivan with electric-drive technology, demonstrating family practicality with zero compromise,” said Rhodes. “ENVI’s electric-drive development vehicles showcase our accelerated application of electric-drive systems into a wide range of vehicles in Chrysler’s future product portfolio.”

The Chrysler EV combines the electric-drive components of an Electric Vehicle with an integrated small-displacement engine and generator to produce additional electricity to power the electric-drive system when needed. This provides all of the positive attributes of an Electric Vehicle and extends the driving range to be equivalent to today’s gasoline-powered vehicles – without compromises.

The Chrysler EV uses a 190 kW (255 horsepower) motor, producing 350 N·m (258 lb.-ft.) of torque, providing 0 to 60 mph acceleration in approximately nine seconds. The Chrysler EV Range-extended Electric Vehicle can drive 40 miles on all-electric power, and boasts a range of 400 miles on approximately eight gallons of gasoline. This makes the Chrysler EV the perfect fuel-efficient family vehicle.

The knowledge and experience gained from the Chrysler EV will be applied to other front-wheel-drive applications in Chrysler’s portfolio.

Chrysler LLC Electric-vehicle Consumer Web Site
Chrysler LLC has launched a web site – www.Chryslergoeselectric.com – to allow consumers to view the latest updates on Electric Vehicles and Range-extended Electric Vehicles from the Company. Content will include videos, photography and news, and visitors can sign up for updates. In addition, the site features a blog where consumers can interact directly with the Company.

Department of Energy Cooperative Agreement
Chrysler and General Electric are jointly pursuing a project with the United States Department of Energy to explore advanced energy-storage technology.

“Chrysler’s partnership with General Electric combines the electric-drive technology demonstrated in the Chrysler Electric Vehicles, with GE’s research and development of advanced energy storage systems,” said Klegon. “Our collective goal working with the DOE is to develop a new, integrated energy-storage system to make electric vehicle battery packs smaller and significantly less expensive than current designs.”

Chrysler and GE will develop and evaluate dual-battery solutions based on GE’s unique technology.

“One of the challenges with electric vehicles is finding a battery with the correct balance between power – for example, during vehicle acceleration – and energy for long driving range,” said Klegon. “We believe that combining two unique battery chemistries – one biased toward power and the other toward energy – into a single battery pack is very promising for a future Chrysler Electric Vehicle.”

>Chrysler LLC is readying a sweeping, $150 million package of vehicle upgrades as new owner Cerberus Capital Management puts its first stamp on the line-up of Chrysler cars already in showrooms, executives said.
>
>The initiative, which will be marketed under the tagline that Chrysler’s new owners are ushering in a “New Day” for the struggling No. 3 U.S.-based automaker, will be introduced to Chrysler dealers next month, Chrysler executives said on the sidelines of the Detroit auto show.
>
>The plan includes intended fixes and upgrades to over 260 vehicle features, and price changes covering 12 models.
>
>The effort is intended to get consumers to take a new look at some of the last models rolled out under the ownership of German parent Daimler AG and demonstrate how quickly the “new” Chrysler can move to address problems, executives said.
>
>Among the models that will be revamped are the Dodge Caliber, the Jeep Patriot and the Jeep Compass, they said…

Instead of making changes to vehicles that most people **don’t want**, Chrysler would be better off slashing these vehicles from their lineup all together, and then fast tracking the changes that customers want.

Anybody say **diesel Wrangler**?

It makes me wonder if the financials of Chrysler are being affected by the dollar. Or, do Chrysler’s sakes figures look at the number of units sold? Either way, there is hope for Chrysler, outside of finding the fountain of youth for Lee Iacocca.

There are already plans to scrap the Commander and the Compass, Liberty and Patriot all seem to take up the same space. It’s almost like they are competing against themselves.

I think that it would behoove Chrysler to whittle their lineup down to just three SUVs. A lineup of just the Wrangler, Grand Cherokee and a Liberty-esque vehicle would significantly reduce costs and simplify consumer choice.

>Chrysler LLC said it has added two hours to one shift at the factories making the Wrangler and will add those hours to a second shift starting Monday. Those factories, which the company said had been working eight-hour shifts five days a week, have 1,350 Chrysler and supplier workers.
>
>The extra production comes after a United Auto Workers leader said Toledo Jeep could make only 583 Wranglers a day but demand was for more than 1,000 a day.
>
>“The public can’t get enough of them,� said Bruce Baumhower, UAW Local 12 president at Toledo Jeep. Hearing about the added production time yesterday, he said, “It’s great that vehicle has exceeded everybody’s expectation and I hope it continues until they have to put on a third shift and hire more workers.�

>They’re investing thousands of dollars improving the functionality and uniqueness of their vehicles, and keeping us scrambling to create new and useful packages to enhance their experience.
>
>Jeep enthusiasts demand the highest levels of performance and durability from their products, and we’re always ready to deliver to them the next level of customization. Our relationship with Jeep has proven to be a great fit, and it’s worked out phenomenally well for us and our customers.

>Chrysler LLC hired Jim Press to lead its sales and marketing, luring away the executive who helped propel Toyota Motor Corp. to No. 2 in the U.S. auto market.

[Read whole article](http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601080&sid=axZGmtdyJ0wg&refer=asia “Chrysler Lands Toyota Guru”)

>Chrysler LLC CEO Robert Nardelli said today that the automaker has no plans to drop any of the Chrysler, Dodge or Jeep brands, but hinted that some individual vehicles could be vulnerable. He didn’t name specific models.

Since Jeep is the one brand that is actually making Chrysler money, dropping the brand would be ludicrous. Getting rid of the Chrysler or Dodge brands, or consolidating the two could be beneficial, but dropping some of the cars, like the Compass and the Commander could also be money savers.

**Who:** A gathering for collectors and those who simply admire automobiles

**When:** Thursday, Aug. 9, 6 – 9 p.m.

**Where:** Walter P. Chrysler Museum, One Chrysler Dr., Auburn Hills 48326 (on The New Chrysler headquarters complex, off I-75 at exit 78)

**Details:** Jeep(R) Night, Aug. 9, will feature a lineup of rugged concept vehicles:

* Jeep Gladiator
* Jeep Hurricane
* Jeep Jeepster
* Jeep Rescue
* Jeep Trailhawk

Guests will receive a complimentary Jeep poster and an Aug. 6issue of AutoWeek magazine, while supplies last.

Guests can join in The New Chrysler’s introduction by cruising by the company’s headquarters building (visible from I-75) to view the giant Get Ready for the Next 100 Years banner and the illuminated Pentastar symbol

Plaques awarded to outstanding vehicles in three categories:

* Best Jeep
* Best Wheels for Wooing
* Museum Choice

All makes and models welcome — rain or shine — for an evening of music, food concessions, free Museum tours and Museum Store discounts.

Cruise Nights at the Walter P. Chrysler Museum wraps up Aug. 23 with Hot Truck Night featuring such concepts as the:

* Jeep Gladiator
* Dodge M80
* Dodge Power Wagon
* Dodge Rampage

**Other**: Contact http://www.chryslerheritage.com/ or 248-944-0450 for event details.