Chrysler (Page 24)

Earlier today we brought you the news that the two main groups within Chrysler’s assembly of UAW workers – the production workers and skilled trade workers – had split on whether or not to ratify the new 4-year deal between the labor union and the Chrysler Group but after a brief period of discussion among union officials, the UAW has approved the new contract.

The UAW has been careful to not publish any sort of official results of the current voting process under way for the new 4-year Chrysler contract but reports suggest that with nearly all local branches around the US having turned in their results; production workers have voted in favor of the new deal while skilled trade workers have voted against the new contract.

Earlier this year, I had a chance to speak with SRT CEO Ralph Gilles about the possibility of seeing an SRT-powered Ram in the future and while he couldn’t offer any future product plans, the Ram 392 Quick Silver coming to the 2011 SEMA Show could be a preview of “what could be” if Gilles’ SRT engineers were to build a Ram 1500 of their own.

Chrysler’s Mopar performance parts division always has a massive presence at the SEMA Show and 2011 will be no different, as the Mopar Underground team will unveil their Dodge Challenger SRT8 ACR – built almost entirely with parts from the Mopar catalog to pay homage to the incredible Dodge Viper SRT10 ACR that recently reclaimed the production car lap time record at the famed Nürburgring.

The Ram Truck brand’s Power Wagon package for the 2500 models has been one of the most critically acclaimed trucks in the US over the past few years and for 2012, there are two new trimline options for the most capable off road truck on the market.

Imagine if you had five more computer operating systems than just Windows, and in order to get a new job, you had to be fluent in all of them, not to mention proficient. Then you get the scope of the problem still plaguing many within Detroit's unemployed engineering and design community, while the auto industry cries that it cannot find skilled designers.

In February of this year, TorqueNews brought you a look at the a pair of Jeep Grand Cherokee models clad with diesel engine badging testing in the Detroit area and now, it looks as though the diesel-powered version of the premium Jeep SUV will hit the US market in 2013.

Now that the new contracts between the UAW and Ford/General Motors, the United Auto Workers union can turn their attention to the pending deal with the Chrysler Group but as the results of the first wave of voting has hit the internet – there are mixed results as several major locals have voted “no” while some other groups have given the thumbs up to the new deal.

The folks at WD40 have worked with the SEMA Cares group each of the last two years to build show cars-turned-Barrett Jackson Auto Auction vehicles, raising over $275,000 for children’s charities and this year, WD40 has worked once again with the companies of SEMA Cares along with automotive design legend Chip Foose to create an ultimate sports car.

This morning, a group of workers put the finishing touches on a new window dressing at their Auburn Hills headquarters, showing off a 70-foot tall likeness of the incredible new 2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8 with the bold statement “Autobahned. 0-60 MPH in 4.8 seconds”.

Chrysler’s Sterling Heights Body Shop will house state-of-the-art technology in a one million square foot facility, ready to begin fabrication of new Chrysler products during 2013. This raises the company’s U.S. investment level to $3.5 billion since 2009.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has announced that the subcompact 2012 Fiat 500 has received a Top Safety Pick – making it just the second option in the American minicar segment to receive the major safety certification after the Ford Fiesta became the first to earn these honors.

Yesterday, the Chrysler Group and negotiators from the United Auto Workers union came to an agreement on a tentative 4-year contract that included $4.5 billion in American investments along with adding/retaining around 2,100 jobs in the US.

Here are the specifics of a four-year deal the UAW struck with Chrysler Group LLC today that has many Chrysler workers upset. The tentative agreement goes to Chrysler's 26,000 UAW rank and file now for ratification or rejection.

Reports out of Detroit indicate that the Chrysler Group and the United Auto Workers union have come to a tentative agreement on a new labor contract that is expected to add around 2,100 jobs thanks to over $4.5 billion in facility investments around the country.

Chrysler Group LLC and the UAW resumed bargaining this morning after taking time off Monday to rest after days of round-the-clock negotiations on a new four-year contract left negotiators close but short of an agreement, and exhausted.

Chrysler and Fiat CEO Sergio Marchionne stated at the 2011 Detroit Auto Show that one of the popular Chrysler Group minivans would be terminated in an effort to avoid brand redundancy and it now appears that it will be the Dodge Caravan lineup that meets its maker – effectively ending the incredibly dominating 27 year run by the vehicle that introduced the world to the minivan.

If Chrysler Group / Fiat CEO Sergio Marchionne and UAW President Bob King get past their differences, they will be putting their egos aside for the 26,000 Chrysler auto workers who will benefit from their next four-year contract. Negotiators said they were "up and working" on the deal at 4:23 a.m. today, the UAW confirmed on a Facebook page for its membership.

Chrysler Group / Fiat CEO Sergio Marchionne gave a talk in Montreal this weekend on the future of the global auto industry to the Italian Chamber of Commerce of Canada. Meantime, in Detroit, UAW negotiators said they were "up and working" as of 4:23 a.m. today. Here is Marchionne's take on being a "man of industry."

Leaders of union locals at Chrysler met with UAW President Bob King and his deputies for less than a half hour this morning at the UAW's Region 1 office in Warren, Mich. King told them his bargaining team hopes to have a four-year deal in place with the Detroit Three's smallest carmaker by Wednesday.

Chrysler Group and the United Auto Workers (UAW) union are getting close to a tentative labor deal. The Associated Press has reported that Jodi Tinson, a Chrysler spokesperson, confirmed that union leaders will be gathering on Monday, October 10th for talks. There is progress in the talks, but no deal is in place for the UAW and Chrysler yet.

The UAW's handshake deal with Ford Motor Co. is so sweet that the union council that endorsed taking the four-year contract to the membership for ratification isn't worried about backlash or backtalk from the rank and file. And neither is the UAW's brass.

Sales numbers are in for September 2011 and for the 8th month this year, the Chevrolet Camaro has outsold the Ford Mustang, the Dodge Challenger and the Nissan 370Z – continuing the Chevy muscle car’s dominance of the rear wheel drive segment that has gone nearly unchallenged in 2011.

Sales numbers for September 2011 are in and once again, the Chrysler Group is the top dog among major automakers in terms of growth while their total sales volume allows them to claim the third spot on the sales chart, besting Toyota by almost 6,000 units.

The Chrysler Group has rolled out the changes to their 2012 Ram Truck brand lineup and the big news is the 2012 Ram Tradesman Heavy Duty – which offers best in class towing and hauling numbers in a low cost package that is easier for small businesses to swallow.

The Chrysler Group’s total retail and fleet sales increased by 27 percent in September creating the best September total sales and Jeep sales since 2007. At the same time new Jeep Compass sold at a 306 percent year-over-year sales level and sales of the next generation Chrysler 200 mid-size sedan were up 87 percent over a year ago.

The Chrysler Group hopes to see their popularity grow in the European market and today, they took the first step in making that happen (hopefully) with the introduction of the new 2012 Chrysler Delta and 2012 Chrysler Ypsilon – their two newest European offerings both of which are based on Lancia models that share the same names.