1996 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am Coupe 2-door 5.7l on 2040-cars

Auto blog

Big Black Friday discounts key to Chrysler 200 sales success

A lot of people go shopping for deals on TVs or computers around the holiday season, but it looks like some folks are finding some fantastic deals on cars too. Take the Chrysler 200 for example. The new sedan had a great November in terms of sales, and by Chrysler's numbers, it delivered 14,317 of them for the month, a 155 percent increase from the same month last year. It even beat the November 2013 sales of the old 200 and Dodge Avenger combined. However, a report from Daily Kanban based on TrueCar data suggests that the good month came at least in part from steep incentives. Based on 20,156 sales of the 200 from TrueCar's database, average transaction prices were about $2,500 to $4,000 under MSRP for all but the base LX front-wheel drive model. That one actually went for about $68 above the typical base price. Going by these numbers, most people could have bought nearly any trim cheaper than the listed price of the one above it. For example, the top C AWD averaged $27,423, less money than the stated MSRP of the lower-spec S AWD. TrueCar's website also shows 200 pricing dipping in the latter part of November and into early December. There's no doubt that the 200 had a stellar month for November. But these figures suggest that it might have come partially because buyers found stacks of money on 200 hoods, while out doing some holiday shopping. Related Video:

Toyota, Ford not interested in FCA merger

Sergio Marchionne will preach the benefits of mergers to anyone who'll listen, but his calls for industry consolidation may be falling on deaf ears. At least, that is, the ears of those who the Fiat Chrysler chief would most like to bend. Not only is General Motors uninterested, but according to The Detroit News, neither are Toyota or Ford. "It's something we would not be interested in," said Toyota's North American chief Jim Lentz, at the groundbreaking ceremony for the new Toyota Technical Center. "At 10 million (vehicles) we have enough scale right now to do what we need to do. There really would be no advantage for us." Toyota isn't the only one unenthused by the prospect of merging with Fiat Chrysler Automobiles. The Detroit News also reports that Ford, though it may yet to have been approached by Marchionne, wouldn't be interested either. "We're not a suitor for FCA," said Ford CFO Bob Shanks. "We don't see that type of opportunity as one that applies to us." With GM, Toyota, and Ford expressing disinterest in Marchionne's merger idea, the FCA chief will likely start looking elsewhere – or look for other ways to compel his primary candidate to reconsider. He may eventually find a partner – more likely in the Far East or within Europe – but it may not take the form of the major player Sergio has hoped for. News Source: The Detroit NewsImage Credit: Bill Pugliano/Getty Chrysler Fiat Ford Toyota Sergio Marchionne FCA merger fiat chrysler automobiles

A closer look at the 2015 Chrysler 200

When the doors of the Detroit Auto Show open to the public tomorrow, there's no doubt that the Chevy, BMW and Lexus booths will attract plenty of foot traffic with flashy sports cars. But when it comes to relevance as it relates to sales volume and in-market shoppers, the 2015 Chrysler 200 could end up being one of the more important introductions from the show. Positioned in the highly competitive midsize sedan segment, Chrysler has quite the challenge ahead of it, so we asked Andy Love, product chief of the 200, to give us a closer look at the new sedan to see how it will stack up against cars like the Toyota Camry, Ford Fusion and Honda Accord.
All of the pertinent information about the new 200 was revealed during the on-stage introduction, but Love gave us a first-hand look at the sedan's more intricate details. This includes some of the exterior design elements such as the wide use of LED exterior lighting and the strategic placement of the side marker lights, and even interior cues like electronic shifter, which allowed for extra storage space in the center console. Aside from the name, the 2015 200 started from scratch riding on a similar platform as the Dodge Dart and Jeep Cherokee, based on the Alfa Romeo Giulietta.
Scroll down to watch Love talk us through the 2015 Chrysler 200, and you can find more information about it at our original post from earlier in the week.