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Mopar opening Custom Shop at Cobo

While other automakers have been streamlining their brand portfolio, the Chrysler Group has shown no such signs. It's got the Dodge, Chrysler and Jeep brands, plus Fiat, and it recently broke out its SRT and Ram nameplates into their own brands. And you can bet each will have its own presence at the Detroit Auto Show this year. But don't forget Mopar. The company's performance parts division is getting its own display at Cobo this year, and it'll be the largest in the brand's history.
The Mopar Custom Shop is poised to take up 5,500 square-feet of Cobo floor space, further expanding on last year's Mopar Garage. If the image above offers any indication, the show stand will include a Dodge Challenger, SRT Viper, Fiat 500L, Jeep Wrangler, Jeep Cherokee, Ram 3500 and what looks like (but isn't identified in the press release below as) a Chrysler 200 (which may be replaced by a 2014 model), all augmented with Mopar parts and accessories.
Visitors will also be able to use pre-programmed iPads to configure Chrysler Group vehicles with a wide range of accessories - a portfolio that grows by 1,500 new parts every year and tops over 100 add-ons for every new vehicle Chrysler launches.

Chrysler Q3 profits surge to $611M but per-unit profits trouble

Chrysler Group has announced its third-quarter financial results a little later than its crosstown rivals at General Motors and Ford, but the company has reason to celebrate thanks to strong numbers across the board.
The biggest attention-grabber from the automaker is that its net income was up 32 percent in the third quarter to $611 million, compared to $464 million over the same period last year. Modified operating profit was also strong at $946 million - a 10 percent gain. Furthermore, net revenue grew as well to $20.7 billion - 18 percent higher Q3 2013.
Growing sales pushed the strong financials. Chrysler Group sold about 711,000 vehicles worldwide for the quarter, up 18 percent from a year ago. Things looked especially good in the US, where its market share grew to 12.3 percent, versus 11.2 percent in Q3 2013.

Bob Dylan to star in Chrysler Super Bowl spot [w/videos]

Billboard reports that Bob Dylan will be working with Chrysler again, this time starring in a Super Bowl ad expected to showcase the company's new 200 sedan. The rock icon first tied up with the Chrysler Group late last year when a commercial for the new 2014 Jeep Cherokee used Dylan's unreleased cover of Blind Willie Johnson's "Motherless Children" for its soundtrack.
The last big-game commercial for the 200 used Eminem in 2011 to introduce us to the outgoing 200 and the tagline-turned-mini-movement, "Imported from Detroit." Since then, Clint Eastwood, Berry Gordy, Jr., and America's farmers have taken turns impressing us with Chrysler Group's wares. It isn't yet known what song will be used for the spot. Speaking of the coming ad, company CEO Sergio Marchionne said, "Someone made the comment to me that I had the right commercial in 2011 and the wrong car. I think we now have hopefully the right commercial and the right car."
It's not Dylan's first outing with a carmaker, having starred in a spot to promote the Cadillac Escalade in 2007. Nor will it be the only Dylan music we get during the Super Bowl, the singer having licensed a track that's used in a one-minute commercial for Chobani Greek yogurt.