2013 Chrysler 200 Limited on 2040-cars

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Chrysler set to make $266M-investment into 8-speed transmission production

Chrysler will shortly make a significant $266-million investment into its Kokomo, IN transmission factory in a bid to expand production of its eight-speed automatic transmissions. The gearboxes, which are built under license from Germany's ZF Friedrichshafen, have been well received by customers and critics, and according to an SEC filing obtained by Automotive News, the transmissions will eventually find their way to all of Chrysler's rear-drive offerings (Viper and heavy-duty Ram models, aside). According to AN, a Chrysler spokesman says the investment has not been confirmed, but once it is, it'll mark the company's latest in a growing line of investments at the facility. Chrysler has poured $1.5 billion into Kokomo since 2009.

2017 Chrysler 300S Sport Appearance Package makes tweaks

Your opinion may differ, but to us, if you want the best-looking Chrysler 300, you pretty much have to go with the S model. And now, thanks to the new Sport Appearance Packages, the 300S is going to look even better. The exterior Sport Appearance Pack is going to be standard on the V8-powered 300S and optional on the V6 model. It'll bring you some good stuff, like a gloss-black grille and smoked headlamps, both of which sit in a sportier fascia with larger air intakes and LED fog lamps. There's also a new rear spoiler, and of course, 20-inch wheels (19s if you opt for all-wheel drive). Go for the interior Sport Appearance Package, and the entire inside section of the seats is finished in suede while the exterior sections are leather. The Light Gray Diesel contrast stitching adds a dash of spice to the otherwise black cabin, while the piano black trim's gloss is the closest you'll get to brightwork. Overall, the interior Sport Appearance Pack is a far less comprehensive job than the exterior pack, but it's still pretty nice. We like the overall look provided by both Sport Appearance Packages. They are clean, not overdone, and take the already serious look of the 300S a step further. But there's also little hiding the 300's age at this point. While it's a good look, it's a poor replacement for an all-new 300. We're waiting, Chrysler. Pricing isn't out yet, but we can tell you that dealers will begin taking orders for both the Interior and Exterior Sport Appearance Packages this August. You can see what both packages look like on in the gallery up top, which also features the new Ceramic Gray exterior color.

Fiat Chrysler target 850k sales in China by 2018

Behind the vanguard of numerous Jeep models, two Chryslers, a smattering of Fiats and Alfa Romeos and local production through a joint venture with Guangzhou Automotive Group (GAG), Fiat Chrysler wants to increase sales in China more than six-fold by 2018. The group sold 130,000 cars in China in 2013, the aim for 2018 being 850,000 cars.
Ultimately it's expected that the Jeep Grand Cherokee, Cherokee, Wrangler, Renegade, the coming Grand Wagoneer and a sub-Renegade-sized crossover will either be built in or exported to the People's Republic. The Chrysler Town & Country and 300 will join the export list in 2016 and 2018 respectively, according to a report in Automotive News.
With a number of those vehicles not in production or perhaps even envisaged yet, and others not due on the local market until 2018, it will be interesting to see how Fiat Chrysler plans to achieve the target in the specified timeframe. The joint venture with GAG builds two products now, the Dodge Dart-based Fiat Viaggio launched two years ago - supposedly designed just for China - and the just-launched Fiat Ottimo, a hatchback version of the Viaggio. Fiat projected 300,000 Viagio sales in its first two years, that number has been adjusted downward to 94,000 and there doesn't appear to be an analyst alive that sees a good future for Fiat in China's overrun mainstream market. Still, last year's 130,000 group sales in China is a huge jump from 2012 sales of 66,000 units, but less than half the 300,000 units it projected.