2004 Chrysler Sebring Base Sedan 4-door 2.4l Hi Bid Wins on 2040-cars

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Next Chrysler minivan spied inside and out

Chrysler isn't supposed to unveil the next-generation Town & Country until the 2016 Detroit Auto Show, but FCA is hard at work getting the minivan ready for launch. Our spies recently caught prototypes on the road and took copious photos of the interior and exterior, giving us an early idea what to expect from the future family-hauler. These shots make it pretty clear that FCA's engineers aren't done working on the next T&C yet, and all of the camouflage on the outside makes any styling changes very difficult to spot. However, the company is testing the future version with a current one, and the new design appears to have harder angles. One intriguing picture clearly shows the Dodge logo on the back of the minivan. The Dodge Grand Caravan is supposed to be killed off for 2016, though. We've also heard the next-generation minivan will get a plug-in hybrid variant, which was reportedly confirmed last week. The interior is slightly less concealed than the outside, but development is still ongoing in there, too. It's easy to spot the familiar infotainment screen from other FCA products, and there's just a peek at the T&C's instrument cluster, including the design for the tachometer. A rotary dial gearshift also appears to be in the center console, similar to the Chrysler 200. Even at this early stage, it appears that FCA is trying to take the next T&C a little more upmarket compared to the current iteration. The move fits well with earlier rumors of the price increasing for the future model. Related Video:

Chrysler to veer away from 'Imported From Detroit' message?

Claim some ground, control that ground and then expand. Chrysler, wandering the Earth like Kane from Kung-Fu when it came to brand message after the bailouts, pulled off the first two feats in only 120 seconds when its "Imported from Detroit" commercial aired during the 2011 Super Bowl. Two years later and now that the brand has a center in the minds of consumers, the Chrysler Group's head of marketing, Olivier Francois, says it's time to move away from the "Detroit" component of that slogan and express the "Imported" aspect.
It is, more precisely, about positioning Chrysler as genuine competition for imports and not Ford or General Motors, but rather Toyota on quality or Audi on technology. A report in Forbes said that Francois not only "wants to attract import owners to Chrysler vehicles by focusing on quality, technology, fuel economy and style," but to "take back the lead in these four things." That is the new understanding he wants people to infer from the idea of Detroit - that the nation's car capital isn't just a patriotic rallying point but a lively competitor for established giants.
Chrysler has been running ads that no longer refer to Detroit, and recent efforts have linked a specific character to each brand - like Jenny with Jeep and Steven with the Chrysler 300 - to create brand separation. Francois hasn't detailed what he plans to do to bolster Chrysler's upscale pretensions, but his efforts would be helped by CEO Sergio Marchionne loosing the pursestrings and the arrival of strong new product.

Small number of 2013 Chrysler 200 and Dodge Avenger models recalled

A small number of units of the 2013 Chrysler 200 (inset) and 2013 Dodge Avenger are being recalled over a broken control valve in the fuel tank assembly. The potential 1,785 sedans were manufactured late last year, and if affected with a broken control valve could suffer from stalling or fuel leakage.
A bulletin from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration notes that the recall should begin next month, at which time owners can take their cars to dealers for repair free of charge. The full release with more information is just below.