Franklin Sussex Auto Mall Blog

Chris Shunk of AutoBlog.Com was able to get a couple images of the 2009 Dodge Ram that could have been. In an effort to stay competative, Chrysler had worked extremely hard to get this new truck just right. In the end, the results paid off with improved power and efficiency, more storage and a much more refined look.

Here are some excerpts from his blog post:

Friend of Autoblog Mike Levine at Pickuptruck.com got his hands on many of the designs that led to the Ram we’ll see in showrooms this fall, and the sketches range from interesting to bizarre. If you take the photo above, for instance, you can see where Dodge was trying to conceptualize nifty storage solutions. The forward-leaning cross-hair grille and integrated bumper had already taken shape, too. Check out our gallery below that includes some exclusive pictures of rejected Rams, and visit PIckuptruck.com to see even more.

Mike Levine, from PickupTruck.Com, received the first official photos from Chrysler of the newly redesigned 2009 Dodge Ram Regular Cab. Here are a few excerpts …

Though we’ve yet to drive it, so far we’re mighty impressed with the new 2009 Dodge Ram 1500’s fresh approach in design and functionality that emphasizes day-to-day usability over extreme capability.

But we’ve only seen and touched the Crew Cab version. The traditional Regular Cab model has remained out of sight. No longer! Here are the first official Ram Regular Cab pictures, received from Chrysler.

The Regular Cab Ram 1500 will offer two bed lengths, 6-foot 4-inch or an 8-foot cargo box. The truck will have a 120-inch or 140-inch wheelbase, depending on the bed choice. The Ram pickups shown in this story all have the short box and 120-inch wheelbase. Unfortunately, you won’t be able to order the innovative new ‘RamBox’ side saddle storage option. It will only be available for the Ram 1500 Crew Cab.

The sister vehicle to the 2008 Chrysler Town And Country, the Dodge Grand Caravan, was recently reviewed by Harvey Schwartz over at AutomotiveAddicts.Com. His opening line is the perfect statement for this incredible vehicle …

The all-new 2008 Dodge Grand Caravan re-writes the book on minivans.

Over the years, Dodge’s hauler has faced increased competition from import-brand minivans. In some ways, it has risen to the challenge, offering groundbreaking features that have served to separate it from the pack. The Chrysler/Dodge minivans were the first to offer driver-side sliding doors. They are also the only vans on the market to offer Stow ‘n Go seating. Eliminating the need to remove the seats and then find someplace else to store them when not in use, this system enables owners to quickly and easily fold both the second- and third-row seats into the floor, or flip the third-row split bench completely rearward to provide tailgate seating. New Swivel ‘n Go allows you to turn the middle captain’s chairs around to face the third row for a family-friendly conversation seating setup.

To continue reading his outstanding review, be sure to check out his blog post. If you are interested in finding out more about the 2008 Dodge Grand Caravan, check out our inventory on the website for Franklin Sussex Automall.

Smooth, quiet operation, tight handling, space, luxury: The Chrysler 300 sedan has it all, at attractive prices. Yet what the 300 has more than anything is bold, appealing styling. The Chrysler 300 delivers impressive value, but emphasizing the cost/benefit ratio may minimize its other strengths. The 300s are good, appealing cars, and they’ve set the benchmark for Detroit’s car builders.

For 2008, Chrysler added several features and tweaked the interior and exterior design. New features include adaptive cruise control, Sirius Backseat TV and Chrysler’s MyGig, a 20-gigabyte hard drive that holds songs, pictures, and navigation system map information. Chrysler’s UConnect hands-free cell-phone link has been upgraded with an integrated iPod interface. The interior has a new instrument panel and center console, and the arm rests, center console and door trim benefit from soft-touch surfaces. Outside, the front and rear fascia, grille, decklid, and side moldings are updated.

Safety features include multi-stage front airbags. Curtain-style head protection airbags for outboard passengers and torso-protecting front side-impact airbags are optional. An Electronic Stability Program (ESP), Traction Control System (TCS) and anti-lock brakes (ABS) with Brake Assist are standard on all but the LX model, where they are optional. Other safety-related options include rear obstacle detection, high-intensity discharge headlamps, a tire-pressure monitor, and all-wheel drive. The Chrysler 300 has earned a five-star rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) for front-impact crash protection.

With its rear-wheel-drive architecture, the Chrysler 300 might be a case of back to the future. Yet there’s little about it that’s retro, except maybe the giant grille, which clearly draws on 300s from the past. The first Chrysler 300 was introduced in 1955. It was called the C300 and its engine had hemispherical combustion chambers earning the Hemi nickname. It had two four-barrel carburetors, and it achieved fame as the most powerful engine of the day, winning the NASCAR championship in the C300’s first year and setting top speed records on the beach at Daytona.

The current Chrysler 300 is just as bold. Its styling makes no apologies. It has a look that appeals to young and old alike.

The Chrysler 300 looks dramatic in profile because its rear-wheel-drive layout allows a distinctive shape. The wheelwell cutouts, wrapping around rims up to 20 inches in diameter, are striking. The wheelbase is long but the overhangs are short, offering a visual sense of power. The roofline, a sort of ’30s gangster tease, beautifully complements the long, low lines, which appear to be carved from a big horizontal block of metal. The roof rakes thickly down to a short deck, and the sides are like large slabs.

The high-performance SRT8 may be the coolest-looking 300 of all. Its unique features include body-color front and rear bumper inserts, mirrors and door handles. The modifications are more than aesthetic: The front and rear ends direct air flow through unique ducts that cool the brakes, while a specially designed rear spoiler increases rear downforce by 39 percent, helping keep the rear tires firmly planted at high speed without increasing drag. Yet the coolest thing about the SRT8 might be its 20-inch forged aluminum wheels and asymmetrical high-performance tires. These maximize that visual power, and they’re staggered in the classic track-performance tradition, with the rear tires slightly wider than the fronts.

The Chrysler 300 delivers bold styling. It’s smooth and quiet, with a great ride and tight handling. Getting in and out is easy, and it’s roomy inside. Models are available for all tastes and budgets. Its traction and stability electronics work well, but buyers who want to be prepared for bad weather should opt for all-wheel drive. The base 300 is a lot of car for the money, with a proven V6 that has adequate power for many drivers. We prefer the Touring and Limited models, with their more powerful V6 and higher levels of features. The 300C comes with a Hemi V8 that can dust expensive luxury cars in performance and value. The SRT8 delivers outstanding performance in civilized style at a price that’s hard to beat.

Juan Pablo Montoya, driver of the number 42 Texaco/Havoline Dodge Charger for NASCAR, is a new face to many Americans, but is well known in Europe because of his Formula 1 days. With this, Chrysler Corporation thought it was fitting to have him introduce and track test the new Dodge Caliber SRT4 at the Geneva Auto Show earlier this month. Here is the video of that test …

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The Jeep Liberty is all-new for 2008. It’s slightly bigger and has a smoother ride, but it maintains the ruggedness of the previous version. The 2008 Liberty is quite capable off road, one of the best in its class.

The 2008 Jeep Liberty is 2.5 inches longer overall and its wheelbase is two inches longer than that of its predecessor. With heavily revised styling, the 2008 Liberty is taller and more angular than the 2001-2007 models, reminiscent of the much-loved, rugged but crude 1990s Jeep Cherokee. Compared to recent Jeep offerings such as the Patriot and Compass, the all-new 2008 Liberty is more of a true Jeep, with off-road prowess and bold, upright styling.Safety features include the mandated dual front airbags, plus head-protecting side-curtain airbags with rollover sensors and front side airbags for torso protection. Active safety features include anti-lock brakes with brake assist, hill start assist, traction control, and electronic stability control with rollover mitigation. The antilock brakes have rough road detection; when rough conditions are detected, the system holds the brake pulses longer to better slow the vehicle. Hill descent control is standard on 4×4 models. Optional safety features include trailer sway control and rear obstacle detection.The most noticeable aspect of the front end is Jeep’s characteristic seven-slot grille, which is taller on this model. The grille is body color on Sport, chrome on Limited. The front fascia is body color on all, and the front air dam is removable to provide more ground clearance for off-roading.

From the side, the Liberty looks like a junior Commander, with tall windows in a squared off greenhouse. The Limited’s chrome theme extends to the side with chrome side trim and roof rails. These components are black on Sport, and the roof rails are optional. In an attempt to give the Liberty the open feel of a Wrangler, Jeep offers the Sky Slider sunroof. Jeep says this canvas power sunroof is four times the size of an average sunroof.

The 2008 Jeep Liberty offers a pleasant driving experience. The ride is generally firm, but the Liberty smoothes over most bumps and is never punishing, even with the available 18-inch wheels.

In off-road conditions, the 2008 Liberty is quite capable. With generous approach and departure angles and low-range gearing for 4×4 models, it can crawl over large rocks and logs. Four-wheel-drive models have Hill Descent Control, which pulses the brakes through the ABS to limit the vehicle’s speed when driving down steep grades. Hill Start Assist is also standard. It holds the brakes on hills when the driver releases the brakes to prevent the vehicle from sliding backward.

The 2008 Jeep Liberty has better off-road capability and more towing capacity than most of its competitors.  It offers generous cargo space and a high seating position. All-new for 2008, the latest version is more refined than the previous generation.

Chrysler recently released a video interview of Brian Nielander, the Exterior Design Manager for the Challenger, and Jeff Gale, the Lead Exterior Designer for the Challenger. During the clip, Brian and Jeff discuss the various elements of the new Challenger that are reminiscent of the original Dodge Challenger as well as the concept car seen at many of the auto shows around the world.

Here is the clip from that interview covering the challenges of bringing the concept car to life while retaining that original muscle car look and feel!

Like most dealers, I like to keep up on news and postings put out by the manufacturer so I know what is happening or what I can expect further down the road. This morning, I came across a blog post by Chrysler about a Dodge Ram 3500 Mega Cab and an 18-wheeler that was stuck in the snow.

Here are a few lines from the post …

Greg Strychar works the third shift at Warren (Mich.) Stamping as a Millwright. As he exited the freeway yesterday on his way home from work, he spotted an 18-wheeler stuck in the snow beside the local Home Depot.

There was a Ford F150 hooked up to it, trying to help, but unable to budge the huge truck. Strychar, who drives a 2006 Dodge Ram Mega Cab 3500 Laramie with a Cummins Turbo Diesel 6-speed, pulled up and offered assistance. In order to hook up to the truck, Strychar had to get his truck into the snow as well.

After hooking up his truck, he gave it a tug. It didn’t take long before his Ram and the 18-wheeler were back on dry pavement. According to Strychar, “it just goes to prove that Dodge is the superior product on the market today. The drivetrain on my truck is stock. I’ve only upgraded the tires to the BFG A/T 315/70r17.”

Strychar, who said he has been helped by good samaritans in the past and was happy to return the favor, said the driver of the 18-wheeler was very thankful that he and his Dodge Ram happened by to save the day. Oh, and after Strychar purchased his Ram Mega Cab, two of his neighbors went out and bought Dodge Ram Mega Cab vehichles of their very own.

This type of information just goes to show how powerful our Dodge Ram trucks really are. If it could easily pull a loaded semi out of the snow, imagine what else it could tow for you (boats, cars, etc). Franklin Sussex Auto Mall has one of the largest Dodge Truck inventories around with a great selection of models to choose from, including the Ram 3500 Mega Cab featured in this story!

After Bob’s post about the 2009 Dodge Journey yesterday, I found this great video from Edmunds.Com with some incredible footage of this new vehicle from Dodge!

The new Journey is one of those vehicles that wants to look like an SUV, haul stuff like a station wagon and ride like a passenger car!

Known by the code name JC49 for months, the Dodge Journey is actually based on an Avenger chassis with a wheelbase lengthened 4.9 inches. That provides extra room for an optional third-row seat for “occasional use”. The Journey also includes some clever features like a large storage bin beneath the front passenger seat cushion, as well as two in-floor bins behind the front seats big enough to carry a 12-pack each and some ice.

Here are some remarks from the latest press release …

Dodge designers and engineers have answered the needs of the global passenger car market, as well as the needs of individual drivers, and delivered the all-new Dodge Journey: a global vehicle that meets life’s changing demands by offering a unique combination of versatility and flexibility in a sporty, sexy package. This all-new vehicle takes the practicality of a minivan, the capability of a sport-utility vehicle (SUV) and the overall efficiency of a passenger car and blends all the best attributes of each into an all-new “right-sized” crossover for the Dodge brand.

The Dodge Journey is built on the company’s global D-segment platform and is designed to meet the needs of customers ranging from young singles, couples and families with small children to mature families who want the flexibility to do more in terms of seating people or storing gear. Clever, flexible seating and storage combinations include standard five-passenger seating with spacious cargo room and available 5+2 seating, for times when additional passengers are along on the journey. Spacious storage bins, hidden in the floor and under the front passenger seat cushion, combined with a variety of fuel-efficient and powerful powertrain options, make Dodge Journey flexible, functional and fun-to-drive.

Dodge Journey features several different engine/transaxle combinations designed to meet the needs of the diverse mid-size crossover buyer. These include a fuel-efficient 2.4-liter four-cylinder World Engine, a Flexible Fuel Vehicle (FFV) 2.7-liter V-6 engine that can run on E-85, an available 3.5-liter V-6 engine coupled with a six-speed automatic transaxle with Auto Stick for the United States and Canada and a 2.0-liter turbo diesel engine equipped with a six-speed manual or automatic transaxle for markets outside North America.

Dodge Journey’s standard 2.4-liter World Engine provides an estimated fuel economy of 19 miles per gallon (mpg) in the city and 25 mpg on the highway (approximately 9 liters per 100 km on the European combined cycle), as well as solid, quiet performance. Journey’s 2.4-liter World Engine is coupled with a standard four-speed automatic transaxle in the United States and Canada, as well as a five-speed manual transaxle in most markets outside North America.

Dodge Journey SXT and R/T models sold in the United States and Canada equipped with a 3.5-liter V-6 engine also offer AWD capability. Journey’s all-wheel-drive system works on demand, driving only the front wheels until power to the rear wheels is needed. AWD also is used on dry pavement between speeds of 25 and 65 mph (40-105 km/h) to enhance handling during performance driving. This system provides added traction on snow, ice and other low-traction surfaces without having to be switched on and off.