Franklin Sussex Auto Mall Blog

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.

And the winner is …
The 2008 Chrysler Town And Country!

MotherProof.Com is dedicated to providing women in general and mothers in particular with useful and entertaining new-car reviews. The site’s innovative reviews are straightforward and casual, written by the Mother Proof mom-reviewers from one woman to another.

Back by popular demand are the 2008 Mother Proof/Spoof Awards. Their team of mom-reviewers have been busy all year, loading child-safety seats, carpoolers, teenagers, groceries and the occasional gaggle of giggly gal friends into all the latest and greatest cars. Here is why mom’s love the 2008 Chrysler Town And Country …

We LOVE the Swivel ‘n Go second-row seats that turn around to face the third row, with a living-room-like table that sits between them to create a conversation zone in the back. There’s also an automatic tailgate, automatic doors, an automatic-folding third-row seat that can flip back to create a tailgate seat, Sirius Satellite TV, a smooth crossover-like ride and uber-funky ambient lighting. And you thought minivans weren’t cool tsk, tsk!

At Franklin Sussex Auto Mall, we have a full line of these incredible minivans with a sales staff knowledgeable and ready to show you some of the many features made available this year. For some additional information and photos, you can check out a review of the 2008 Chrysler Town and Country here …

The 2008 Dodge Challenger has finally arrived!

With its ground shaking performance, unmistakable design cues and world-class ride and handling characteristics, the return of the iconic Dodge Challenger brings what pony car fanatics crave! Developed by Chrysler’s in-house performance engineering organization, the 2008 Dodge Challenger SRT8 was engineered with a focus on the five pillars of every SRT vehicle: bold exterior design that resonates with the brand image, a race-inspired interior, world-class ride and handling across a dynamic range, a standout powertrain and benchmark braking.

For 2008, Dodge will be producing only 6,400 models in three distinct colors, HEMI Orange, Bright Silver Metallic and Brilliant Black Crystal Pearl Coat. Each 2008 model will have the same SRT8 6.1L HEMI V8 with 425 horsepower and 420 lb.-ft. of torque that will propell the Challenger from 0-60 mph in the low 5-second range along with a 1/4 mile time of less than 14 seconds.

With an MSRP of $37,995, most (if not all) 2008 Challengers have already been accounted for by customers who put deposits down the first week they were able to. Currently, Chrysler has provided Franklin Sussex Auto Mall with three.

Here are a couple shots of Dodge’s latest muscle car!

Dodge just released a quick video teaser of the new 2008 Challenger. Check it out!

The Chrysler Town and Country, and its sibling, the Dodge Grand Caravan, are the most family friendly minivans on the market, if not the best driving. The many unique and handy seating and storage options make them worth a look.

The Town and Country’s entertainment and seating options are the best in the class, matched only by the Dodge Grand Caravan. The available Stow ‘n Go seating tucks the second-row seats nicely into the floor, and when those seats are up, the floor bins offer storage space. The rear seats fold into the floor on all models, allowing a perfectly flat, voluminous rear storage area that can accommodate items such as couches, 4×8-foot sheets of plywood, and most any other item you might need to transport. In addition, there is a handy well behind the third row that offers lots of storage space even with the seats up.

The new Swivel ‘n Go option will be great for family trips. The second row turns to face the third row with a table in between. It will help keep the kids entertained with games of checkers, a place to draw, or any number of other possibilities. And if that’s not enough, the Town and Country offers single and dual screen rear DVD entertainment systems, plus newly available Sirius Backseat TV with three kid-friendly channels. The dual screens allow different viewing options for kids that can’t agree on what to watch. And for the adults up front, Chrysler’s new MyGIG hard drive radio stores up to 1600 songs.

Overall, the 2008 Town and Country does what a minivan should. It is a great vehicle for families that need to haul kids and cargo on a regular basis. And the seating and entertainment options will prevent a lot of the fights that inevitably accompany road trips.