AUBURN HILLS, Mich., Nov. 2, 2011 /PRNewswire/ --
- Chrysler,
Jeep®, Dodge, Ram and Fiat brands all have vehicles recognized as
Consumers Digest automotive "Best Buys" for 2012 model year
- Eight awards more than doubles "Best Buys" honors received in 2010 and in 2011
- November marks the 19th consecutive month of year-over-year sales gains
Consumers
Digest announced its annual automotive "Best Buys," and vehicles from
Chrysler Group LLC received eight of them, more than doubling the number
of "Best Buys" Chrysler Group vehicles received in 2010 and 2011. In
the past year and a half, the Chrysler Group has introduced 16 all-new
or significantly refreshed models, and many awards have been rolling in
ever since.
The Chrysler Group vehicles that received Consumers Digest automotive "Best Buys" for the 2012 model year are:
Chrysler: 300, Town & Country
Jeep: Grand Cherokee
Dodge: Durango, Grand Caravan, Challenger
Ram: 1500
Fiat: 500
"It's a tremendous honor to have so many vehicles named as 'Best Buys' by Consumers Digest," said Doug Betts,
Senior Vice President – Quality, Chrysler Group LLC. "We have gone to
great lengths to enhance the craftsmanship and quality of all of our
vehicles. These awards are evidence that we're producing cars, trucks,
crossovers, minivans and SUVs that customers – and critics –
appreciate."
As
testament to the improvements made to Chrysler Group's vehicles in
terms of quality and desirability, the Company earlier today announced
that vehicle sales are up for the 19th consecutive month.
The
Consumers Digest automotive "Best Buys" issue is an annual publication
in which editors judge vehicles on many build quality and performance
attributes such as ergonomics, fit and finish, utility, acceleration,
fuel economy and many more. They also look at cost of ownership
variables such as resale value, warranty, maintenance costs and annual
operating expenses. The top vehicles in 12 separate categories are then
chosen as "Best Buys" by the publication.
CHRYSLER 300
Once
limited to premium import vehicles costing twice as much, the new
segment-exclusive eight-speed automatic transmission expands the
world-class power and fuel-efficiency of the 2012 Chrysler 300, 300S
(V-6) and 300 Limited models and offers class-leading fuel efficiency
Packed
with a 363 horsepower 5.7-liter HEMI V-8 engine including innovative
Fuel Saver Technology, a five-speed automatic transmission with paddle
shifters and Auto Stick, performance-tuned suspension and larger
performance disc brakes, the V-8 models deliver world-class power and
refinement.
CHRYSLER 300 INVENTORY
CHRYSLER TOWN & COUNTRY
The
2012 Chrysler Town & Country minivan builds upon the dramatic, and
well received, changes made in the previous model year. Already imbued
with innovative technology, unparalleled functionality, classic design,
and a long list of standard convenience and safety features,
enhancements in refinement make the 2012 Town & Country a true
stand-out in the minivan segment.
Improvements
for 2012 include standard leather seating and rear-seat DVD for all
models, new Sapphire Blue interior lighting scheme and a combination
leather and wood steering wheel for Limited models.
CHRYSLER TOWN & COUNTRY INVENTORY
JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE
The
2012 Jeep® Grand Cherokee delivers with even more refinement and
features that can be appreciated on the road and off. Since its
introduction, the 2012 Jeep® Grand Cherokee has captured more than 30
awards from an array of opinion-leading organizations making it the most
awarded SUV ever.
The
most capable Grand Cherokee ever with available Jeep Selec-Terrain™
system, Quadra-Lift™ air suspension, and front and rear independent
suspension also has V-6 and V-8 engine choices that offer class-leading
driving range (550 miles with V-6) or class-leading towing capability
(7,400 lbs. V-8). Jeep grand Cherokee truly is a no-compromises, go
anywhere and do anything SUV.
2012 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE INVENTORY
DODGE CHALLENGER
The
2012 Dodge Challenger delivers exactly what muscle car enthusiasts want
— a powerful and efficient engine lineup, a performance suspension
designed for maximum grip, and athletic head-turning styling — all
executed with quality and precision.
The
Dodge Challenger SXT model and Challenger SXT Plus package feature the
lightweight, aluminum 3.6-liter Pentastar V-6 engine with 305
horsepower, responsive 268 lb.-ft. of torque and up to 27 mpg highway.
With legendary 5.7-liter HEMI® V-8 engines under their hoods, the 2012
Challenger R/T model delivers up to 375 horsepower, 410 lb.-ft. of
torque and 25 mpg highway.
2012 DODGE CHALLENGER INVENTORY
DODGE DURANGO
Durango
has driving dynamics unlike what you typically find in a Sport Utility.
No other SUV on the road compares with the all-new Dodge Durango's
distinctive bold Dodge design that craftily houses a spacious three-row,
seven-passenger functional, flexible and premium interior, covered in
soft-touch materials.
Durango
offers standard seven-passenger seating, best-in-class power,
best-in-class towing, best-in-class driving range of more than 550
miles, more than 30 storage areas, 28 seating configurations and a rear
cargo area of nearly 85 cubic feet that fits a six-foot couch with room
for coffee table or a 10-foot ladder with the front passenger seat
folded flat.
2012 DODGE DURANGO INVENTORY
DODGE GRAND CARAVAN
The
2012 Dodge Grand Caravan continues to lead the segment it created. New
for 2012, Dodge is offering a new American Value Package (AVP), which
makes the best-selling minivan ever the most affordable minivan with a
starting U.S. Manufacturers' Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) of $20,995 (all prices exclude destination).
Chrysler
Group invented the modern minivan in 1983 with the Dodge Caravan and
Plymouth Voyager. Seventy-five minivan-first innovations and 13 million
minivan sales later, the company still leads the way with the best, most
innovative vehicle to move people and things.
2012 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN INVENTORY
RAM 1500
The
Ram 1500 offers a variety of models for customers who rely on their
trucks for work and play. In addition to the 5.7-liter HEMI® V-8 which
produces 390 horsepower, 407 lb.-ft. of torque and 20 mpg, the 2012 Ram
1500 offers a flex-fuel capable 4.7-liter V-8 providing 310 horsepower
and 330 lb.-ft. of torque, and a 3.7-liter V-6 generating 215 horsepower
and 235 lb.-ft. of torque; five and six-speed automatic transmissions;
part-time and on-demand four-wheel-drive transfer cases and 3.21, 3.55,
3.92 and 4.10 axle ratios.
The
2012 Ram 1500 is offered in Regular Cab, Quad Cab® and Crew Cab models,
with three box lengths: 8-foot (Regular Cab), 6-foot-4-inches (Regular
Cab and Quad Cab), and 5-foot-7-inches (Ram 1500 Crew Cab). Thirteen
trim levels are available, each with a unique appearance: Tradesman,
tradesman Heavy Duty, Express, Outdoorsman, ST, SLT, Sport, Sport R/T, Lone Star, Big Horn, Mossy Oak, Laramie and Laramie Longhorn.
2012 RAM 1500 INVENTORY
FIAT 500
The
2012 Fiat 500 caters to a new generation of Americans who want their
vehicle to be as engaging, individualized, ecologically responsible and
technologically savvy as they are. This modern-generation Fiat 500
offers safety, fuel economy, quality and advanced technology perfectly
balanced with iconic Italian style.
With
its city-friendly proportions, engaging driving dynamics, all-new
fuel-efficient 1.4-liter FIAT MultiAir® engine delivering up to 38
highway mpg and a best-in-class 30 mpg city (with manual transmission),
standard state-of-the-art BLUE&ME™ Handsfree Communication
technology, seven standard air bags and new quality and refinement
adaptations for the U.S. market, including an all-new six-speed
automatic transmission, the 2012 Fiat 500 offers a unique ownership
experience.
ABOUT CHRYSLER GROUP LLC
Chrysler
Group LLC, formed in 2009 from a global strategic alliance with Fiat
S.p.A., produces Chrysler, Jeep, Dodge, Ram, Mopar, SRT and Fiat
vehicles and products. With the resources, technology and worldwide
distribution network required to compete on a global scale, the alliance
builds on Chrysler Group's culture of innovation, first established by Walter P. Chrysler in 1925, and Fiat's complementary technology that dates back to its founding in 1899.
Headquartered in Auburn Hills, Mich.,
Chrysler Group's product lineup features some of the world's most
recognizable vehicles, including the Chrysler 300, Jeep Wrangler, Dodge
Challenger and Ram 1500. Fiat contributes world-class technology,
platforms and powertrains for small- and medium-size cars, allowing
Chrysler Group to offer an expanded product line including
environmentally friendly vehicles.
SOURCE Chrysler Group LLC