Auburn Hills, Mich., Jun 17, 2008 -
As Chrysler LLC goes green, customers will save some “green.”
Chrysler
announced today that it is pricing its full-size 4x4 sport-utility vehicle (SUV)
hybrid electric vehicles nearly $8,000 below the competition.
The
manufacturer’s suggested retail price (MSRP) for the new 2009 Dodge Durango
HEMI® Hybrid is $45,340, including $800 for destination. The MSRP for the new
2009 Chrysler Aspen HEMI Hybrid is $45,570, including $800 for destination.
Additionally, customers are expected to receive an estimated tax credit of
$1,800.
“The new 2009 Chrysler Aspen Hybrid and Dodge Durango Hybrid
deliver fuel economy up to 20 miles per gallon—a 40 percent improvement in the
city and 25 percent overall—best-in-class cargo room, and are priced nearly
$8,000 below the competition,” said Deborah Meyer, Vice President and Chief
Marketing Officer – Chrysler LLC. “Offering the unique combination of value,
fuel economy, performance and capability, Chrysler’s hybrid vehicles deliver
exactly what SUV owners are demanding in today’s marketplace.”
The 2009
Chrysler Aspen and Dodge Durango HEMI Hybrid vehicles are Chrysler’s first
entries in the hybrid market.
Capable of towing 6,000 lbs., the 2009
Chrysler Aspen and Dodge Durango HEMI Hybrid vehicles deliver seamless,
dependable power and performance on demand, in an efficient package. With an
electrically variable transmission—featuring the best characteristics of an
automatic transmission and hybrid drive—and two different hybrid modes of
operation, the drive system dramatically improves fuel economy around town and
at highway speeds.
The 2009 Chrysler Aspen HEMI Hybrid and Dodge Durango
HEMI Hybrid are coupled with Chrysler’s renowned 5.7-liter HEMI V-8 engine.
Total output, when combined with the advanced two-mode hybrid system, is 385
horsepower and 380 lb.-ft. of torque. In hybrid form, the HEMI continues to
feature Chrysler’s fuel-saving MDS technology, which allows the engine to
seamlessly alternate between four-cylinder mode when less power is needed and
V-8 mode when more power is in demand. The two-mode system provides assistance
from electric motors, allowing the HEMI V-8 to remain in four-cylinder mode more
often than without a hybrid powertrain, improving overall fuel economy.
The result: In typical use, Chrysler expects customers will reduce fuel
consumption by several hundred gallons of gas per year.
Built at the
Newark Assembly Plant in Delaware, the new 2009 Chrysler Aspen HEMI Hybrid and
Dodge Durango HEMI Hybrid vehicles arrive in showrooms this August.
2009 Chrysler Aspen HEMI Hybrid
Chrysler Aspen is a
premium SUV that offers elegant styling, premium amenities and innovative
engineering with the room and capability of a sport-utility vehicle. Bigger than
its full-size SUV competitors, yet smaller than large SUV competitors, Chrysler
Aspen offers unique benefits as a luxury SUV in a class all its own.
Chrysler Aspen exudes styling elegance with clean, angular front and rear
fenders, rear doors and rear-quarter panels creating a seamless profile.
Individual chromed “Chrysler” lettering adorns the bodyside on each of the front
doors. Premium touches also include chromed accents on body-side moldings, door
handles and side mirrors, as well as 18-inch chrome-clad aluminum wheels.
Chrysler Aspen’s broad, chromed grille is crowned by a sculpted hood, a
signature of Chrysler vehicles.
Standard interior appointments include wood-accented door panels and
instrument-panel center stack, air conditioning, overhead console with HomeLink®
Universal Transceiver and Electronic Vehicle Information Center, front and rear
LED lamps that may be individually aimed, uconnect gps, floor console with rear
power accessory outlet, and a 60/40 third-row bench seat.
Standard
equipment also includes premium leather-trimmed bucket seats, eight-way power
driver’s seat with memory, four-way power passenger seat, heated front-row
seats, and a second-row bench seat, providing seating for eight.
Chrysler
Aspen rides on a torsionally stiff, hydroformed frame with an independent
torsion-bar front suspension setup featuring rack-and-pinion steering that helps
provide a smooth and quiet ride and precise handling. An isolated torsion bar
crossmember helps minimize road noise. Suspension and steering are tuned to
deliver optimum comfort and driveability.
In the rear is a unique
suspension setup with coil springs and a solid rear axle that delivers
durability and strength. A Watt’s linkage system is fitted to the rear axle,
centering the axle and reducing rear-end skate over rough surfaces.
Standard
safety features include Chrysler’s exclusive Trailer Sway Control, Electronic
Stability Program, Anti-lock Brake System and next-generation front air bags,
ParkSense® Rear Park Assist System, ParkView™ Rear Back-up Camera System, Tire
Pressure Monitoring System and three-row side-curtain air bags with roll
sensing.
2009 Dodge Durango HEMI Hybrid
Dodge
Durango offers style, comfort, convenience and superior versatility in a real
SUV, with three rows of seating and room for eight.
The Dodge Durango’s
styling is enhanced with a high beltline emphasizing its bold appearance, while
short front and rear overhangs contribute to the vehicle’s expression of
concentrated power. Crisp angles and chiseled surfaces highlight a strong and
confident front-end design. Dodge Durango’s signature crosshair grille stands
out prominently, flanked by rectangular headlamps with dual-halogen bulbs
wrapped around the corners of the fenders. The rear design of the Dodge Durango
is marked by “afterburner” taillamps, and a chromed appliqué accentuating the
rear liftgate.
Standard interior appointments include premium two-tone
door panels and satin silver finish instrument-panel center stack, air
conditioning, overhead console with HomeLink® Universal Transceiver and
Electronic Vehicle Information Center, front and rear LED lamps that may be
individually aimed, uconnect gps, and a floor console with rear power accessory
outlet.
Standard equipment also includes premium leather-trimmed bucket
seats, eight-way power driver’s seat with memory, four-way power passenger seat,
heated front-row seats, a second-row bench seat and a 60/40 third-row bench
seat, providing seating for eight.
Dodge Durango rides on a torsionally
stiff, fully hydroformed frame with an independent front suspension and
rack-and-pinion steering, providing a turning radius of 37.5 ft.—shorter than a
Honda Pilot. Suspension and steering are finely tuned to deliver superior ride
and precise steering. Dodge Durango’s rear suspension features coil springs and
a solid rear axle secured with a Watt’s linkage system, resulting in refined
ride and handling characteristics.
Advanced safety and security features
include standard Anti-lock Brake System (ABS), Electronic Stability Program with
Electronic Roll Mitigation and Trailer Sway Control, side-curtain air bags for
all three rows, ParkSense® Rear Park Assist System, Tire Pressure Monitoring
system, Sentry Key® engine immobilizer, and ParkView™ Rear Back-up Camera
System.
Chrysler Brand
Chrysler is the seventh
largest brand in the U.S. automotive market. The brand’s succession of
innovative products continues to solidify Chrysler’s standing as the leader in
design, agile performance and innovative technology built around a customer’s
needs, all at an extraordinary value.
The award-winning all-new 2008
Chrysler Town & Country has 35 new or improved features that include the
innovative Swivel ‘N Go™ seating system.
Arriving later this year, the
new 2009 Chrysler Aspen Hybrid will give a unique option to customers who need
the cargo and towing capability of a sport-utility vehicle, but want a more
efficient alternative. Chrysler Aspen Hybrid is more than 25 percent more fuel
efficient overall, and up to 40 percent more fuel efficient in the city. Also,
for customers seeking fuel efficiency, the Chrysler Sebring sedan and Chrysler
Sebring Convertible both achieve 28 miles per gallon (mpg) highway fuel economy
and have been certified by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA)
SmartWay program, which recognizes the cleanest, most efficient vehicles sold in
the U.S.
Dodge Brand
With a U.S. market share of
6.4 percent, Dodge is Chrysler LLC’s best-selling brand and the sixth largest
nameplate in the U.S. automotive market. In 2007, Dodge sold more than 1.3
million vehicles in the global market, including the best-selling minivan in
2007 total sales, Dodge Grand Caravan.
The Dodge brand’s first crossover
vehicle—the all-new 2009 Dodge Journey—arrived in dealer showrooms in the first
quarter of 2008, and is now available outside North America in petrol and diesel
powertrains in both left- and right-hand drive. Arriving in dealerships now is
the limited-edition 2008 Dodge Challenger SRT8 with a 6.1-liter HEMI V-8 engine
that boasts 425 horsepower and 420 lb.-ft. of torque. Later in 2008, Dodge will
add three more new vehicles to its product lineup—the all-new 2009 Dodge Ram
with game-changing exterior and interior design, innovations, best-in-class
features and craftsmanship; the all-new 2009 Dodge Challenger, a modern
interpretation of the American muscle car; and the new 2009 Dodge Durango HEMI®
Hybrid, a hybrid-electric vehicle that combines fuel efficient advanced hybrid
technology with full-size SUV performance and capability. Last fall, America's
best-selling minivan, the all-new 2008 Dodge Grand Caravan, arrived in
dealerships with 35 new or improved features including the newest innovation,
the Swivel ‘n Go™ seating system. In 2007, Dodge Avenger and Nitro entered key
volume segments outside North America, joining the Dodge Caliber, the highest
sales volume vehicle for the company outside of North America.
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