2011 Detroit Auto Show with Pictures!

[RSchwarzli]

Well, where to start. If I follow the advice from the movie The Sound Of Music, I guess I should start at the very beginning, as it is a very good place to start!



The beginning. I came into this world on a stormy May night…. . well, maybe not that far back! Lets fast forward a few years.



So a few days before the Detroit Auto Show, I got a call from Ram's marketing division wondering if I was attending the 2011 Detroit Auto Show. I confirmed I was. The next question was if I would be willing to come on one of the media days and spend some time with Ram CEO Fred Diaz and some of his engineers! With my involvement with the TDR and my activity with the Ontario chapter, they thought it would be of mutual benefit for both Ram and myself to have some discussions. After some quick arrangements, I was off to Detroit.



The Detroit Auto Show; Also referred to as NAIAS (North American International Auto Show) by others, is one of the largest and best auto shows in the world. As Cobo hall is located in downtown Detroit, it is in the heart of the Big Three's turf. As this is the case, this is considered “the” show for the big three to show off their latest goods, and show what they are made of. This year was no exception!



Monday January 10th was opening day for the media at the auto show. My arrival was just after 8:00 am. I made a bee line for the Chrysler LLC booth with anticipation of what could be awaiting! I got to the booth, and as always, they did not disappoint! Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, Ram, Fiat, and Mopar were all well represented including each brands CEO's and engineers.



Chrysler LLC brands:

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The morning started off with a Chrysler press conference. Olivier Francois (President and CEO Chrysler brand) introduced the newly redesigned Chrysler 300 with its 1 billion dollar overhaul. It features a new skin, new quality interior with soft Napa leather seating, new suspension, and new powertrain. He also spoke about the upcoming 8 speed automatic transmission that will be available in the 2011 Chrysler 300s.



300:

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Ralph Gilles (President and CEO Dodge brand and Senior VP of Design) was then invited on stage for a few minutes to discuss some of the changes that were made to the Chrysler brand and how that played into effect with the new Chrysler 300. He pointed out the flowing lines of the car, and the fact that the headlights took inspiration from an eagle in flight. He also mentioned that although the car has a new grill, Mopar will continue to offer the heritage grill as it has become such an icon with the 300.



Ralph with Chrysler 300:

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[RSchwarzli]

With Ralph's introduction of the 300 complete, Mr. Francois took the stage again and introduced the refreshed Town and Country minivan with its 3. 6 ltr Pentastar engine that produces 283 hp motor mated to their 6 speed transmission; followed by the launch of the all new Chrysler 200. For those that have not seen the 200, think a smaller and sleeker version of the 300. It shares the 300's appealing looks, yet in a smaller and lighter package. There were many variations of the 200 on display including a regular one, sporty S model, as well as a tricked out Mopar version.



Town and Country:



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200:



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200 Mopar concept:



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After the Chrysler conference, none other than Sergio Marchionne answered questions for the media ranging from plant tours, UAW negotiations, upcoming changes in various plants, and the paying off of the remained of Chrysler's Federal loans. He even spoke of the planned return of Chrysler to the stock exchange later this year, as well as the entry of the Fiat brand into the North American market.



Sergio Marchionne:



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[RSchwarzli]

Now to the good stuff!!



Next stop for me was the walk around of the Ram pickups with three of Ram's engineers. I was able to spend extensive time (although it seemed like seconds!) with Bob Hegbloom (Director of RamTruck, SUV's, and Commercial Vehicles - Product Planning), Michael Cairns (Vehicle Line Executive - Ram Trucks), and Kevin Metz (Head of Ram Truck Product Planning).



They were kind enough to cover many questions regarding the Ram line. The first vehicle up for discussion was the Power Wagon. For those that are not aware of the Power Wagons amazing offroading features, it has front and rear electronically locking differentials (from the cab), 12,000 LBS Warn Winch, 33” BF Goodrich tires, Electronically actuated front sway bar disconnect (allowing 32” of wheel travel), extra underbody skid plates, upgraded shocks, and manual operated transfer case. We also spoke about a question that many have wondered for a VERY long time: the lack of a Cummins option. There have been many rumors flying around for many years as to why it was not an option. These rumors cover everything from intercooler clearance to the lack of interest. I was fortunate enough to get a straight answer to finally set the record straight. The reason is three fold:



1 - Due to the offroading priority of this truck, the balance of the truck is something that was very important during engineering. Due to the Cummins being as heavy as it is, it makes the truck unbalanced on certain trails.



2 - The second reason again relates to weight. With the electronic disconnect and the current front axle, it would all need to be changed and beefed to handle the weight of the Cummins.



3- Lastly, due to the torque multiplication of the 4. 56 gears in the Power Wagon, the torque of the Hemi is multiplied enough to cover some of the gap between the Hemi and the Cummins.



It was made very clear that if a Cummins was to be factory installed, they would have not let an intercooler stand in their way! They would have found a way around it.



Ram power wagon:



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After the Power Wagon, the next stop was the new Long Horn Package. The Long Horn features a premium interior and is available on 1500 Crew Cab, and 2500/3500 Crew and Mega Cab. The Long Horn package features special interior and exterior badging, floor mats, brown leather interior, custom two tone paint, model specific door sills, logoed center console, lighted gauge trim, laser etching in the sides of the seats, and buckle style latches on the back of the front seat pockets. Two interior trim levels are available, with one version being slightly less flashy for the slightly more conservative buyer. Either way, the image of Ram having plastic covered, rat fur gray interiors needs to go away. This truck is beyond words. I highly encourage you to stop by your local showroom to really get a feel for this truck! Words and pictures cannot do this thing justice!



Ram Long Horn:



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[RSchwarzli]

Two of the other items discussed with the engineers was the fact that Ram is the only HD pickup brand to still offer a standard transmission mated to their diesels. They are very much aware of the interest in this option, and do plan on continuing with it. The second item was the availability of Ram Box, the dry lockable storage in the box fenders. The Ram Box allows its user to keep their tools, guns, fishing rods or gear in a dry and lockable compartment. The box can even be used to put ice and cold drinks into! This has turned out to be a great option for the truck and Ram may look into expanding this option in the near future.



Ram Box storage compartment:



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Next up was the Jeep press conference. Michael Manley (Jeep President and CEO) took to the stage before the hundreds of reporters and gave a history lesson on the brand starting with the military Jeeps from 70 years ago helping the world emerge from a period of war. Over the course of the years the brand philosophy has stayed the same: To help its owner follow their dreams of taking extraordinary journeys. The brand helps facilitate the mindset of freedom of the soul.



Mr. Manley gave an update as to all the models under the Jeep banner. As a whole, this year globally saw a 24% increase in sales compared to last year for the entire Jeep brand. As for the models, the completely redesigned Grand Cherokee was the first to make its debut earlier this year. Also introduced was the Liberty Jet with its up styled appearance, the Patriot with its updated suspension and handling, the Wrangler with its completely redesigned interior.



Grand Cherokee:



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Wrangler:



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Wrangler Unlimited:



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One of the Jeep vehicles unveiled at the show was the all new Compass. For those that have not seen pictures or information, the Compass was completely redesigned due to customer requests. It features an all new interior, exterior (with front end that resembles the new Grand Cherokee), and now also features a Trail Rated badge (something that was missing from previous models). For those that remember, all Jeeps were to be Trail Rated. This rating was to confirm the brands off road ability. The Compass finally gets its badge and will be released on January 11th to dealers across the country.





Compass:



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Also new for the entire Jeep lineup is the 70th Anniversary editions. Available on every Jeep model, the 70th Anniversary editions will feature unique wheels, paint, gauges, badging, and leather trim on the interior. Each model will have slightly different version of these features, but will all play off the same image.



70th Anniversary badge:



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[RSchwarzli]

While leaving the Jeep conference, I ran into none other than the miracle man himself, Ralph Gilles. For those who do not know Mr. Gilles, he is the one responsible for the last and current generation Chrysler 300's design. He is also one of the biggest advocates in Viper brand remaining a Dodge product during the attempted Cerberus sale of Viper. Mr. Gilles discussed the massive effort that was required to redesign so many vehicles for the Chrysler group in under one year, and the efforts that were made by his dedicated staff in redesigning the vehicles interiors. Ranging from design right down to the use of higher quality materials (like soft Napa leather on the vehicles interiors). The vehicles of Chrysler today can hardly be compared to the anything that was offered less than 12 months ago. With my thanks to him for the passion and love that he has for this brand, he was off to his next meeting.



Ralph Gilles:



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My next meeting the following day was with Fred Diaz (Ram President and CEO as well as Head of National Sales for Chrysler) and Dave Eslhoff (Head of Media Relations for the Ram truck brand). We started discussion with the possibility of a diesel for the 1500 series Rams. Although they were unable to discuss future product, they felt that it was something that could be seen in future motor options. Fiat's diesel technology could make its way into many Chrysler vehicles, including 1500 Ram. As for a future Cummins in the 1500, it is something they have not forgotten about and do continue to look into it. A bigger question for Ram at this time is whether a Fiat diesel or a Cummins diesel is the right answer for the half ton series trucks. As expected, power levels for the 6. 7 Cummins were answered with the famous “We cannot discuss future product” line. All I can say after speaking with them on the subject is I know we are in good hands. They understand it and get it.



Also discussed was the increase of sales of the Ram trucks. From January 1 2010 to January 1 2011 the Ram brand was up 9% compared to 2009. For actual vehicle numbers, that works out to 212,953 trucks in 2010 compared to 195,112.



We also discussed the elimination of the Dakota name plate by the third quarter of this year. The truck will be completely redesigned and be replaced with a lighter duty, more fuel efficient truck that is also a bit cheaper in price.



Ram 2500 Crew:



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Ram 2500 Mega:



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Ram 3500 Crew Long Horn Edition:



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As I was leaving the show, having spoken with Chryslers staff from various brands, I left with a good feeling inside. One thing that was very visible with all of Chryslers' staff, is the deep passion and respect they has for this brand and its survival. Much like many Mopar enthusiasts, I was also concerned when Fiat took over Chrysler from Cerberus. I had concerns with the possibility of Fiat acting as another Daimler or Cerberus. I had fears that the key man, Mr. Marchionne, the gentleman who has the power to make or break the company, would not understand the North American market. If that was the case, he would potentially ruin the few shattered remains that was left of Chrysler. I am happy to say he has far exceeded my expectations. I can happily say, he gets it! He understands the importance of design, quality, fuel efficiency; even the SRT line including our beloved American sports car: Viper. My thanks go out to this man for allowing the inspiration of Chrysler's designers and engineers to run wild. What has changed in the last twelve months at Chrysler is hard to put into words. The company that was torn to pieces by greed and lack of respect is now returning to a healthy state. As many of you who have met me know, I am somewhat obsessed with Chrysler and its products regardless of vehicle age, so I guess these comments are not really a surprise. But the fact is undeniable: Chrysler has been though a lot and they are proving many industry nay-sayers wrong. I am very pleased to say that Chrysler's wounds have been tended to, and this great company is again pumping out the great products that they have been known for in the past. If you have not been, I highly recommend you go down to your local dealer to see just exactly what I am referring to. May Chrysler continue to flourish and build itself back up to the world's best automaker!



Robert



P. S. Hold on to your seats guys! There is something special coming that you will see in the next few weeks.....

 

[craiggo]

P. S. Hold on to your seats guys! There is something special coming that you will see in the next few weeks.....

That is just so wrong on so many levels... . a hint? Com'on something!





Great write up, thanks for the information and taking the time to attend.

 

[DHess]

Great post. Thanks for taking the time to do this - I for one realy enjoyed it. The new 300 looks great - but I love the hell out of my '05 C. The new one needs the old grill. Trucks are beautiful but again I'll stick with the'10 for a while. Thanks again for posting.

 

[Jeff Knight]

Thanks for the post.

 

[RSchwarzli]

Glad you guys like the photos!



Here are a few more, although not 4th gen related:



Charger R/T with its new metallic red paint:



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Challenger SRT-8 392 Edition:



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Nitro:



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Fiat 500:



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Fiat 500 Mopar Concept:



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[RSchwarzli]

Durango:



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70th Anniversary Grand Cherokee:



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Random photo:



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[Jeff Knight]

The durango is nice. Is it based off the grand cherokee?

 

[mymtnhauler]

Love the picks! One question, are the wheels on the new 3500 D. R. W. alloys, and if they are, do they have the same bolt pattern as the third gen's???????

 

[HBarlow]

I'm very impressed with the professional quality of your report, both the writing and photography.

Reading of your admiration and respect for the decision makers now running Chrysler makes me feel good about the future of our beloved Rams with Cummins engines.

 

[amsoilman]

I too would like to commend you for the coverage of the Detroit Auto Show, as well as the supurb pictures you have provided us! I thank you for the time you spent in doing this for the benefit of the TDR croud.



Wayne

amsoilman

 

[RSchwarzli]

Glad to hear you are all enjoying the write up and pics!

Sorry. I missed that! The white dually has factory 17" Alcoas! Oo.

 

[SearsK]

Nice coverage and pictures - But now I know why my 3500 Dually hasn't showed up at my dealer for me, it's been at the Show. (Wonder if they'll let me keep the wheels)

 

[RSchwarzli]

Another few pictures...



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[Stark_Ent9802]

Is the Durango returning as a production SUV ? or was that a concept design?



Thanks for the photos and write-ups.

 

[RSchwarzli]

No. That is not a concept. That is the new Durango. Oo.

 

[amsoilman]

Is the Durango returning as a production SUV ? or was that a concept design?



Thanks for the photos and write-ups.

I just returned from the International Automotive show in Salt Lake City today, and seen all of these vehicles. They have been extensivley re-done, and look to be very high quality, especially the Dodge Ram "Long Horn" edition!



Wayne

amsoilman