Car Moon

Chrysler’s facelifted for the 2011 model year Town & Country has arrived in Britain as the revised Grand Voyager. Different name aside, the UK market model features the same styling revisions as its American counterpart, including a redesigned nose, LED tail lamps, new rear bumper and revised tailgate on the outside, and a restyled dashboard and steering wheel on the inside.

However, instead of the new 283HP 3.6-liter Pentastar V6, the Grand Voyager is offered exclusively with 2.8-litre CRD diesel engine producing 161bhp at 3800rpm and 265lb ft of torque.

A dozen vehicles from the three core Chrysler brands covering more than half of the company’s 2011 models are being recalled in the United States to fix a potential problem with the steering column.

The recall covers 11,351 vehicles and affects certain 2011 model year Dodge Journey crossovers, Jeep Wranglers, Chrysler 200s, Chrysler 200 Convertibles, Dodge Avengers, Dodge Nitros, Jeep Liberty SUVs, Dodge Calibers, Jeep Compass crossovers, Jeep Patriots, Dodge Grand Caravans and Chrysler Town & Country minivans.

The refreshed 2011 Town and Country minivan is the point of focus in the latest commercial in Chrysler’s “Imported from Detroit” campaign. The new TV spot is called “The Quiet Ones” and it takes us to Michigan and the state’s 2011 hockey champions, the Novi Wildcats, featuring one of the team members, Mason Pew. Read more »

The third Chrysler model to wear a Lancia badge is the Town & Country minivan, which replaces the Phedra and will premiere alongside the Thema and the Flavia concepts at the Geneva Motor Show next month. The Fiat Group decided to keep the European market name of the Town & Country, calling it the Lancia Grand Voyager.

Chrysler and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today announced a new partnership to explore the possibility of adapting the EPA's hydraulic hybrid system for passenger cars and light-duty vehicles. Developed by the EPA, the hydraulic hybrid system is currently used in industrial applications, including large delivery trucks and refuse trucks, but Chrysler, keen on developing a new portfolio of hybrid vehicles, wants to adopt it for use on passenger vehicles. Read more »

“The new Chrysler 200 will come – cabriolet included – to Europe as a Lancia, and Flavia is a very good hint as its possible name,” Fiat Group CEO Sergio Marchionne said on the sidelines of the 2011 Detroit Auto Show.

In a surprise move, Lancia literally outlined its forthcoming 2012 Ypsilon supermini through an animated New Year's greeting card posted on a special minisite. And if that's not enough news for you, the chalk-like drawings were accompanied by a teaser message that reads, "A new horizon, three new Lancia models".

Chrysler and Volkswagen have issued massive recalls, affecting a combined total of almost 600,000 vehicles. The American automaker is recalling 367,350-2008MY Chrysler Town and Country/Dodge Caravan MPVs, while Wolfsburg’s finest will notify 228,236 owners of Golf, Jetta sedan, Jetta Sportwagen, New Beetle and Rabbit models, manufactured between 2006 and 2010 that their vehicles are being called in.

Chrysler states that its refreshed 2011 Town & Country "delivers great American design, innovative technology and unparalleled functionality, all at surprising value". Well, we'll you be the judge of that, but for now we can tell you that the facelifted minivan will soon hit U.S. dealerships in three trim levels (Touring, Touring L and Limited) and prices starting from $30,995, including the $835 destination fee.

The Chrysler Group's new Pentastar V6 gasoline engine will either replace current six-cylinder units or be introduced for the first time on a total of 13 vehicles across the Chrysler, Dodge and Jeep range by 2013, the company announced this week.

The 3.6-liter V6 unit will be offered with different levels of output, the most powerful [for now] iteration being the one fitted on the upcoming 2011 Dodge Challenger, which will be rated at 305 bhp at 6,350 rpm and 268 lb.ft. at 4,800 rpm, representing a 55 horsepower increase over the previous 3.5-liter V6.

These are the first official photos of the 2011MY Chrysler Town & Country minivan that has been facelifted to entice more buyers away from the likes of the Honda Odyssey and Toyota Sienna people carriers. Key changes include some subtle cosmetic tweaks on the outside, a refreshed interior boasting higher quality materials, improved driving dynamics and a new Pentastar V6 engine.

Yep, it's another recall for a possible fire danger - the fourth this month after General Motors, BMW and Chrysler issued recalls on certain models for (unrelated in the first two cases) problems that could lead to a fire.

In Volkswagen's case, the German automaker is recalling a total of 15,902 Routan minivans manufactured from June 2008 through July 2009 because the door hinge on some models could tear through wire insulation, causing a short circuit and possible fire.

Joining the new 300 S6 and S8 in Chrysler's 2010MY lineup is the special edition Town and Country Walter P. Chrysler Signature Series. Equipped with a 3.8-liter V6 engine features several upgrades included a more luxurious interior with seating and trim combinations in Dark Slate Gray and Light Shale finished with French-seamed stitching, unique Macassar Range wood trim and satin finishes on the instrument panel and doors.

In celebration of the Grand Voyager's 25th birthday, Chrysler has launched a new special edition version of its full-size MPV in Britain. As with most models of the sort, the Grand Voyager 25th Anniversary comes with extra interior and exterior equipment along with the necessary memorabilia that in this case include commemorative badging on the outside and a special keyring.

Those 'jolly old' folks down at Chrysler never cease to amuse us with their government loan tactics. Today, Chrysler LLC showed off four all-electric Town & Country minivan concepts to the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) as part of the USPS Earth Day celebration. The catch? Well, Chrysler said that in conjunction with the USPS and select energy service providers, it intends to apply for the U.S. Department of Energy's (DoE) Transportation Electrification stimulus program for a federal grant.

According to Chrysler LLC, the grant (feel free to call it taxpayers money) would be used to establish a nationwide demonstration fleet of zero-emission electric minivans that could -and we repeat, could- be used by the U.S. Postal Service for mail delivery. In other words, you pay for it, Chrysler takes the credit for creating a useless fleet of electric demo cars slapped with its logos. Wonder what they'll come up with next...

Celebrating its minivan’s 25th anniversary, Chrysler decided to rock the foundations of the Paris Motor Show by unveiling a special, one-of-a-kind, unique etc, etc, edition of the Grand Voyager. The “25th Anniversary Edition” special model that will be available for international markets beginning in early 2009 is distinguished by the new 17-inch alloy wheels, chromed belt and body-side moldings, and a roof rack with cross bars. Interior appointments include French-stitched (sic) leather seats and dark accents along with heaps of badges just so you don't ever forget that you bought a special edition version of the Grand Voyager. -Continued

In case you happened to overlook the discreet insignia, this is the Chrysler EV, one of three electric powered prototypes that were revealed today by Chrysler LLC. The other two vehicles were the Dodge Coupe EV and the Jeep Wrangler EV. Based on the Town and Country minivan, Chrysler's proposal utilizes the same hybrid system as the Jeep EV combining the electric-drive components of an Electric Vehicle with an integrated small-displacement engine and generator to produce additional energy to power the electric-drive system when needed. If you're thinking Chevy Volt you're absolutely right as GM’s forthcoming hybrid uses a similar in philosophy drivetrain. -Continued

In the Chrysler EV the electric motor produces an output of 190 kW or 255 HP and 350 Nm or 258 lb.-ft. of torque, providing 0 to 60 mph (96 km/h) acceleration in approximately nine seconds. Just like the Wrangler EV, the Chrysler Town and Country EV can drive 40 miles on all-electric power, and boasts a range of 400 miles on approximately eight gallons or 31 liters of gasoline.