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MORE SALES, MORE MODELS, MORE SHOPPING
As the option of buying duty free alcoholic drinks and smoking products from Europe via the internet has been knocked on the head, the traditional pre Christmas booze cruises to Europe are now in full flow. With impeccable timing it just so happened that Chrysler Group had already arranged a test drive of their latest Dodge Caliber and Chrysler Grand Voyager models for motoring writers to Brugge and back this week. So with the tax free Internet shopping now an enforced non-event, motoring business and shopping combined for a road test booze cruise to France and Belgium. Brugge is a beautiful city and at Christmas it is a fantastic festive place to visit. I thoroughly recommend it even though it rained this time. As it turned out it was an ideal location for a sales success celebration for Chrysler, Jeep and Dodge, the three brands that make up Chrysler Group. Speaking at the media event, Steve Gray the marketing director for Chrysler Group said, “Although 2006 it had been a hard year for the UK new car market with overall sales down by over 3% it is very likely to be a record year for sales for the Chrysler Group as a whole and for the individual Chrysler, Jeep and the new Dodge brands.” “By the end of October the Chrysler Group has already reached a combined total of 17,251 sales and at least 20,000 units would be reached this year. The previous highest combined total was 18,834 sales,” he said. Year to date Chrysler’s UK sales are up by 24.4% and Jeep sales by 21.5%. The Dodge brand, which was introduced to the UK in July 2006 with the Caliber, will see around 2,000 sales this year and the C-segment Caliber has already attracted 1,700 customers. Gray said that some of the sales growth for all three brands has been down to the introduction of new and additional models such as the Chrysler 300C Touring, revised PT Cruiser and Jeep Commander together with the launch of the Dodge Caliber. More new models to be introduced in 2007 are expected to see Chrysler Group UK sales increase by over 40% next year. The media event was held in the main so that members of the motoring press could reacquaint themselves with the Dodge Caliber range. These are the current mainstream models of the Dodge brand that also includes the RAM all-American style huge pick-ups and SRT-10 or Viper sports car. The Caliber C segment five-door hatchback is a crossover vehicle, two wheel drive but with 4x4 SUV styling. Equipment levels are high and prices relatively low. They range from £11,495 to £15,430. Three engine options are available, 1.8 and 2.0-litre petrol and 2.0-litre diesel. The 2.0-litre petrol model is available with the option of a CVT auto transmission at no extra cost. The Caliber does stand out from the crowd in its five-door hatchback sector. Whilst it may not be the sharpest driving vehicle in its class, price for price, space for space it represents a very good buy. For those wanting to be seen driving something, which is a little more in your face than the mainstream look-alikes, the all-American styling will appeal. Choice versions are the diesel models; much better performance and fuel economy than the petrol versions, and the 2.0 SXT diesels at £15,290 is really well equipped and good value for money. Outlining the new model introductions for 2007 Steve Gray said all the new models would follow their current trend of supplying well equipped, value for money and very distinctively styled vehicles. In April the new Jeep Wrangler 4x4 will go on sale with a wider model line up with two and four door models with petrol and diesel engine options. In the same month the Jeep Compass, an urban lightweight SUV with an on-demand 4x4, will also go on sale. Both the Wrangler and Compass models will be priced at sub £20k. June will see the introduction of the Dodge Nitro, that Gray describes as an in your face medium sector 4x4 with petrol and diesel engine options. Prices will range from £20-£25k. June will also see the introduction of the Chrysler Sebring, a top end D segment four door saloon which be followed by a cabriolet, all with petrol and diesel engine options. Prices will range from late teens to early twenties Gray confirmed. The Sebring Cabrio was unveiled yesterday at the Los Angeles Auto Show. The saloon was first shown at the British Motor Show in July. July will see the arrival of the first Jeep Patriot models. With the countryside looks and feel of a traditional Jeep, this is a lightweight 4x4 with petrol and diesel engines with prices in their mid teens. From September 2007 another model will be added to the Dodge line-up. The newcomer will be the Avenger which Steve Gray describes as a D segment sports saloon with Nascar looks at C segment prices - so below those of the similar Chrysler Sebring at around £15k. Again petrol and diesel engine options will be available. Back to the booze cruise. Whilst the Caliber would have been perfectly acceptable for a drive to and from Belgium, my larger than life driving partner insisted that a Chrysler Grand Voyager would fit the bill even better and of course he could fit more shopping in it as well. Voyagers, both in standard Grand form are high profile luxurious MPVs or people carriers. They have received copious amounts of television coverage as the official transport for The Apprentice candidates. There is a choice of petrol and diesel engine options for Voyager and Grand Voyager models and over 90% of sales are for diesel models. This year around 5,000 of these models will be sold in the UK at prices ranging from £18,750 up to £33,625. Apart from the comprehensive and luxurious specification all fitted as standard the biggest revolution for Voyager sales came in 2004 when Chrysler introduced their Stow-n-Go folding seat system for the second and third row of seats which can be folded into the floor. This creates a huge flat floor load area with 4,690 litres of space. The seating combinations are so versatile that the vehicle is a favourite of executive business and chauffer operators as well as executive large families. Our test model the Grand Voyager 2.8 CRD Limited XS costs £32,925, expensive on the face of it but it is a luxurious vehicle with leather upholstery and even a rear DVD system. The 2.8-litre common rail turbodiesel engine produces 150bhp and 265lb ft of torque so it has plenty of power to give a top speed of 112mph and a 0-62mph acceleration time of 12 seconds. Fuel economy is around 29mpg with CO2 at 225 g/km, Band F £195 for VED. MILESTONES. Chrysler Grand Voyager 2.8 CRD Limited XS. Price £32,925. From Miles better News Agency
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