As part of the Fiat/Chrysler alliance, one significant strategy moving forward is that smaller vehicles will be Fiat based while, larger offerings will use Chrysler’s own architecture.

Jeep‘s entry-level Compass model could get a diesel powerplant when the current soft-roader is replaced with an all-new model in 2013. According to officials at Chrysler, the replacement vehicle for both the Compass and Patriot could get an oil-burner which would be sourced from Chrysler’s new Italian owners at Fiat.

It was a near certainty and now Chrysler has confirmed it: the SRT8s are coming. Sources inside the automaker have said the new SRT8s are currently in the works, meaning we should seem them soon.

Jeep is one of the few American vehicle brands that has true international appeal. Outside of North America, Jeeps are popular in Europe and also parts of the Pacific Rim.

The outgoing Chrysler 300 was a great value thanks to a number of cost cutting initiatives, like sharing a platform with Mercedes-Benz’s old E-Class and using interior materials made out of melted down children’s toys. That might have been passable five years ago, but with even small cars boasting high quality interiors, the awful tortoise shell trim and cheesy analog clock isn’t going to cut it anymore.

For the first time ever, Jeep‘s entry-level Compass will become ‘Trail Rated,’ with the introduction of a revised 2011 model.

If you’ve just got to know everything about Jeep as it happens, you’re in luck! The first official blog of the Jeep brand launched Monday, November 29. Not only that, if you’re one of the first 25 to comment on the Jeep blog post entitled “Celebrating the Launch of the Jeep blog,”  you’ll receive two movie ticket vouchers to attend a film of your choice.

Jeep may bill its all-new 2011 Grand Cherokee as an off-roader, but the SUV has just been named the ‘Urban Truck of the Year’ by Decisive Media, which publishes, among other things, a magazine named Decisive Auto.

Although the U.S. economy is slowly spluttering back to life, some industries seem to be doing better than others. In the auto sector, sales are up, particularly for Domestic manufacturers and on the truck side too.

The Porsche Cayenne better get ready, because Maserati is all set to introduce a new SUV based on the Jeep Grand Cherokee. Word of the new model comes from none other than Fiat and Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne.

In an effort to improve customer satisfaction, Chrysler Group LLC is urging its dealers to set up Quick Lubes as part of their service operations. Although some dealers have been shying away from the concept, Chrysler says that by adopting Quick Lubes, concessionaires will be able to double their oil change business as well as proving greater convenience and service satisfaction for customers.

Could the Porsche Cayenne finally have a serious rival when it comes to delivering on- an off-road performance, as well as stunning looks and serious luxury? Perhaps.

Chrysler recorded it’s third straight profitable quarter, raking in $239 million in Q3, as the company rode a wave of optimism regarding increased sales and a new product lineup.

For the first time ever, SEMA awarded three vehicles the distinction of “Hottest Car”, “Hottest Truck” and “Hottest SUV”. Not surprisingly, the winners were all domestics, with the Chevrolet Camaro, Ford F-Series and Jeep Wrangler winning their respective categories.

The vote is something of a popularity contest, as organizers used the “influence” of the cars, to judge the winners. Since these three cars are everywhere at SEMA, their victories make sense.

Hit the jump to read the official press release

Each year the Texas Auto Writers Association holds its annual Texas Truck Rodeo, where journalists test the latest offerings from the automakers and decide what vehicles, in a list of classes, get top honors. And the results are in.

For 2011, the new Jeep Grand Cherokee has been announced as the SUV of Texas. The first all-new vehicle from the new Chrysler, the 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee is a bold step forward for the struggling American automaker with an impressive new look and much-improved interior quality. It retains all its off-road credentials and makes big strides in fuel economy with a base V6 that even gets a bump in horsepower.

In the truck category, the 2011 ‘Truck of Texas’ title was awarded to the Ram Laramie Longhorn, while Ford took away top honors as the Truck Line of Texas.

Hit the jump for a breakdown of the rest of the winners, and read our review of the 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee by hitting the link below:

Read AutoGuide’s 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee Review by Clicking Here

Unlike the eternally delayed GranTurismo series, the latest installment of the Call of Duty video game series is set to drop this year and to help promote its launch the folks at Activision Publishing, Inc., the distributor for the game, have partnered with Jeep for some creative cross-promotional marketing. The result of the 2011 Jeep Wrangler Call of Duty: Black Ops.

It’s a common truism that unionized auto workers have the most secure jobs in the world. But 13 Chrysler line workers caught drinking and smoking marijuana during their lunch break better start looking for new jobs.

Chrysler has announced that the dirty dozen (and one other poor shmuck) have been fired for their actions. Their behavior was a massive embarrassment for the company, since it was documented and broadcast by Fox News, a network that’s not exactly an ally of the UAW or government-owned Chrysler. To add insult to injury, the workers were employed at the same plant that President Obama visited just weeks ago, where he praised the workers, and the new Jeep Grand Cherokee that’s built there.

Chrysler even issued a statement, which you can see below the jump

[Source: Chrysler]

If there was ever a situation where we wanted to see a video, this might be it. Jeep has taken their J8 out for a thorough ballistic and blast certification to prove just how tough this Jeep is built. They’ve stated that they have incorporated new manufacturing technology in order to hot-form steel, creating a protective barrier for the vehicle. And it proved its worth getting awarded with a BRV 2009 VR7 ballistic protection certification – whatever the heck that is.

Stories of domestic auto workers showing up to work inebriated, and displaying reckless disregard for the integrity of their job are legion among a generation of consumers who swore off American cars in favor of imports. But that was the pre-internet era, where evidence was mostly anecdotal.

Now, The Truth About Cars, via Fox News, has a mountain of documented proof that UAW workers do, in fact, get drunk and stoned on the job. A Chrysler plant worker apparently tipped off a local Fox News affiliate that a bunch of workers were getting f!$&ed up on the job every single day for a period of ten days. On their lunch hour.

The video is pretty self-explanatory, and we want to make it clear that this is only a group of bad apples among a community of hard working Americans who are working hard to help turn Chrysler around. The problem is that the job security and culture of entitlement fostered by some elements allows for this situation to happen. With Chrysler owned by the taxpayers of America, and a slate of new products on the way that will ostensibly rescue the company, this is the last thing the beleaguered automaker needs.

[Source: The Truth About Cars]

It seems that Jeep is having quite a busy year. First we got a redesigned Grand Cherokee; then an updated Wrangler with a new interior and now this. The Patriot, the brand’s entry level trail rated vehicle is receiving some improvements of its own. On the outside, the most obvious change is a revised front fascia, with driving lights now integrated into the lower bumper assembly, a body colored grille, new exterior colors, plus newly styled 17-inch wheels. Suspension changes include retuned shock absorbers and higher rate springs, a thicker rear sway bar, plus on 4×4 models an inch increase in ride height for better clearance out on the trail.

Earlier this week Jeep hinted at expanding its product lineup by building a pickup truck and according to the latest reports, the new model has officially been given the green light.

Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne announced that parent company Fiat is looking to increase its stake in Chrysler to 35 percent, and is looking to bring out a Chrysler IPO in the second half of 2011.

Dominating the headlines following Chrysler‘s first dealer meeting in three years yesterday was news of a new Viper planned for 2012. But apart from headline-grabbing sports cars, Chrysler execs made plenty of comments regarding the company’s commitment to the truck and SUV segment.

The Wall Street Journal is reporting that the 2012 Dodge Viper will be produced, and will move towards a more “upscale” position, abandoning its “racecar” heritage. The vehicle was previewed at Chrysler‘s dealer meeting in Orlando.

Jeep fans who were up in arms about the Compass and Patriot crossovers will have a no reason to get aggravated; a new video that purports to go inside Jeep’s design studios apparently show a new crossover based on a C-segment Fiat.

Aside from the illustration, we can also see a clay model in the video, suggesting that the car is still pretty early on in the design stage.  Truthfully, it doesn’t look bad but we can almost hear the cries from hardcore Wrangler owners and internet pundits who will forever treat this Jeep as an unwanted stepchild.

[Source: Jeep]

Chrysler has been targeted by the Center for Auto Safety (a consumer advocate group founded by outspoken lawyer Ralph Nader – the same one that threw the book at Chevy’s Corvair in the 1960s), about fires resulting from alleged fuel tank defects on Jeep models.

Livonia Chrysler Jeep Inc, a Metro Detroit dealership that was reinstated after arbitration proceedings with Chrysler in July has now decided to sue the company, claiming a loss of rights under franchise law. The dispute centers around nearby Crestwood Dodge, which was given a Chrysler-Jeep franchise after Livonia’s was terminated and did not have one before. The suit has also been filed against Crestwood Dodge.

Several years ahead of a major overhaul for all Chrysler brand products, all models are getting tweaks to help keep them competitive in the marketplace. The latest model do go under the knife is the Jeep Wrangler (and Wrangler Unlimited), getting an updated interior and a new body-colored hard top as an option for Sahara trim models.

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Dodge launched a teaser site for their 2011 Durango SUV, and a series of pictures that show some styling elements of the car. Autoguide brought you a leaked camera phone picture of the Durango earlier this summer, and these are the first shots from Dodge, and they essentially confirm the styling cues seen in the grainy snapshot.

Porsche was the big winner for July 2010 sales, moving 75% more cars than in July 2009, with Hyundai/ Kia, Jaguar/ Land Rover and the Big Three all making solid gains. Japanese auto makers bore the brunt of the market, with Toyota and Honda losing a bit of market share, while Suzuki took the dubious title of “Biggest Loser” as sales fell by 43%.

Jeep‘s Wrangler is straying from its spartan mandate to incorporate things like a body colored hardtop and an upgraded interior featuring modern looking switchgear and a two-tone color palate.

The 2011 Jeep Wrangler looks set to get a body colored hardtop, finally bringing it out of the last century, when it was still acceptable for vehicles to have unpainted body trim festooning the sheet metal.

Chrysler has been known for organizing public participation events at various locations across the U.S. and Canada. Now it’s set to launch another, dubbed the Jeep Rocks & Road Tour, which will hit 11 different venues across the United States from July 16 through October 31st this year.

Recently, Chrysler issued a recall affecting approximately 22,000 vehicles from model year 2010. Said vehicles include Ram 1500 1/2 pickups, the Dodge Nitro and Jeep Liberty SUVs, plus the Jeep Wrangler. The recall centers around the brake system on these vehicles, whereby  the lines from the master cylinder to the hydraulic brake unit could fail, causing a loss of fluid and compromised braking ability, potentially resulting in accidents.

The Ford Transit Connect, Jeep Liberty, Jeep Wrangler, Dodge Nitro and RAM 1500 are being recalled by Ford and Chrysler respectively, for separate issues.

Building on the concept of its bold ‘Minivan Pledge’ program, Chrysler has announced that it will be offering a Risk-Free purchase plan for most new Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep and Ram vehicles. The program, which began on July 8; will essentially allow those customers not happy with their new vehicle to return it back within 60 days, plus Chrysler will make the first two monthly payments on behalf of the consumer up to $500 per month or $1000 in total.

A Fiat dealer along Paris’ famed Champs-Elysees will play host to the first side-by-side Jeep and Fiat dealer as the brands seek to integrate themselves in anticipation for anticipation for Chrysler’s European rollout.

It’s a sad day for diesel truck lovers. Jeep has confirmed that it will not offer a diesel engine in the new 2011 Grand Cherokee.

Alfa Romeo is looking to emulate Porsche, another sporty brand, and produce two new SUVs designed to go head to head with Audi’s Q5 and upcoming Q3 crossover vehicles.

The folks at Jeep might not admit it yet, but they don’t have to any more. That’s right, an all-new SRT8 Jeep Grand Cherokee is on its way.

The Jeep Comanche has a small but dedicated following of fans, but the venerable brand hasn’t been too interested in returning to the segment – until now. With the Mahindra pickup on the way and demand for the Ford Ranger still at passable levels, Jeep CEO Mike Manley says compact trucks are an area that he is “very curious about.” “I know it’s had a rough time here in the U.S., ” he told Pickuptrucks.com, “but globally it still seems to be an important sector.”

Chrysler has encountered more than a few obstacles over the past two years, but the automaker’s biggest challenge remains its own survival. In order to survive—and thrive—the company is going to need to prove that its products can be class-competitive. If the products on hand can’t lure buyers into showrooms, then the Chrysler/Fiat alliance is doomed.

The big, bulky owners manual occupying precious glove box space may soon become a relic for Jeep owners, as the 2011 Grand Cherokee will be the brand’s first vehicle to bring the owners manual to a variety of smartphones. In addition to the owners manual, users will be able to view videos, contact other Grand Cherokee owners and give Chrysler feedback on various aspects of the car.

Alfa Romeo fans are bracing themselves amid credible reports of an SUV joining the ranks of the Italian marque’s lineup. Autoguide previously reported on an Alfa Romeo SUV as a key product for their North American return.

Chrysler will build a licensed version of a ZF 8-speed automatic gearbox at their Indiana transmission plant. Production is expected to start in 2013, and retain roughly 1,200 jobs.

Chrysler is recalling 575,000 Jeep SUVs and Chrysler and Dodge minivans due to a malfunction in both the brake lines and electrical wiring.