What’s new on the Chrysler group Geneva Motor Show stand?
Chrysler, Jeep and Dodge had a quiet show at Geneva, unveiling only metal we’ve seen before: the eco triumvirate from Detroit (main image) – the Dodge Zeo, Chrysler EcoVoyager and Jeep Renegade – plus airing the S-Max rivalling Dodge Journey again and the high-performance Dodge Caliber SRT-4. Sadly, we won’t get the steroidal hot hatch in the UK as it’s not being built in right-hand drive.
Why so little innovation? There’s a natural lull in the model cycle after a ballistic 2007, and we’ll have to wait until later in the year to see another new model, rumoured to be a concept car for a future model line. In the absence of any world debuts, the message was decidedly green as the group showed off its electric powered concept trio and diesel-powered current range.
CAR highlight
We spotted Mercedes bigwig Dieter Zetsche striding over from his neighbouring stand to the front row seating to watch Chrysler’s press conference. It shows that Daimler hasn’t lost all interest in Chrysler after last year’s demerger (the Germans do retain a 20 percent share, after all).
What were they thinking?
Jeep announced a publicity stunt that pitched a husband and wife team to drive from London to Russia on a single tank of diesel in a Jeep Patriot and Nitro. They drove an impressive 698 miles on a single tank at an average 67mpg and 110g/km… Not the most scientific or representative of tests, but quite an achievement nonetheless.
In a nutshell…
Nothing genuinely new from the Americans, but Chrysler reinforced its environmental message in Switzerland
2/5
Read the current April 2008 issue of CAR Magazine for a full eight-page investigation into the woes at Chrsyler