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The Good News
November 11, 2010

Below is a sample of news articles about Chrysler Group for Nov. 11, 2010.
Today's report includes reports on pricing for the 2011 Chrysler 200 and Town & Country, Grand
Cherokee in the running for automobile of the year award, the Black Ops Wrangler and the former president's view of the auto bailout.

 Chrysler prices 200 Sedan at $19,995, Town & Country at $30,995, Motor Trend Magazine, Nov. 10:

The Chrysler 200 sedan will carry the same starting price as its mechanical twin, the newly refreshed 2011 Dodge Avenger: $19,995, Motor Trend magazine said. Meanwhile, the Town & Country gets a $4,135 hike from the 2010 model, to $30,995, further distancing its base price from the 2011 Dodge Grand Caravan starting at $25,830, the magazine said. The 200 Limited will retail for $24,495, or $1,630 more than a 2010 Chrysler Sebring Limited, the report said. The Town & Country minivan has taken a step across the $30,000 barrier, Motor Trend said, but the price jump isn't as huge when you consider Chrysler has eliminated the base LX trim, the article said.

Chrysler prices 200 sedan, successor to Sebring, USA Today, Nov. 11

Chrysler has already tried to declare a clean departure for its midsize sedan from the much-criticized Sebring, USA Today said. Now it has announced pricing for the successor, the 200, the paper said. Looks like it's going to be right in the pack at $19,995 for the LX; $21,995 for the touring and $24,495 for the limited, the paper said. It will be tough for Chrysler to live up to its boast that the 200 offers "exceptional craftsmanship inside and out, a refined and spirited driving experience, (and)innovative technology," USA Today said.

Grand Cherokee among Automobile Magazine finalists for 2011 Automobile of the Year award,
Automobile Magazine, Nov. 11

** Automobile Magazine has just announced finalists for its own 2011 Automobile of the Year award.
The list included the 2011 Jeep® Grand Cherokee. Automobile had this to say about the new vehicle: "Its huge-volume-selling days may be behind it, but the Jeep Grand Cherokee remains a very important vehicle for Chrysler. This all-new version was developed during a tumultuous time, but you'd never know it from the highly polished result." Automobile will announce its winner on its Facebook page on Nov. 16.
The other finalists are: Audi A8, BMW 5 Series, Buick Regal, Cadillac CTS-V Coupe/Wagon, Chevrolet Volt, Ford Fiesta, Hyundai Sonata, Jaguar XJ and Nissan Leaf.

 Bush: Auto bailouts were needed to save economy, Detroit News, Nov. 9

** Former President George W. Bush decided to rescue General Motors and Chrysler in early November 2008, far sooner than previously known, saying he "had to safeguard American workers and families," the Detroit News said. In his new book, "Decision Points," released Tuesday, Bush says he acted to avoid the massive economic impact of a collapse of the auto industry, and did not want to saddle President-elect Barack Obama with a "mess," the News said. In late December 2008, Bush agreed to a $17.4 billion bailout for GM and Chrysler using his broad authority under the $700 billion fund established to help failing banks, known as the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP),
the News said. Bush blames the industry's near collapse on "decades of poor management," but also notes that some of the auto industry's problems were exacerbated by factors outside their control: The collapse of the financial sector sent auto sales tumbling, banks stopped making many car loans and automakers' cash balances dwindled.

 2011 Jeep® Black Ops Wrangler: Let the Games Begin, Edmunds Inside Line, Nov.10

**Obsessed gamers who waited in line for midnight Monday to get their hands on the new Call of Duty video game may now have a new possession to daydream about: the 2011 Jeep Wrangler Call of Duty: Black Ops Edition, a special edition based on the hero vehicle in the new game, said Edmunds Inside Line website. Chrysler says it plans to fit 2,500-3,000 Jeeps with the Black Ops modifications, the website said. Call of Duty: Black Ops was so sought-after on Monday that thieves actually brandished semiautomatic weapons to get hold of it, the website said. Two thieves in Harford County, Md., stole four cases of the game at a Game Stop store the Saturday before its release, the report said. Inside Line says: Although buyers won't have the option of ground-to-air missiles, there is still sure to be a demand for this special-edition Jeep in the gamer world.

DARCARS Chrysler Jeep Dodge of Rockville
755 Rockville Pike
Rockville, MD, 20852
301-424-1700