Chrysler adding jobs at Toledo Jeep plant to boost Wrangler production

New car sales have been on the upswing, and few vehicles have experienced more success than the Jeep Wrangler. The iconic off-roader set an all-time May sales record with 14,454 units sold, and its total sales are up 34 percent on the year.

That's good news for Chrysler, and it could lead to more high-wage manufacturing jobs in northern Ohio. Automotive News reports that Team Pentastar plans to add an unspecified number of jobs to its Toledo Jeep plant in the fourth quarter of 2012. The move should help Chrysler satiate demand for the perpetually hot Wrangler and Wrangler Unlimited, and it could help international sales, as well. CEO Sergio Marchionne is on record saying that he'd like the Wrangler to spur Jeep sales across the pond.





Ref: http://www.autoblog.com/2012/06/29/chrysler-adding-jobs-at-toledo-jeep-plant-to-boost-wrangler-prod/

2012 Jeep Wrangler Freedom Edition Proudly Wears the Red, White, or Blue

Just in time for our nation’s annual birthday hoopla, Jeep has rolled out the Wrangler Freedom Edition. The limited-run Jeep is intended as a tribute to military members both past and present. It’s based on the Sport model and available in either two-door or Unlimited four-door guise—buyers can have their Freedom in any color they want, as long as its Deep Cherry Red, Bright White, or, True Blue, which is exclusive to the Freedom edition.

Star badges with “Oscar Mike”—the traditional military slang for “on the move”—overlaid on them adorn the fenders, while stars without the script reside on the front hood and right rear-quarter panel. Standard features include black sidesteps, taillamp guards, and a Sunrider soft top with tinted rear windows.
Additional star images are embroidered with silver stitching onto the black seatbacks, and there are silver accents all over the cabin, including on a set of Mopar slush mats. Power windows and locks, remote keyless entry, and UConnect voice command are also included as standard items. Running gear is the same 285-hp, 3.6-liter Pentastar V-6 found in all 2012 Wranglers.






Ref:  http://blog.caranddriver.com/2012-jeep-wrangler-freedom-edition/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+caranddriver%2Fblog+%28Car+and+Driver%29&utm_content=Google+Reader

Ordering Car Features à la Carte

Shoppers considering the just-released 2013 Dodge Dart will encounter something rare in the car market: a menu offering as many as 100,000 possible combinations of colors and optional features.
 Chrysler Group LLC's newest compact car will be available in five different basic styles, 12 different exterior colors and up to 14 different interior color schemes, including black and ruby red, and "diesel gray and citrus." Buyers will pick from up to seven different wheel choices and can get a dashboard they can personalize to show either digital performance data, or virtual analog gauges.
 Rivals including Ford Motor Co., Honda Motor Co. and Hyundai Motor Co. don't offer anything close to this level of à la carte customization







Ref:

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702304782404577490563216345798.html?mod=WSJ_auto_LeadStoryCollection

Mazda Jumps to #3 on J.D Power & ssociates 2012 IQS

The J.D. Power IQS is an industry-standard survey of customers’ experience with their vehicles after three months of vehicle ownership, in which vehicles are ranked by “problems per hundred vehicles” rate.  The lower the score, the higher “perceived” quality of the vehicle or brand.

 

Highlights from this year’s survey include:

• The Mazda brand achieved 3^rd rank among non-premium brands.
• The Mazda brand improved three problems per 100 vehicles (PP100) to 97 PP100, our best result ever in the study.
• The MX-5 Miata was rated highest in the Compact Sporty Car segment. This is the sixth time in seven years it has maintained the position.

 Mazda achieved top-three initial quality among non-premium brands for the second consecutive year. 

Zoom-Zoom!

THE 40th ANNUAL KIWANIS FIREWORKS SHOW!

Wednesday, July 4, 2012
THE 40th ANNUAL KIWANIS FIREWORKS SHOW!
It's Denton County's most spectacular night, and has been for forty years! Come out to Fouts Field for live music by The Holler Time, followed by an awesome array of fireworks that light up the sky. The event is FREE, but donations are gladly accepted by our energetic "Bucket Brigade" before, during, and after the show.
Gates open at 5:30 p.m., music begins at 6:30.







Ref: http://www.dentonkiwanisclub.org/

2012 Mazda MX-5 Miata: Pure top-down driving joy

The Mazda Media first came on the American automotive scene in 1989, and since that time, the little roadster has provided a great top-down driving experience.
The 2012 Mazda MX-5 continues the rewarding driving tradition. Here is what this roadster has to offer.
Of the MX-5 Motor Trend has said that it is simply, “The best sports car in America.” These are impressive automotive words indeed!
The MX-5 is a two-passenger two-door rear-wheel drive roadster available in Sport, Touring, and Grand Touring models.
The engine is a 2.0-liter four-cylinder providing 167 hp and 140 ft. lb. of torque. The transmission is a short throw six-speed manual (one of the best in the business) or a six-speed automatic with shift paddles on the steering wheel. This Mazda’s 0-60 mph time is in a quick 6.3 seconds. Its front and rear weight distribution is a balanced 51/49 percent and the car’s lateral acceleration is an impressive .92 g.







Ref:  http://www.examiner.com/review/2012-mazda-mx-5-miata-pure-top-down-driving-joy

Kbb.com's 10 Coolest New Cars Under $18,000: Editors Name All-New Dodge Dart No. 1

Kelley Blue Book's Kbb.com Editors Rank This Year's Top Picks for Affordable New Rides Boasting Cool Factor
IRVINE, Calif., June 20, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- The expert editors from Kelley Blue Book's www.kbb.com, the leading provider of new car and used car information, today name the 10 Coolest New Cars Under $18,000 (http://www.kbb.com/car-reviews-and-news/top-10/10-coolest-cars-under-18000-2012/).  In this annual list published by Kelley Blue Book's kbb.com, the editors ranked their top choices and named the 2013 Dodge Dart as this year's No. 1 affordable new 'Cool Car.'

2013 Dodge Dart

First true collaborative effort between the Chrysler Group and parent company Fiat, the 2013 Dodge Dart's enticing combination of style, performance, features and value has earned it the top spot in our 2012 coolest cars list.  With exceptional interior space and loads of personalization potential, the all-new Dart will definitely make its presence felt in the ultra-competitive compact sedan segment.

2012 Mazda Mazda3
Sporty looks and joyful driving dynamics have made the otherwise practical Mazda3 an omnipresent figure on our annual 10 Coolest Cars Under $18,000 list.  For 2012 the Mazda3 appears once again, now with an optional "SKYACTIV" powertrain that enables Mazda's plucky compact to return up to 40 mpg on the freeway.





Ref:  http://www.abc12.com/story/18832203/kbbcoms-10-coolest-new-cars-under-18000-editors-name-all-new-dodge-dart-no-1

2012 Jeep Compass Black Edition

After the Compass Black Look Concept unveiled in March at the Geneva Motor Show, Jeep has now unveiled the production version called the Compass Black Edition. As its name suggests, this special edition comes with a unique Black look that offers a more distinctive appearance and personality.

For the special edition model, Jeep has added black-gloss inserts, black-gloss headlamps and fog lamp surrounds, black roof rails and step pads, and a new set of 18-inch black-gloss aluminum wheels. Under the hood, the Compass Black Edition has received a 2.2-liter turbo diesel engine delivering a total of 163 hp and a peak torque of 236 lbs-ft.

This special edition will be offered with an active Freedom Drive I four-wheel-drive system featuring Lock mode. The system is designed to give drivers year-round assurance with the ability to handle rough weather and low-traction conditions as well as slick roads that come with rain and light snow.

Ref:  http://www.topspeed.com/cars/jeep/2012-jeep-compass-black-edition-ar130939.html

40 MPG Compact Sedan Comparison - Mazda3 Wins

"The question we started this exercise with was, "Is there actually a '40-mpg' car that you'd want to own?" Indeed, there is.

"

The select six we've summoned to our investigation are the Chevrolet Cruze Eco (28/42), Ford Focus SFE (28/40), Honda Civic HF (29/41), Hyundai Elantra (29/40), Mazda3 (28/40), and Volkswagen Jetta TDI (30/42). A diesel, but no hybrids? Unlike the public's uneasiness with battery-aided driving (hybrid sales have been stuck around the 2.5-percent range), diesels are hydrocarbon kissing-cousins to their gasoline brethren. We know them. We're comfortable with them. And we were also curious to see how the Jetta TDI stacks-up against its high-tech gasoline alternatives.

1st Place: Mazda3

Mazda3's compressed intake charge is cooled by 3000psi, six-hole, direct fuel injection. The next heat countermeasure is that the ensuing combustion is contained by a small cavity at its top to the piston, and finally, long exhaust headers help prevent exhaust heat back-washing into other cylinders. As a kicker, friction has been reduced by 30 percent. Mazda has done its homework, and it showed on the road as the '3 returned better mileage than the both the Elantra and Focus.

That said, it was also the car that most caused us to glance around the room during our deliberations and silently concur that it was the one we could most enjoy driving every day. Let's listen in on the conversation: Evans: "Great-handling car, very tossable with quick steering and very good feedback. The Mazda3 is easily the most fun vehicle to drive at the Proving Ground. Digging the big seat bolsters." Martinez: "A few hundred feet into the heart of downtown Tehachapi, I could already tell it was a solid car."

Read more: http://www.motortrend.com/roadtests/sedans/1208_40_mpg_compact_sedan_comparison/viewall.html#ixzz1y9ylPiug

Come See The New Dodge Dart TOMORROW!

It's Almost Here!!  Don't forget to come out to Classic Dodge of Denton TOMORROW - Thursday June 14th to check out the AWESOME new 2013 DODGE DART!! 

Mazda and Major League Baseball join forces!

Mazda and Major League Baseball join forces!

Visit MLB. com/mazda every Tuesday and Friday in June to watch a free streaming MLB game, and cast your vote during the rest of the week to determine which game will make the next webcast!

Mazda

Click for the Mazda Free Game of the Day!



Ref:  http://www.facebook.com/Mazda/posts/10151814102585363

2012 Denton Airshow - Saturday June 16th , 2012

Welcome to the 2012 Denton Airshow  The Denton Airport is proud to host their annual 2012 Denton Air Show on Saturday 16 June 2012. This year's event will feature the US Marine Corps AV-8B Harrier II Aerial Demonstration.   Other performers include Ray Kinney in the Commemorative Air Force P-40 Warhawk, Chris Avery in the CAF FG1D Corsair, Cowden Ward in the P-51D Mustang, Mike Gallaway in the Extra 300, Aaron Taylor in his T-6 Texan, Adam Baker in the Pitts S2, the Texas Twisters, Andrew Wright, and many more.   Static Displays will include both modern and vintage aircraft for all to enjoy on the Saturday of Fathers Day 2012 weekend. SATURDAY 16 JUNE 2012        $10/ADULTS & CHILDREN                Under 6 FREE
Ref:  http://denton.schultzairshows.com/

Come See The New Dodge Dart at Our Dealership Thursday, June 14, 2012!!!

It'll be Here Thursday, June 14th !!

Here's just a few awesome reasons why..........

The signature of a New Dodge
Why do we offer 152 individually-placed LEDs? Because it's the perfect number for our "Racetrack" taillight array, available on Dodge Dart SXT, Rallye and Limited, and standard on R/T models.
It's the kind of combination we love to make - modern Dodge technology and classic Dodge style.

The All-New 2013 Dodge Dart expresses an impressive level of visual drama. Clean lines from nose to tail form its curvaceous silhouette. The unmistakable "split cross-hair" grille accentuates its low, wide stance. And the Dodge Charger-inspired, available full-width rear racetrack style LED taillamp makes an aggressive statement - something truly beautiful every driver behind you will be staring at.

The Dodge Dart's All-New, driver-centric interior boasts an intuitive, fluid layout designed to be both beautiful and ergonomic. It features ambient lighting that highlights interior craftsmanship and refinements. Like refined soft-touch surfaces. Accent stitching on the dash and seats. Tactile grains or available hand-wrapped protein vinyl surfacing. It's an interior so thoughtfully crafted and engineered, it offers interior space rivaling midsize sedans with class-exclusive in-seat storage.

Experience the largest touchscreen in the compact car class⁺ at 8.4 inches, available on SXT and Rallye, standard on Limited and R/T models.
The 2013 Dodge Dart is tuned to deliver with the available Uconnect Touch™ 8.4, featuring AM/FM/CD/MP3 and available SiriusXM Satellite Radio⁺ with replay mode. Get up-to-the-minute weather, fuel prices, sports and movie listings with available Garmin® Navigation and SiriusXM Travel Link™⁺. Crank up your own tunes via remote SD card or remote USB Port with iPod® mobile device control. So many features we even offer available steering wheel-mounted controls so you can keep your eyes on the road, and your hands right where they belong.

And of course, because Classic Dodge of Denton has the Best Pricing and Service Around!

Ref:  http://www.dodge.com/en/2013/dart/