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Auburn Hills, Mich. - “Concept to reality” has become a term that epitomises the Chrysler Group design philosophy, and many observers are hoping that it will apply to the company’s concept vehicles for 2007.

Chrysler Group’s latest concept vehicles clearly demonstrate a design tradition that has become a key strength of the company: an ability to design the coolest-of-cool concepts, which are as relevant as they are innovative.

This approach started with the Frankfurt Motor Show reveal of the Lamborghini-engined, cab forward-styled, four-door Chrysler Portofino concept sedan in 1987. Almost 20 years and more than 100 concepts later, this continuous development has helped Chrysler Group reinvent and maintain its reputation as a car company driven by design and engineering.

Concept vehicles have two major roles for the Chrysler Group: they showcase to management, the media and the public the potential future design direction for Chrysler Group cars and trucks, and they help to attract the best young designers in the world into its design studios.

Chrysler Group’s concept vehicle program allows designers to test new colors, features, vehicle size and segments. Concepts can also be showcases for new design cues, which often find their way into production on future vehicles – even if the entire concept vehicle does not.

Importantly, the designs that are revealed to acclaim and accolade at auto shows around the world each year are not just built to look good. That is where the company’s design-to-reality tradition really kicks in.

Not only does Chrysler Group produce concept vehicles that can actually be driven – especially by journalists for feedback and publicity purposes – but many ultimately become production vehicles within a few years of their first reveal. The latest example is the Dodge Challenger. First revealed as a concept at the 2006 North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) in Detroit, it was announced that the Challenger will go into production in 2008.

According to Trevor Creed, Senior Vice President – Product Design Office, Chrysler Group, “We’ve always said at Chrysler that we don’t just produce concepts for fun. We have proved year after year that our concepts are innovative and relevant.

“Our track record shows that many Chrysler Group concepts, and several of the design features showcased on our concept vehicles, have gone into production,” he added. “While we can’t say yet if any of our 2007 concepts will eventually be seen in our showrooms, they clearly hint at exciting and innovative future design directions that could find their way into our company’s products.”

2007 Concept Vehicles

This year’s group of concept vehicles includes one for each of the Chrysler Group’s brands. Combining refinement, function and style, the Chrysler Nassau concept explores a new expression of the Chrysler brand. First shown at the 2007 NAIAS, the four-door, four-passenger Nassau luxury coupe is a more emotional and artistic articulation of what it means to be a Chrysler.

The Jeep® Trailhawk, which also had its premiere at the 2007 NAIAS, merges the spectrum of the Jeep brand by combining the core off-road features of the new Jeep Wrangler Unlimited with the refined sophistication of an all-new on-road, open-air concept vehicle, providing a unique and fresh expression for Jeep.

The Dodge Demon is a compact, nimble “roadster with an attitude” – a perfect balance of classic sports car proportion and simplicity blended with modern design and performance. The vehicle is designed to be an affordable Dodge sports car that merges brand cues of bold design and powerful performance with an open-air “fun-to-drive” attitude. This concept had its debut at the 2007 Geneva Motor Show.

Twenty Years of Modern Concept Vehicles

The Chrysler Group has a long history of innovation in design and engineering, going back even as far as the first 1924 Chrysler sedan. In the modern era, since 1988, the company has created more than 100 concept vehicles in a variety of shapes, sizes, configurations and materials.

Ford Focus ECOnetic Smart Driving Challenge on this summer

BRENTWOOD, Essex, 18 June, 2008 – Drivers eager to limit the impact of rising fuel prices have flooded Ford with applications for its summer Smart Driving Challenge.

The strong response to the Ford Focus ECOnetic eco driving competition, launched in partnership with the Energy Saving Trust, has led to the challenge being extended to run throughout the British International Motor Show in London from July 23.

Smart driving techniques deliver environmental, financial and safety benefits by reducing fuel consumption thanks to a smoother driving style aimed at eliminating wasteful acceleration and braking.

Eco driving will be taught at six venues, including the British International Motor Show, as part of Ford’s nationwide challenge to find the UK’s greenest motorist. On the first day of registration alone, over 50 people signed up.

Candidates will tackle a three-part test: the first to establish existing eco driving skills among the 200 participants, with fuel consumption/CO2 output recorded.

Next comes a session of eco driving instruction from the Energy Saving Trust before a second mpg/CO2 measure is produced –expressed as an annual fuel saving. Fuel consumption is typically reduced by 15 per cent and savings can be as much as 25 per cent.

The driver with the most improvement at each event will win the loan of a new Ford Focus ECOnetic and a £1,000 eco home makeover, which looks at the fuel efficiency of a property and its appliances to deliver lower utility bills. Britain’s top eco driver will win £10,000 worth of free advice and appliances for the home.
The Focus ECOnetic has a combined fuel consumption figure of almost 66mpg – resulting in a class-leading 114g CO2/km.

Andy Taylor, Ford’s sustainability director, said: “Designing and manufacturing fuel efficient cars such as the Ford ECOnetic range becomes even more meaningful when linked to other measures to reduce emissions. Smooth and smart driving plays a huge but often unrecognised part in motoring – both financial as well as environmental.”

Nigel Underdown, Energy Saving Trust head of transport advice, said: “The Energy Saving Trust believes that typical savings of 15 per cent – in litres, pounds and CO2 – are achievable and realistic by adopting smarter driving techniques. Drivers will welcome the savings as fuel prices reach record levels and will also help address climate change by reducing CO2 emissions.”

Ford Focus ECOnetic Smart Driving Challenge

Murrayfield Stadium
Scotland
5 July

Longleat Safari Park
Wiltshire
12 July

Blue Reef Aquarium
Tynemouth
19 July

Knowsley Safari Park
Merseyside
9 August

West Midlands Safari Park
Worcestershire
16 August

British International Motor Show
ExCel, London
23 July – 3 August

What is eco driving?

Change up through the gears at between 2,000 and 2,500 rpm
Ease your speed. Driving at 70mph uses around 15 per cent more fuel than at 50mph
Anticipate to avoid unnecessary acceleration and braking

Use auxiliary equipment selectively, eg air conditioning

Switch off the engine whenever safe to do so

Check and adjust tyre pressures regularly, according to load and speed driven

Remove unnecessary cargo from the car to reduce weight

Reduce aerodynamic drag whenever possible, eg close windows or remove roof racks
What are the benefits?

Reduced fuel consumption
Lower fuel bills
Less CO2 emissions
Lower accident rates as a result of improved anticipation

HIROSHIMA, Japan—Mazda will present an all-new show car at this year’s Moscow International Automobile Salon. The concept is a sporty, compact crossover SUV designed especially for the Russian market.

The Moscow show car is the latest concept to be developed using the new design direction called Nagare – following in the footsteps of Nagare, Ryuga, Hakaze, Taiki and Furai. Nagare, which means “flow” in Japanese, represents a new approach to expressing movement in car design, taking as inspiration the flow patterns of natural elements, such as the wind. The design theme of Mazda’s concept for the 2008 Moscow motor show is “crosswinds”.

Russia is one of Europe’s fastest-growing markets and is rapidly becoming the region’s largest automobile market. SUVs are particularly popular in Russia, with a segment share of about 20 percent. Mazda’s latest concept car is designed to appeal particularly to younger SUV owners who have a strong sense of style.

The Moscow show car, the name of which will be announced in due course, again showcases the depth of creativity within Mazda design. In February 2008, the Mazda Design team received the coveted Grand Prix du Design at the Festival Automobile International in Paris.

The Moscow International Automobile Salon media days are on August 26 and 27, whereas August 28 caters for industry and trade specialists. The show is open to the public from August 29 through September 7. The new show car will be unveiled at the Mazda press conference at 10:15 on August 26 at the Mazda stand.

Leif Johansson, President and CEO of the Volvo Group
Stefano Chmielewski, President of Renault Trucks
Heinz-Jürgen Löw, Senior Vice President, Renault Trucks Europe
Tony Helsham, President of Volvo Construction Equipment
Mikael Bratt, Senior Vice President and CFO of the Volvo Group.
Pär Östberg, SVP, AB Volvo