Get Ready For More Chrysler and Dodge Minivans

The Chrysler Group has recently announced that the all-new 2008 Chrysler Town & Country as well as the Dodge Grand Caravan minivans both introduced at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit are going to be produced at the DaimlerChrysler’s Windsor Ontario Assembly Plant and St. Louis South Assembly Plant in Fenton, Mo.

The main objective of the Chrysler Group is to produce several vehicles under same roof and in the process save millions of investment dollars while hastening the availability of the vehicles to the market equipped with the same high quality Chrysler parts that meets the quality levels set by the automaker.

According to Frank Ewasyshyn, Executive Vice President, Manufacturing, Chrysler Group, "These are very important products for the Chrysler Group as we remain committed to the minivan market and maintain our leadership position. Our focus on flexible manufacturing and new investments, adding state-of-the art technology to plant operations, will help us ensure we can meet those demands and build almost anything, anywhere, with improving speed and quality."

Visiting DaimlerChrysler’s Windsor and St. Louis Assembly Plants

The Windsor Assembly plant is presently housing the production for Dodge Grand Caravan and Chrysler Town & Country minivans with the Stow ‘n Go® seating and storage system, together with the Chrysler Pacifica, has enough resources to accommodate the production of two different vehicle platforms. The Chrysler Group has invested $508 million to its Windsor Assembly to provide it with a state-of-the art paint facility which is capable of accommodating the dimensions of at least eleven different body styles. The Windsor Assembly plant is scheduled to operate on the first quarter of 2007. This plant was built in 1928 and at present considered to be one of Chrysler’s largest assembly plants with 4.01 million square feet. The plant is currently employing 4800 people.

The St. Louis South Assembly Plant is another big plant of Chrysler. The automaker invested $1 billion for this plant. Chrysler Town & Country, Dodge Grand Caravan minivans (south), and Dodge Ram (1500 and 2500) Standard and Quad Cab Pickup (North) are the vehicles produced in this plant. The St. Louis Plant was constructed in 1959 and has a total area of 2.64 million square feet and the third assembly plant of Chrysler that implements a fully robotic body shop. This gives the St Louis plant the capability of manufacturing multiple types of vehicles on one line. Chrysler’s St. Louis Assembly plant has 3,200 employees presently.

Chrysler Group is expecting to make the 2008 Dodge Grand Caravan and Chrysler Town & Country available to US market in the fall of 2007.

By Correy Putton.

Chrysler Film Project Named Five Lucky Finalists

The Chrysler Film Project is a film-based competition that focuses on the new emerging filmmakers in the U.S. by developing an original short film that features Chrysler branded vehicles along with Chrysler auto parts. Among the hundreds of entries, the judges narrowed down the selection and chose the five finalists that will continue their ultimate goal for a one million dollar movie production deal courtesy of Chrysler Motors and Silverwood Films.

David Rooney, Chrysler Brand Marketing and Communications Director, said, "At Chrysler, we are committed to inspiration and we are pleased at this opportunity to bring a new talent to a wider audience. The Chrysler Film Project illustrates how mainstream brands can directly impact the arts and bring inspiration to life.”

"We admire the Chrysler brand and its continued efforts to provide unique platforms for independent filmmakers to get their work recognized on the big screen. This is a great opportunity for all parties - the Chrysler brand, Silverwood Films and the winning filmmaker - to have a voice in the film industry and showcase out- of-the-box thinking," says Lynette Howell producer of Silverwood Films.

The Five finalists will now enter the second stage of the competition where they will direct and edit a three- to five-minute short film that will feature some of Chrysler's newest vehicles, which include the 2007 Chrysler Aspen and Chrysler Sebring. The film entries will be judged according to the originality of the film, level of interest of the story, and the overall quality of the film. The overall winner of the Chrysler Film Project will soon be announced this September.

Derek Cianfrance is one of the five finalists. His entry is titled ‘Blue Valentine’. The film ‘We Neighbors’ was created by Paul Fitzgerald. Jonathan Jardine was behind the film ‘Touch’ while Pamela Smith did the work on the film ‘Love On Spec’. As per the film entry ‘Dirty Girl’, it was Abe Sylvia who did the project.

"We're pleased that the quality and level of filmmaking is so extraordinary. The fact that the screenplays of these five nominees have yet to be made into films underscores the significant challenge that talented emerging filmmakers have in making their first feature films. Chrysler and Silverwood are providing a real and significant new opportunity that previously hadn't existed for these five directors," said Michelle Byrd, Executive Director of Independent Feature Project (IFP).

By Sarah McBride.