Chrysler Group Wins Big at Texas Auto Roundup

At the recent Texas Auto Roundup in Fort Worth, Chrysler Group walked away with a total of six awards for their Dodge, SRT, and Chrysler brands.

The Texas Auto Writers Association (TAWA) gave away a total of 19 awards at the Texas Auto Roundup, so with six awards, Chrysler took home nearly a third of the available awards and more awards than any other manufacturer. The 2014 Dodge Dart won Compact Car of Texas. The 2014 Jeep Cherokee SRT won Performance Utility Vehicle of Texas. Chrysler took the most with the 2015 Chrysler 200 winning Mid-size Sedan of Texas, the 2014 Town & Country winning Minivan of Texas, the 2014 Chrysler 300 winning Full-size Sedan of Texas, and 2014 Town & Country winning Family Car of Texas.

Michael Marrs, President of TAWA, explained why the Texas Auto Roundup was a great venue for the vehicles, saying, “This event allows us to experience manufacturers’ products in a first-hand comparison. The design, capability and versatility of Chrysler Group products really stood out among the competition.”

Reid Bigland, Head of U.S. Sales at Chrysler Group, thanked TAWA for the honor, calling the six wins “a testament to our hard work this year.”

“We continue to improve our vehicle lineup,” Bigland stated, “and we’re pleased that TAWA gave our brands their vote of confidence once again.”

For more information on Chrysler products, contact Bayside Chrysler Jeep Dodge at Bayside Chrysler Jeep Dodge.  View our wide assortment of new and pre-owned vehicles or schedule your next check-up.  Follow us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter for more news and monthly specials.

Chrysler CEO Predicts 2012 Profits Will Surpass $3 Billion

2012 is a little over halfway done, and looking at the numbers, it is expected that Chrysler will post $3 billion in profits this year.

Auto sales overall have been exceptionally strong this year, particularly the past few months, and Chrysler has produced 928,748 trucks, SUVs, and mini-vans, as well as 298,472 cars. Plants have had to work harder to keep up with demand. Four of their plants did not have their typical two-week shutdowns, and other plants shortened their shutdowns from two weeks to one week. In a recent interview, Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne was very optimistic, saying, “ The objective of $3 billion is close at hand. We could overshoot it.”

What has been driving demand for Chrysler, Jeep, Dodge, and Ram vehicles? Well, besides the overall increase in auto sales, there has been a lot of attention on Chrysler lately. The Dodge Dart is already a runaway hit, and their line-up has been getting stellar reviews from critics and drivers alike. Now more than ever, any driver can find what they are looking for in the Chrysler, Jeep, Dodge, and Ram line-up, whether if they are looking for American-made luxury, a rough-and-tumble truck, or a reliable family car.

Have you seen the new Chrysler line-up yet? You can check them out online and view Bayside Chrysler Jeep Dodge's online quality used car inventory as well by clicking here. Also, keep up with the latest news from Chrysler, Jeep, Dodge, and Ram by liking Bayside on Facebook, following Bayside on Twitter, and subscribing to Bayside on YouTube.

Image: FreeDigitalPhotos.net

New Chrysler LLC Board of Directors Appointees Bring Fresh Perspective

Some recent changes to the Chrysler Group board of directors earlier this month had people talking with the board's newest members include a United Auto Workers strategist and the president of Brown University.

Erickson N. Perkins and Ruth J. Simmons were appointed to the board of directors as former Michigan Governor James Blanchard stepped down. Prior to being appointed, Perkins was part of the UAW's negotiations team during the 2011 contract negotiations, and Simmons was president at Brown Universtiy and Smith College and a variety of other administrative roles at Princeton University, California State University, and the University of New Orleans.

Together, Perkins and Simmons bring something different and fresh to the Chrysler Group board of directors. Aside from Ronald L. Thompson, Simmons is the only member of the board with substantial background working in academics, and having worked side-by-side with auto unions, Perkins will bring a unique perspective to the table. Looking over their impressive resumes, it isn't hard to see why Chrysler appointed them to the board of directors.

Click here to view Chrysler Group LLC's current board of directors and read biographies for each member. Also, check out the full line-up of Chrysler, Jeep, Dodge, and Ram vehicles online here, and keep up with the latest news from Chrysler Group by liking Bayside on Facebook, following Bayside on Twitter, and subscribing to Bayside on YouTube.

Chrysler's “Imported from Detroit” Wins Grand Effie Award

After taking home an Emmy and numerous other prestigious awards, Chrysler's 2011 “Imported from Detroit” Super Bowl commercial is still winning in 2012.

Last Saturday, the Grand Effie award for effective advertising went to Chrysler's now-famous “Imported from Detroit” commercial. The commercial featured many real Detroit residents including a local choir, a professional football player, a champion ice skater, and rapper Eminem. Audiences responded well to the commercial because of its strong tie-in to the Chrysler brand and its uplifting message of hope and pride in Detroit.

Grand Effie jury members praised Chrysler and the ad campaign, calling it a stand-out amongst the finalists “that sold the product the category and the city.” One jury member went so far as to say that the ad “gave [Chrysler] its soul back.”

The “Imported from Detroit” campaign joins other memorable campaigns from Old Spice, Apple Inc., and Microsoft Xbox's “Halo 3.” To see a full list of past Grand Effie winners, click here.

If you somehow missed out on this outstanding ad, you can watch it below, and make sure to check out the full Chrysler, Jeep, Dodge, and Ram line-up online here. You can also keep up with the latest news from Chrysler by liking Bayside on Facebook and following Bayside on Twitter.

2012 Dodge Charger's Uconnect Touch Earns Edmund's Award

Every year, Edmunds.com recognizes a vehicle that sets the bar for innovation technology in automobiles. The award of “Breakthrough Technology Award for 2012” was given to the 2012 Dodge Charger for its Uconnect Touch system.

President and Chief Executive Officer of the Dodge brand Reid Bigland was pleased to hear the news from Edmunds. “We’re very proud Edmunds.com is recognizing the 2012 Dodge Charger with its Breakthrough Technology award.” He was quick to add the praise to the Dodge Charger as well, saying, “The Charger’s Uconnect Touch system with the 8.4-inch touch screen is really world class, intuitive and easy to use. When you combine it with Charger’s available eight-speed transmission that gets best-in-class fuel economy of up to 31 miles per gallon on the highway, the 2012 Dodge Charger really does offer the latest high-tech features, all at a tremendous value, wrapped up with iconic styling.”

The Uconnect Touch system is Dodge brand's approach to linking today's technology. The Uconnect system on the Charger includes two 4.3 inch and two 8.4 inch in-dash touchscreen models. The system is all about providing the driver with information and control over the vehicle. You can control all the entertainment, climate, phone, and other settings. The 2012 version will be adding new features such as hands-free texting, voice commands for Garmin navigation, and full iPod control features.

To get more information on the Dodge Charger and other Dodge products, you can view it on Bayside's website and follow on Facebook and Twitter.

Conner Avenue Assembly Plant Reopening

Some big news for Dodge Viper lovers. “The next generation Viper will make its return to the product lineup in late 2012 as a 2013 model,” said Ralph Gilles, President and CEO of SRT Brand and Motorsports. The best part of that news is not only the return of the Viper, but the fact that the car will mean the reopening of the plant that was producing the Viper.

The Conner Avenue Assembly Plant in Detroit was closed in July of 2010 when production of the Dodge Viper ceased. The plants reopening will be bringing back about 150 jobs. The hourly employees who had been working previously at the Conner facility were the first to be offered the chance to come back. The jobs that were left will be filled by people who can volunteer to move to the plant. While the actual production of the new Viper will not begin until late 2012, the employees have already begun their training and orientation that started this fall.

This is a flurry of great news concerning the Viper. Not only is the infamous car returning to the road with a brand new model, but the very people who were responsible for making the Viper are coming back. Chrysler really did a great thing here with bringing not only the Conner Avenue Assembly Plant back online but making sure it was staffed by the employees who previously worked there. It is not much of a surprise when looking at the numbers they produced. In 15 years, the plant and workers built around 12 cars a day, totaling 22,070 Vipers. More solid car news and even better news for Detroit's car industry. As Ralph Gilles put it, “We're extremely excited that our ultimate American sports car will continue to live on and be produced exclusively here in the Motor City.”

To see all of Dodge's current products go to Bayside online and follow them on Facebook and Twitter.

November - The Big Finish Event!

It's an exciting time of the year as the 60 day year-end event, The Big Finish, begins. With numerous award winning brands being advertised and available for amazing deals, now is the best time to stop into Bayside Chrysler Jeep Dodge & Ram to check them all out.

For all of our deals on Facebook, follow the deals below.

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Check out this latest TV Spot for the November Big Finish Event



You can watch the rest of our TV Spots for the Chrysler 200, the Town & Country, Jeep Liberty, Durango, Journey, and Ram Trucks.

Jeep Wrangler Celebrates Landmark Birthday

The Jeep Wrangler, one of Jeep's best-selling and iconic vehicles, will be celebrating 70 years on the road this year.

Since 1941, when the model was used as a military vehicle in World War II, the Jeep Wrangler has been an American staple. It is a favorite off-road vehicle, and those looking to buy the 2012 model will be excited to hear that the 2012 Wrangler will have a new 285 horsepower engine, compared to the 202 horsepower engine in the previous model.

The 2012 Jeep Wrangler starts at $25,545 and goes up from there depending on features and add-ons. You can check out listings for the Jeep Wrangler and the Jeep Wrangler Unlimited here, and watch Motor Trend's test drive of the 2012 Jeep Wrangler below.

To drive a Jeep Wrangler for yourself, stop by Bayside Chrysler Jeep Dodge 212-19 Northern Blvd in Bayside, New York, or check them out online here. You can also follow them on Facebook or Twitter.

Bayside Chrysler Jeep Dodge Ram: Meet the Staff!

Take a look at the latest YouTube video from Bayside Chrysler Jeep Dodge Ram!

Grandparents Beat Out Parents as Safest Drivers

Whether it is their years of driving or their years of experience dealing with children, a recent study has found that children are usually safer riding with their grandparents than their parents.

The study, which was conducted by State Farm Insurance, found that children riding in a car with their grandparents had a fifty percent lower chance of being injured in a car crash than children riding in a car with their own parents. This study was based on data from car crashes from 2003 thru 2007, and the children in the study were youths 15 years old or younger.

It is not clear yet why grandparents are safer drivers than parents, but if I had to take a guess, I would say there are two reasons why grandparents do a better job driving children. First, grandparents have driven with children in the car for much longer than new parents. A new parent might glance over their shoulder at the slightest sound of discomfort whereas a veteran parent would know the difference between whining and real trouble. Secondly, grandparents have worse hearing. Now, this might seem like a huge disadvantage as a driver, and it certainly can hurt a driver's performance. We aren't endorsing intentionally blocking out sounds while driving. When it comes to kids, however, sometimes it is nice to “turn down the hearing aid” and pretend not to hear the kids yelling, “He's on my side of the car!” or “She took my Nintendo DS!”

To find out more about the safest cars on the market today, call the Bayside Queens Chrysler Jeep Dodge and ask about the best (and safest) car for your family.

Debutante Programs Add Car Repair to Lesson Plans

When people think of debutantes, they think of white dresses and lovely young girls. Traditionally, car repair and debutantes should never even belong in the same sentence together, and yet today's debutantes are learning proper dining etiquette as well as how to jump-start a car.

New lessons for the modern debutante include self-defense training and car repair. In recent years, debutante classes seemed silly and cheesy at best and sexist and outdated at their worst. Today, more women than men are graduating from college, and the idea of dressing up young ladies and having a party celebrating their entry into society seems a little demeaning.

Adding classes like car repair to debutante lessons was actually a really smart idea. Every young woman should know how to jump-start a car. It is a practical skill for life, and by adding car repair class, debutante programs can help a young girl grow into an intelligent, well-rounded woman who knows her etiquette but can still take care of herself (and her car).

Looking for a car for your teenager? Check out the new and used car selection over at Bayside Chrysler Jeep Dodge.

Picture via Transfigurations

Cell Phone-Related Car Accidents on the Rise, Chrysler Backs Cell Phone Ban Bill

Phones might be getting smarter, but the same cannot necessarily be said for its users. According to a study by the U.S. Department of Transportation, 5,474 people were killed in car accidents related to cell phone use in 2009 alone. The same study shows that 448,000 people were also injured during that same year.

In response to the overwhelming evidence that cell phones lead to more distracted drivers and more car accidents, Chrysler has voiced its support for the Safe Drivers Act of 2011. If the law passes, drivers would be prohibited from using their cell phones and other mobile devices, and the federal government will have to determine in the following two years if hand-free cell phones are also too distracting to drivers. It should be noted that there is an exception written into the bill that drivers can use their cell phone in certain emergencies.

Maybe I am biased having grown up with a hand-me-down car that we affectionately named “The Ghettomobile,” but I think it makes perfect sense for car companies and consumers to back the Safe Drivers Act of 2011. If I had a nice car that I worked very hard to pay for, I wouldn't want other drivers putting my safety and my new car at risk by texting while they are driving. The Safe Drivers Act of 2011 is common sense, and several states have already put similar laws in place. This is where the country is heading, and it makes sense to go ahead and make it a federal law.

Consumers, if you want to support the Safe Drivers Act of 2011, contact your elected representatives and tell them to support this important legislation. You can also read the bill in its entirety here.

Picture via Hoax-Slayer

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