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.

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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.

Jeep, Activision Release Special Edition Call of Duty Jeep Wrangler

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 might not hit shelves until November 8^th, but in between re-watching the game trailers again and searching the web for screen shots, Call of Duty fans can check out the famous game franchise's newest venture: cars.

Jeep has teamed up with Activision Publishing, the company behind Call of Duty, to release a special edition Jeep Wrangler in honor of the new game. The car will be prominently featured in the game, and it will also be available for purchase in November at local Jeep dealerships. Activision Chief Marketing Officer Tim Ellis said that Activision is “very excited” about the partnership with Jeep and praised the Jeep Wrangler in particular, saying that it “perfectly embodies the authenticity and dynamic energy of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3.”

Cross-promoting video games and cars might seem odd, but Activision was very smart about it. The Jeep Wrangler is a rough-and-tumble sort of car, and the Call of Duty games are pretty rough-and-tumble as well. Besides that, the Jeep Wrangler is consistently a popular car both in sales and reviews with AOL Auto calling the Wrangler “one of the most fun-to-drive...Jeeps ever made.” A lot of people will already be looking at the Jeep Wrangler, so getting the Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 Special Edition Jeep Wrangler is just the cherry on top of an already delicious sundae.

To learn more about the Jeep Wrangler and getting a Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Special Edition Jeep Wrangler, stop by Bayside Chrysler Jeep Dodge Ram at 212-19 Northern Blvd in Bayside, New York or visit them online at http://www.queenschryslerjeepdodge.com/.

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.