Chrysler Plans $1.2billion Mexican Expansion

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CHRYSLER Group says it's investing more than $US1.2 billion ($A1.27 billion) in two Mexican plants to build commercial vans and engines.

Chrysler chief executive Sergio Marchionne confirmed the amount Thursday at the dedication of Chrysler's new Van Assembly Plant in Saltillo.

The car manufacturer spent about $US1.1 billion to build the plant, which began making the Ram ProMaster van in July. The plant will employ 1,100 workers by the end of this year.

Chrysler is spending an additional $US164 million to add 470 workers on a new production line at its Saltillo North Engine Plant.

The plant will start making Chrysler's Tigershark four-cylinder engine early next year. The engine is used in the Jeep Cherokee SUV and the Dodge Dart sedan.

The expansions bring Chrysler's employment in Saltillo to nearly 6,500 people.
http://www.couriermail.com.au/busine...-1226738017943

My comment : Maybe Chrysler could buy Broadmeadows ?????!!!!!

[CyberWasp]

Yes build a RHD Challenger here.

[2011G6E]

Just driving around Las Vegas, Henderson, and Boulder City and surrounding areas, I was constantly head-swivelling checking out the traffic...naturally.

A few things I noticed: Chrysler/Jeep/Dodge is huge...we saw endless numbers of Ram trucks as work vehicles, family trucks, off roaders, modified ones, etc. We saw most of the taxis were 300C's, followed closely by Chargers (the bastards!). Challengers were extremely common. We didn't, oddly enough, see that many Fords, apart from every police car being a Crown Vic. F-trucks, the really big ones, we numerous, but I don't think more than the Rams and other assorted Dodges we saw. Jeeps? We saw hundreds of Wranglers and Grand Cherokees...they were super common on the roads.

Just on first blush, Mopar seems to be very very popular, in that area at least.

Here back home, I'm starting to notice an awful lot of Jeep Grand Cherokees and Wranglers lately...especially the new model nice looking Grand Cherokee. Must be a lot of good deals going on lately.

Being an old Mopar guy from way back (biggest mistake in Australian history was to stop building the Charger in my opinion...), that's a good thing in my eyes.

[2011G6E]

Just to add, thinking about it, we actually saw far more Nissan Titan V8's (an F250-sized Nissan twin cab) and Toyota Tundras than we did Ford F-trucks, oddly enough. Honestly, you probably see more F250's driving around as imports in traffic here than we did in traffic over there.
Municipal work vehicles (council and government trucks) and work trucks at McCarren airport were, we noticed, all F trucks, but privately, we just didn't notice that many. Interesting.

But, generally speaking, simple observation showed that Dodge was apparently king when it came to trucks. Radio adverts talking about "72 months zero percent interest and $160 a month" on twin cab hemi powered Ram 1500's might have something to do with that...