Bud's Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram

Today's summary includes these reports:

• Grand Cherokee SRT8®: It's a whole lot hotter than a standard SUV
• With new parts line, Chrysler dealers aim to service rivals' cars
• California passes new auto emission rules

Grand Cherokee SRT8®: It's a whole lot hotter than a standard SUV, Carbuzzard.com, Jan. 26
o The Grand Cherokee SRT8® is for the well-to-do car lover who occasionally requires the service of an SUV, but wants one that replaces the ennui of a cheerless driving experience with some of the excitement of a high-performance luxury car, Carbuzzard.com said. The Grand Cherokee SRT8 even tries to save some money on gas - cruise along on a level highway and the V-8 will automatically ratchet down to four-cylinder operation under light loads, the website said. Unlike some pickup-based SUVs, the SRT8 actually drives more like a car than a truck, the article said. This Jeep has a reasonably comfortable and compliant ride over most road surfaces, and it won't let you down when the road snakes along like the letter S, the article said. This is not the sport-utility vehicle for everyone - but for everyone with enough money and a love of interesting and exciting transportation, it sure is a lot more fun than one of those strictly functional sport-utility vehicles, the article said.

With new parts line, Chrysler dealers aim to service rivals' cars, Automotive News, Jan. 30
o Higher vehicle quality and longer maintenance intervals have cut service business, so Chrysler Group dealers are stepping up efforts to court owners of other brands, Automotive News said. In April, Chrysler's Mopar® Parts division and European parts giant Magneti Marelli -- both part of Fiat Group -- began a project to bring out a full line of premium parts for non-Chrysler Group vehicles, focusing on General Motors, Ford, Toyota, Honda, Nissan, Hyundai and Kia products, the paper said. The project has now expanded to include 30 product lines and 3,000 part numbers, all labeled "Magneti Marelli offered by Mopar," said Dino Maggioni, Marelli's CEO for aftermarket parts and services, the article said. It's the first time Mopar has offered a broad range of repair and maintenance parts that were made exclusively for vehicles from competing automakers, the article said. Pricing on the new parts line will be competitive with other premium auto parts, Maggioni said in the article.

California passes new auto emission rules, Associated Press, Jan. 30
o California air regulators on Friday passed sweeping auto emission standards that include a mandate to have 1.4 million electric and hybrid vehicles on state roads by 2025, the Associated Press said. The new rules require that one-in-seven of new cars sold in the state in 2025 be an electric or other zero-emission vehicle, the news service said. The plan also mandated a 75 percent reduction in smog-forming pollutants by 2025, and a 34 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions over roughly the same time, the AP said. Auto companies including Chrysler Group submitted testimony in support of the new standards during a meeting of the board, the AP said. The California New Car Dealers Association and other industry groups representing those who sell cars said the board is overestimating consumer demand for electric vehicles and other so-called "zero-emission vehicles," the AP said. The air resources board disputed those estimates, saying increases in hybrid and other sales continue to rise as more cars hit the market and that fuel cost savings will make up for any vehicle price increase, the article said.