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2015 Chrysler 200 production gets underway [w/videos]

Chrysler announced recently that it has added some 800 new jobs at its Sterling Heights Assembly Plant (SHAP) to support the production of its all-new 2015 Chrysler 200 sedan. Total employment at the Sterling Heights, MI plant grows to almost 2,800 with the hires, an impressive figure for a plant that was slated for closure in 2010.
Speaking to a crowd of employees and community leaders, Fiat-Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne was on hand to celebrate the kick-off of 200 production last week. "We're making a big bet on its success," said Marchionne of the sedan, "we've invested nearly a billion dollars in this facility."
That billion-dollar bill has been used to construct a spanking new paint shop, install a new body shop and install "machinery, tooling and material-handling equipment" according to the Chrysler press release. The company says that SHAP now runs to nearly five million square feet of manufacturing space - loads of room for all the new employees to do their thing - and that the facility can handle multiple vehicles on two unique architectures.

Chrysler's completely redesigned 200 caught totally uncovered

Preparing for a big debut at the Detroit Auto Show next month, the all-new 2015 Chrysler 200 was out for a late-night photo shoot fully undisguised, and our spy shooters were there to capture its all-new design completely uncovered. While there's no camouflage, the cover of darkness proved to be almost as effective, but we still get a good idea of what this former sore spot in the brand's lineup will look like after its clean-sheet redesign.
The first thing we notice is the stylish four-door-coupe roofline doing its best to impersonate something like the Audi A7, or maybe the Volkswagen CC. The front-end styling is a departure from recent Chrysler designs with narrow headlights and an equally short, chrome-trimmed grille. In profile, the bullet-nosed 200 is somewhat reminiscent of the Tesla Model S. This new design language should definitely help the 200 get noticed in a segment filled with hot sellers like the Toyota Camry and Honda Accord, as well as more stylish offerings like the Ford Fusion and Mazda6.
Our spies also caught up with the 200 testing in daylight and got some good shots of the interior. The instrument panel design looks similar to what is found in the Dodge Dart, including the oversized instrument gauges and possibly even the LED accent lighting. We would have to assume - and hope - this prototype is a test model due to its small touchscreen display, as Chrysler's 8.4-inch screen would look much better in its place. The center stack and console are clean with minimal buttons and knobs, but we do see a rotary gear selector, which may confirm reports from last year that suggested the 200 will use a nine-speed automatic transmission to help hit 38 miles per gallon on the highway.

Chrysler reports $464M net income for Q3

Chrysler has just announced earnings of $464 million in net income for this third quarter, a 22-percent year-over-year increase. Net income for the first three quarters of 2013 is at $1.1 billion. Net revenue climbed significantly as well, to $17.6 billion, a 13.5-percent increase on Q3 of 2012.
Those increases were thanks in no small part to an eight-percent rise in sales from the same period last year, with 603,000 vehicles sold worldwide. "Chrysler Group's ninth consecutive quarter of positive net income highlights our commitment to producing award-winning vehicles for consumers, such as the Jeep Grand Cherokee and the Ram 1500," said Sergio Marchionne, Chairman and CEO of Chrysler Group.
Despite the increased sales, Chrysler's US market share dropped slightly, from 11.3 percent in Q3 2012 to 11.2. Canadian market share remained level at 14.3 percent. Have a look below for the entire press release from Chrysler.