Viper V10-Powered Chrysler PT 10 Cruiser Pickup Truck for Sale on eBay

Whether you love it or loathe it, Chrysler’s PT Cruiser was a running success for the Detroit automaker and over its ten-year lifespan, we saw countless projects cars and tunes based on the retro-styled compact model. However, ask any true Mopar fan what the ultimate modification is for any Chrysler Group model, and you’ll most likely get the answer an engine swap with the Dodge Viper’s ferocious V10 powerplant.

Here at Coolpictures, we’ve shown you plenty of Viper-powered cars ranging from a Chrysler 300 and a Dodge Challenger to a Saab 9-3 and a Jeep Wrangler. Now it’s time to add the Chrysler PT Cruiser to our list of venomous engine swaps with this eBay find.

The PT/10 Cruiser Pickup Truck is said to have been built in 2000. It is based on a custom chassis with power coming from the Viper’s V10 engine churning out 500 ponies. Other goods sourced from the Dodge sports car include the 6-speed transmission, rear suspension, steering rack and seats.

The seller claims that only two examples were built and that this one “has never been driven on the street and has only been used as a show car, there are some minor things that need completing like putting in a set of analog gauges, and some minor wiring tweaks”, adding that “it does start and run great”.

However, if you’re interested, we’d advise you to go check the car in the flesh for yourself before you make any move as a quick search on the internet revealed that some of the photos shown on the eBay page are quite old dating back to January 2006 (see the flickr page here).

Link: ebay

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Fiat Rumored to Bring Bravo Successor to the U.S. Market

The launch of the Fiat 500 in the U.S. market has whetted the Italian company’s appetite, as according to reports, Fiat is now considering the addition of a second model to its North-American range, the successor to the Bravo. As we wrote last month, the next-generation Bravo will take the shape of a small crossover with Fiat looking to emulate the success of Nissan's Qashqai.

The 500's early sales figures have exceeded the firm’s expectations despite initial concerns about relaunching the Fiat brand in the U.S. with such a small car. The partially open-top 500C was added to the range recently, with more powerful Abarth versions to follow in the very near future.

According to Laura Soave, head of Fiat brand North America, the company is now planning a larger model but it will make sure not to compete with Chrysler models.

“Fiat will be the small car brand. It will never have anything larger than a C-segment,” Soave told UK’s Autocar magazine. In other words, Fiat won't sell cars bigger than the Bravo, so it's safe to say that the larger car will be the replacement for Fiat's current C-segment model. One thing is for sure: the future model “will not be a traditional offering,” as pointed out by Fiat Group boss Sergio Marchionne who also promised a radical approach for the car.

Soave added that the Alfa Romeo brand will return to the U.S. (again…) with the 4C sports car, as the Giulia's launch has been delayed because Marchionne rejected the car's styling.

By Dan Mihalascu

* Current Fiat Bravo pictured in the photo above and the gallery bellow

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Chrysler Tones it Down a Notch with its New Imported from Detroit Campaign for the 2011 Town and Country

The refreshed 2011 Town and Country minivan is the point of focus in the latest commercial in Chrysler’s “Imported from Detroit” campaign. The new TV spot is called “The Quiet Ones” and it takes us to Michigan and the state’s 2011 hockey champions, the Novi Wildcats, featuring one of the team members, Mason Pew. Despite some strong statements such as “Some are quieter than others” and “You’ll find them with their heads down working their butts off”, the new commercial lacks the power of Chrysler’s previous ads, especially when you compare it to the original spot starring Eminem and the 200 sedan.
Aside from the Eminem ad, Chrysler has also launched two TV spots for the new 300 saloon starring Detroit Lions defensive tackle, Ndamukong Suh, and fashion designer John Varvatos.

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Ram Goes Big, Really Big with New Long-Hauler Concept Truck

The Chrysler Group claims, “they don’t get much bigger” than its new Ram Long-Hauler Concept truck and at a whopping 24 feet (about 7.3 meters) long, who can blame them? Based on a Class 5 Ram 5500 Chassis Cab, the monstrous Long Hauler rides on an extended wheelbase measuring 197.4-in. (5,014mm) in length, which is more than enough to fit a Mercedes-Benz E-Class (191.7-in)!

The concept truck is also 79.1 inches tall and tips the scales at an environmentally…unfriendly 9,300 lbs (4,218 kg), or close to 2.5-times as much as a Mercedes-Benz E350 sedan. Ram says the Long-Hauler has a maximum Gross Combined Weight Rating of 37,500 lbs (16,783 kg).

Power comes courtesy of a 6.7-liter inline six-cylinder Cummins Turbo Diesel engine rated at 800 lb.-ft. of torque, which is hooked up to a six-speed Aisin automatic transmission with four-wheel-drive transfer case coupled to a 4.88 Dana 110 axle with dual rear wheels. To quench its appetite, the Detroit firm’s engineers fitted the Long-Hauler with three fuel tanks with total capacity of 170 gallons (643 liters).

Other highlights include the full Kelderman Air Suspension and 19.5-inch Alcoa aluminum wheels, while Ram customized the apparently spacious 2+2 interior with several options such as a DVD player with overhead screen for rear seat passengers and a rear center console that includes a refrigerator, cup holders and tray tables.

The Auburn Hills automaker said that while only a concept for now, it will show off the Ram Long-Hauler across the country over the next eight months “to gauge public opinion” for a possible production version.

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Jeep Betting on Three New SUVs to Boost European Sales Five-Times by 2014

Jeep has disclosed plans to increase European sales from 25,000 units this year to 125,000 units by 2014. Europe will play a key role in Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne’s plans to double the brand’s global sales from 420,000 units last year to 800,000 units in 2014.

"Our plans for Europe are ambitious but doable. Europe for Jeep is an incredibly important market. We have been here for 30 years and half of our international sales historically were in Europe," Jeep CEO Mike Manley told Autonews Europe.

He added that in order to fulfill the ambitious plan, Jeep will roll out new products, including the company's first small SUV, and will expand its European network from 430 to 650 dealers by 2014. New Jeep models will include three fuel-efficient SUVs that will help increase sales in countries that have emission-based car taxes.

The small SUV is a Fiat-based vehicle code-named B-SUV that will be built in Toluca, Mexico starting in late 2013 or early 2014 and will be sold in Europe, North America and Latin America.

The second new model is a replacement for the Cherokee SUV (called the Liberty in the U.S.) that will begin production in the U.S. by early 2013 and will be launched in Europe by spring 2013. Codenamed D-SUV, the Cherokee’s replacement will be offered with AWD as standard while powertrain options will include a MultiAir version of Fiat's 2.0-liter, four-cylinder petrol engine producing 170 horsepower.

Finally, the third new model is a compact SUV that will replace the Compass/Patriot models. Scheduled to debut in Europe by mid-2013, the car will be built at Fiat's Mirafiori plant in Italy. Codenamed C-SUV, the vehicle will be sold globally and will share components with the Alfa Romeo C-SUV that will also be built in Mirafiori by the end of 2012. The C-SUV will be offered with AWD and FWD.

By Dan Mihalascu

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