The Amazing Recovery of Chrysler

American car maker Chrysler, based in Auburn Hills, Michigan, hit a rough patch a couple of years ago, when they had to file for bankruptcy, as many other car manufacturers did at the time. It managed to get out of the crisis somehow, mainly thanks to the merger with Italian giant Fiat, and a bailout from the American Government. They quickly bounced back and even had record sales in late 2012, which encouraged their chief executives to start thinking about developing new products and reinventing some of the current ones that had the most success with consumers. So, Chrysler unveiled their plans for a redesigned Chrysler 200, a subcompact Chrysler 100, a Jeep crossover, as well as a new version of the Town and Country, which should help them continue the growth they saw during the course of 2012.

The redesigned Chrysler 200 is a luxury mid-size sedan, and should go on sale in 2014. It's a continuation of the Chrysler 200 that was unveiled in 2011, based on the Chrysler Sebring. It will have a 3.2-liter, V6 engine, along with a nine-speed transmission. The powerful engine should provide about 240 hp, and it's said that it's meant to be a counterpart of the Lancia Flavia which is sold in Europe. Plus, Chrysler says it will provide an excellent fuel economy at 38 mpg/highway.

A completely reinvented version of the Town and Country will be introduced in late 2013. The large minivan has a 3.6-liter, V6 engine, with 283 horsepower. A 6-speed automatic transmission is standard, and it has a 21 mpg combined fuel efficiency. It is officially considered as a crossover by the manufacturer, and should look like the Chrysler 700C concept.

Another surprise coming from Auburn Hills is the 2014 Chrysler 100. It's a hatchback, with forward collision warning, lane-departure warning and adaptive cruise control systems, as some of the most important features. Besides North America, Chrysler intends to sell it in Europe, as well, since hatchbacks have always been much appreciated by consumers there. It will be a small, light and compact vehicle, with a 1.4-liter turbocharged engine, which should provide a decent fuel economy and meet European emissions standards.

So, these are some pretty good news for all the faithful Chrysler customers, who were surely given a scare that their favorite car maker could go down, with all the uncertainty that has been hovering over them for the past 5-6 years. But now, with all these new, more fuel-efficient, stylish and modern-looking models, it looks that there is a bright future ahead of them. Recently, they announced record sales since 2007, which is a sign of progress.