2003 Chrysler 300m Base on 2040-cars

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Chrysler trademark suggest new Rebel in the family

Trademark filings can be a first alert in the auto industry that something is coming. For example, Lamborghini trademarked Aventador before we saw its supercar, and Chevrolet did the same thing with Z28. Other times, an automaker files to protect a name and never does anything with it. Chrysler is dredging up a brand from the past by filing a US request for "Rebel." The name is specifically for "motor vehicles, namely automobiles, trucks, vans, sport utility vehicles and structural parts therefor," according to Ignitionist quoting the filing.
In the US, Rebel was previously used on some American Motors Corporation models. It even spawned a muscle car version called the Machine (pictured above). Chrysler eventually bought AMC when it bowed out of the auto industry in 1987.
Chrysler's plans for the name are a complete mystery at the moment. Although, it probably won't be a midsize sedan like the original. That just seems too unlikely given the brand's current, established lineup. Rebel seems like a fantastic name for the performance trim of a vehicle, though. The Jeep Renegade Rebel has a nice ring to it, and a Ram 1500 Rebel pickup could also work. We're going to have to wait and see what's in store for the moniker. Let us know in Comments what model you think would fit the Rebel name.

2014 Chrysler 200 to set design tone for brand

Speaking with Wards Auto at this year's Detroit Auto Show, Chrysler design chief Ralph Gilles said that the next-generation Chrysler 200 will launch a whole new styling direction for the brand when it arrives for the 2014 model year. Gilles did not reveal any specific design cues or elements that will be found on the next 200, only saying that the new car "shares no surface language with any previous Chrysler we've ever seen."
Indeed, the current 200 isn't exactly setting the world on fire with any sort of clever, emotive design, but Gilles knows that. "The current Chryslers on the road today certainly don't reflect where we're headed," he told Wards Auto. Instead, Gilles said that "we are deviating from where we are today, completely. It's a very different feeling (and) look."
The launch of the new Chrysler 200 will officially mean the death of its Dodge Avenger counterpart, though Gilles says that the company is working on an all-new product to replace that vehicle down the road. Still, Chrysler will need a successful player in the popular midsize segment, and Gilles fully expects the new 200 to be up to the task. "I think it's going to be a beautiful and relevant vehicle."

Chrysler investigating complaints of vehicles with faulty power modules

Chrysler owners are hopping mad after experiencing a series of electrical gremlins in some of the company's vehicles. Issues range from mere annoyances - windows rolling down and radios turning off of their own accord - to serious safety issues, with headlights that randomly shut off at night and cars that stall and refuse to start.
The issues are being blamed on the total integrated power module, which can cost up to $1,000 for customers to replace. This, of course, has led to a hefty batch of complaints to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, with 240 owners expressing their displeasure so far. Another site, CarComplaints.com, has registered over 300 complaints relating to the 2010 to 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee and Dodge Durango, alone, according to The New York Times.
Chrysler has acknowledged that it's investigating the complaints and is analyzing the faulty TIPMs, but that isn't quite enough for customers of the affected vehicles. The newspaper has snagged a few of the more harrowing tales with the electrically challenged Chrysler products, culled from the NHTSA complaints.