click above for high-res gallery of the 2009 Dodge Challenger SE and R/T

Dodge and its Ram badge has long been associated with power, and the marque is considered to be Chrysler's performance brand. In these days of record high fuel prices, though, being associated with horsepower could also mean an association with the guzzling of gasoline. Believe it or not, Dodge does not want this image, so it may be tweaking its marketing strategy a bit in a bid to change with the times.

"We can't be all about the monster Hemi and smoking tires, and we realize that," says Dodge brand director Mike Accavitti. "Nobody wants to be the gas guzzler brand. There's not a real secure future in that type of marketing strategy." This new, kinder, gentler image could even be adopted by the new Dodge Challenger, which was just recently released with a large and very powerful 6.1 liter Hemi V8 as its lone engine option. Soon, though, Dodge will release lower power models of the iconic pony car, equipped with both a smaller Hemi engine with cylinder deactivation technology and a 3.5 liter V6, though the six cylinder will be paired only with a four speed automatic transmission.

Dodge has managed to eke more mileage from its full-size Ram pickup truck, which is a good first step. The move from a "power" brand to a brand associated with "strength," though, will take much more than one product cycle refresh before consumers forget the line, "That thing got a Hemi?"

[Source: Automotive News - sub. req'd]

At the Washington Auto Show, Jim Press (the guy who famously left Toyota for Chrysler) said the Japanese government worked closely with corporations, like Toyota, for the betterment of society. Jim said he is excited to work with Cerberus, the private owners of Chrysler, to contribute to society as well. In the U.S., Press said, things like the Alliance of Auto Manufactures and the new CAFE standard lead to great results, e.g., the Dodge Durango HEMI Hybrid. Do you have questions about Chrysler's HEMI hybrid? The Washington Auto Show has two days left and I will ask your questions when I head back there. Post your questions in comments now.

Yesterday we told you about what looked liked an early press release about the Dodge Ram Hemi hybrid. MSN Autos has great videos from the 2008 Detroit Auto Show, including this video which confirms the news that the Dodge Ram (as you can see in the screen grab above) will be made into a hybrid in 2010.

Not excited yet? Then check out THIS VIDEO with Kid Rock and stars like the Chevy Volt and an E85 coupe rockin' on stage. There are screen grabs of the Volt and Couple below the fold. Stay tuned for much more coverage of green cars at the Detroit Auto Show.

[Source: MSN Autos]

The video above is a very good tour of all the green cars at the LA Auto Show in just 3 minutes. The tour guide has great observations and funny lines like the Volt was missing and he hoped this was not "a shadow of things to come." Below the fold are two more videos from the show and the first is a presentation of GM's hemi hybrid Chrysler Aspen hybrid and Dodge Durango hybrid. The video begins with a joke that you never expect someone to roll down their window and ask "hey, is that a hybrid?" Ha, ha, once again GM reiterates that their hybrids ARE NOT SMALL. Finally, below the fold is a video all about Toyota's fuel cell FCHV, which drove 2,300 miles across Canada.

Related:

• 2007 LA Auto Show videos: Audi Cross Cabriolet Quattro, Honda FCX Clarity, Katie Couric
• 2007 LA Auto Show videos: Porsche Cayenne hybrid, Volkswagen Space Up!, Chevy Silverado hybrid

[Source: YouTube]

In a revelation which I am sure is shocking to nobody, it seems that possible fuel economy regulations were not necessarily what killed off the Chrysler Imperial. We openly pondered this question in a post a while back after we heard that the program was canceled. Now an article on the Detroit News confirms what many of you probably already were guessing. When Cerberus brought in Wolfgang Bernhard to oversee the company, it did not take him long to see that the Imperial didn't fit into the overall plan of revitalizing the Chrysler Group. On a vehicle with the hopeful profit margins that the Imperial would carry, a hybrid or diesel drivetrain could have been used to raise the fuel economy. Additionally, not enough Imperials would have been sold that even the standard Hemi really would have been a problem, because the mileage requirements apply to the entire fleet of cars sold by any given automaker. One car which sells in low numbers does not spell a death knell for your CAFE numbers. However, given Chrysler's love for the Hemi engine, using it in nearly every vehicle they sell definitely poses a problem. Anyway, don't you wish that automakers would just be honest when it comes to what is going on? Cancel a program because you don't think the car will sell... fine, done.

[Source: Detroit News]

Many will scoff at this blog post but take it in the spirit intended.

The Chyrsler Group is offering tips to help drivers with Hemi engines under the hood, especially those equipped with the Multi-Displacement System, improve their fuel economy. Many are obvious, such as accelerating gradually instead of boiling the rear tires at every stoplight. Basically, powertrain engineers suggest driving situations where the MDS can use its 4-cylinder mode more often and more effectively.

Chrysler does predict that MDS-equipped vehicles will save more than 60 million of gallons of gasoline each year.

[Sourcec: Truck Trend]

While the standard Chrysler 300C with the Mercedes sourced 3.0 liter CRD engine has been available in Europe since the beginning of 2006, the Chrysler 300C CRD Touring was just introduced in the UK. If you check out the full article, you'll notice that the 300C Touring is basically a Dodge Magnum with a Chrysler 300C front end. The Chrysler 300C is one of the few American cars that gets halfway decent reviews across the pond, and the version with the V6 diesel engine is generally considered as the engine of choice for the car. While the diesel engines gives the car less straight line speed compared to the Hemi engine, for real-world use where torque is the name of the game, the diesel is the answer. On top of reducing fuel consumption, the diesel engine version is also considerably cheaper than the Hemi powered variant. I sure hope DaimlerChrysler brings this one over to the US as well.

[Source: Yahoo Cars UK]