Aspen Joins Chrysler Group Hybrid Lineup And Yeah, It's Got a HEMI(R)!

		Hemi Hybrid Badge AUBURN HILLS, MI UNITED STATES 04/27/2007

         - Chrysler Aspen Hybrid joins Dodge Durango Hybrid in 2008
- Vehicles feature 5.7-liter HEMI(R) Hybrid with Multi-displacement System
                                  (MDS)
   - HEMI Hybrid delivers more than 25-percent fuel economy improvement
 - Full-size SUVs to boast nearly 40-percent mpg improvement in the city
  - Chrysler Group's advanced hybrid system leapfrogs traditional hybrid
                                  design

   AUBURN HILLS, Mich., April 30 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- That new
Chrysler Aspen Hybrid got a HEMI(R)?
   (Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20070430/CLM006LOGO )
   Yes, it does -- as does the new Dodge Durango Hybrid. Both vehicles --
powered by Chrysler Group's all-new 5.7-liter HEMI Hybrid powertrain --
debut next year as the first volume-production hybrid offerings from the
Chrysler Group and the first vehicles to feature DaimlerChrysler's advanced
two-mode hybrid technology.
   "The all-new Chrysler Group HEMI Hybrid will offer our customers the
best of both worlds: renowned performance and significantly improved fuel
economy," said Frank Klegon, Executive Vice President - Product
Development, Chrysler Group. "With the new HEMI-powered Chrysler Aspen
Hybrid, we are delivering the ultimate combination of fuel efficiency,
overall performance and capability in a premium full-size SUV."
   The new 5.7-liter HEMI Hybrid is expected to deliver an overall fuel
economy improvement of more than 25 percent, including an improvement of
nearly 40 percent in the city.
   The HEMI powerplant, in hybrid form, will continue to feature Chrysler
Group's Multi-displacement System (MDS), which allows the engine to
seamlessly alternate between four-cylinder mode when less power is needed
and V-8 mode when more power is in demand. For the fifth year in a row --
and every year since its 2003 re-introduction -- Chrysler Group's famous
5.7-liter HEMI engine has earned a place on Ward's 10 Best Engines list.
   The new Chrysler Aspen Hybrid and Dodge Durango Hybrid vehicles
represent a bold change in what is generally a "me too" category. Chrysler
Group's full- size hybrid vehicles will deliver seamless dependable power
on demand in an efficient package. With an electrically variable
transmission (featuring two electric motors), two full hybrid modes of
operation, and four fixed mechanical gear ratios, the drive system improves
fuel economy around town and at highway speeds.
   Chrysler Aspen
   Boasting elegant Chrysler styling, unsurpassed capability and
performance, and abundant premium amenities, the Chrysler Aspen is a
premium SUV that is a value alternative to luxury-priced competitors.
Offering more for less, Aspen features numerous premium features, elegant
Chrysler design, 30 safety features and best-in-class horsepower, torque
and interior room.
   Two-mode Hybrid
   Chrysler Group's two-mode hybrid powertrain -- jointly developed by
DaimlerChrysler, General Motors and the BMW Group -- represents a major
automotive industry milestone due to the unprecedented fully integrated
combination of electric motors with a fixed-gear transmission.
   As a result of the low- and high-speed electric continuously variable
transmission (ECVT) modes, the system is commonly referred to as the
two-mode hybrid. However, the sophisticated fuel-saving system also
incorporates four fixed gear ratios for high efficiency and power-handling
capabilities in a broad variety of vehicle applications. The new Chrysler
Aspen Hybrid and Dodge Durango Hybrid vehicles can be powered either by the
electric motors or by the 5.7-liter HEMI V-8 engine -- or a combination of
the two. During the two ECVT modes and four fixed-gear operations, the
hybrid system can use the electric motors for boosting and/or regenerative
braking. When full power is needed, the system automatically adjusts for
passing, driving steep grades or hauling a trailer. The result is
trend-setting hybrid technology that provides superior fuel economy,
performance and load-carrying capability.
   Joint Development Center
   Located in Troy, Mich., the DaimlerChrysler, GM and BMW Hybrid
Development Center jointly developed the overall modular two-mode hybrid
system and the individual components: electric motors, transmission,
high-voltage battery, high-performance electronics, wiring, safety systems,
energy management and hybrid system control units. In addition, the Hybrid
Development Center is responsible for system integration and project
management.
   Chrysler Group Advanced Propulsion Technology
   Hybrid technology is one part of Chrysler Group's advanced propulsion
technology umbrella, which also includes efficient gasoline engines,
advanced clean-diesel technology, and ethanol flex-fuel and zero-emission
fuel-cell vehicles. DaimlerChrysler is the only automaker building plug-in
hybrids and testing them with customers in the United States.

SOURCE Chrysler Group