DCX took up THREE conference rooms at the Holiday Inn Select in Naperville, IL and the event was filled. Fleet sales is indeed a big chunk of business for the automakers.

More details and driving impressions after the jump…

They ran through a presentation about all the vehicles available for fleet sales and hit fleet-centric highlights for each one. More interesting to me was that some options that aren’t available in certain retail-spec models are available on fleet-spec models.

The fleet guys were seeing good success with the Avenger and Sebring in the corporate fleets. I noted that on the Avenger SE Fleet model, one can get the 2.7L V6 in either FFV or gas-only versions instead of the standard 2.4L World Engine - in retail-spec you have to move up to the SXT model to get the 2.7L V6 option.

Charger, 300, and Magnum were touted as holding their residual value better than the Ford Five Hundred or Chevy Impala - in the case of 2006 models with 60K miles, the Charger had almost $5000 more value over the Chevy Impala, and the 300 had almost $1800 more than the Charger. As in retail-spec, the Charger SE gets the 2.7L V6 as standard, with the 3.5L V6 as an option. The Magnum, however, doesn’t get that option - to get the 3.5L V6, you have to move up to the SXT.

The fleet guys are very excited about the new minivans, and were really disappointed when they couldn’t get one to bring to the event. They also mentioned here that, in an attempt to bolster residual values, they’ve cut back on the sales to rental car fleets - if I can read my notes correctly, I believe that since February 2007, they have not sold ONE minivan to a rental car fleet. They shows a video of the new Grand Caravan in action, and it’s pretty darned impressive. One thing I noticed in the spec sheet is that the 3.3L V6/4-speed auto is standard in the SE with no option to upgrade. Moving to the SXT gets you the 3.8L V6 with the SIX-speed automatic, with an optional upgrade to the new 4.0L V6.

For 2008, the base model of the PT Cruiser gets the “LX” designation. Otherwise it soldiers on unchanged for the most part.

Like the PT Cruiser, the 2008 Sebring Sedan base model gets the “LX” designation. Unlike the Avenger, the Sebring Sedan has the 2.4L World Engine/4-speed auto as the standard powertrain on ALL trim levels. Touring models can upgrade to the 2.7L V6/4-speed, and Limited models can upgrade to the 3.5L V6/6-speed (which I believe was the case with the 2007 models as well.)

The 300 doesn’t get the LX designation - the base 300 remains just that. 5-speed automatic remains available only with the 5.7L V8 on the 300C and with the 3.5L V6 on AWD models only.

Pacifica base becomes Pacifica LX, and the 4.0L/6-speed is available (apparently) on all trims - LX, Touring, and Limited.

The new Town & Country follows the Dodge Grand Caravan specs above. Base model is the LX, not to be confused with the SWB model from 2007.

On the new 2008 Dakota, the new 4.7L V8 will be available in SXT trim - at least for the fleet customers. Base powertrain is the 3.7L V6/6-speed manual. Four-speed automatics are options with either 3.7L V6 or 4.7L V8. The 4.7L V8 comes standard with the 5-speed automatic.

The 2008 Ram 1500 has a plethora of options too numerous to mention. Powertrains range from the 3.7L V6 with 6-speed manual or 4-speed auto, to the new 4.7L V8 with 6-speed manual or 5-speed auto, to the 5.7L V8 MDS with 5-speed auto, to the MegaCab 1500 with the non-MDS 5.7L V8 with the 5-speed auto.

The 2008 Ram 2500/3500 trucks can be had with the 5.7L non-MDS V8 and a 6-speed manual or 5-speed automatic (except the 3500 Quad SWB or 3500 MegaCab), the Cummins 5.9L I6 with 6-speed manual or 4-speed automatic (fleets only), or the Cummins 6.7L I6 with 6-speed manual or 6-speed automatic.

The Sprinter is very popular in the commercial fleet market - we were told that the 2007 model year run allotment is already sold out.

The Chrysler Aspen is apparently popular with higher-up managers and VPs in corporate fleets. Aspen gets the new 4.7L V8 or the 5.7L MDS V8, both backed by 5-speed automatics.
The Dodge Durango also gets the new 4.7L V8 as standard in 4×4 models, and in limited quantities it can be paired with the full-time NV244G2 4WD system. Base Durango 4×2 engine is the 3.7L V6 with 4-speed auto. The 5.7L MDS V8 is standard on the full-time 4WD models.

The Dodge Nitro - again, if I’m reading my notes right - offers the Load’N'Go floor on the SXT model for fleets - retail buyers need to step up to the SLT model to get it. The 4.0L V6 remains exclusive to the R/T model.

The Jeep Patriot is other model the fleet guys are really excited about. The 2.4L World Engine with 5-speed manual remains the standard powertrain, with the 2.0L World engine/CVT2 combo as an option (at retail, you get a $200 credit for going down to the 2.0L engine, but are forced to pay $1050 for the CVT2.) We were told there were a few fleets using Explorers and Trailblazers that were looking to downsize and looking closely at the Patriot.

The Compass is available with the same powertrains as the Patriot, minus the availability of FreedomDrive II. The Compass was largely ignored by most of the people in attendance here and was offered as the “substitute” when the Caliber and Patriot were out on test drives.

The big news for the Grand Cherokee was the new 3.0L CRD model, and they had one on hand. The CRD is only available in the Limited and Overland packages with the 5-speed automatic. Interesting is that they list the 4.7 and 5.7 V8s as being available with a “multispeed automatic.”

The Commander continues unchanged, but also gets that “multispeed automatic” with the V8s.

They talked up the new Liberty a bit - mostly to say it was bigger and has more room behind the rear seats. They never mentioned the SkySlider roof at all, not was there one available to test drive.

Jeep Wrangler was big news as far as sales - but not so much for the fleet buyers.

As it was a DaimlerChrysler event, there was a Mercedes fleet rep on hand to talk about Mercedes car and SUV offerings for fleets. Mercedes is very high on the new C-Class, and for fleet buyers, the entry-level C-Class will come in around $30K - they are looking to make a dent in the “VP/SVP” company car market with this one. Virtually all the Mercedes cars and SUVs are available to fleet buyers - ranging from $30K to $500K - including the AMG models. (We all thought it amusing when the rep - with a straight face - pronounced the word “coupe” as “coo-pay” - he did slip once, which leads me to believe that “coo-pay” is the official Mercedes pronunciation.) There was an E-Class, CLS550, and an R320 CDI on hand for test drives - once you signed a waiver.

If there was one thing that resulted from the “merger” - it appeared to be Mercedes new desire to get deeper involved in fleet sales. Overall, comments on the Cerberus buyout were positive - they are happy to still be working with Daimler on key projects, but also happy to be able to ‘do their own thing.’

And then - test drive time!

Jeep Patriot
I made a beeline straight for the Patriot, as I’ve wanted to drive one since they became available. This was a Limited model with the FD1 4×4 system on it. It wasn’t until the halfway point of my test drive that I remembered that this was the CVT2 I was driving - I had never driven a CVT-equipped vehicle until this time. That said a lot to me, as I didn’t experience the “oddness” that some folks have with CVT operation. I pushed the pedal and it went - no hesitation, no problems. Interior was very nice - the center armrest seemed to come up a bit short for my taste, but overall I had no complaints about the interior. Well, one. My right leg would find itself resting against the center console. While a repositioning of the seat may cure that in the long run, it didn’t cause any real problems overall. I really liked the Patriot.

Dodge Avenger
This was another vehicle I was wanting to try out. It was an SXT model, fairly well loaded, in black, with the spolier. It looked good. Had the heated/cooled cupholder - while I didn’t get to try it out - I can see where a guy who works out of his fleet car might find it handy. The seats had the Yes Essentials fabric on them and felt kind of hard initially - I felt like I was sitting ON them rather than IN them. By the end of the drive, it wasn’t an issue and they felt fine. Controls were all reachable. Accelleration was good, even with the “old” 41TES and the 2.7L V6. My only complaint was when I headed back - this was around 11am and the sun came into the large front windows and struck the chrome trim around the shifter - and then was directed right into my right eye. This would be a recurring theme on the rest of the test drives - each one with the trim around the shifter would put the glare right into my eyes. That was the only issue I had at the end of the drive. Well, that and I prefer the grey interior to the beige. COmpared to my current 98 Stratus, the Avenger has more “vertical” room, but it seemed like less “horizontal” room. And there’s a lot of distance from the outside to the seat and vice versa - almost like I had to take an extra large step to get in and out. Pant legs and skirts will get grimy on the lower part of the car in the Avenger (so it’s a good thing I wear my skirts short I guess.)

Dodge Nitro
Not sure why I decided to drive the Nitro - I’m not in the market for such a truck - it may have just been that it was available. The color was sharp - a very vibrant blue. All black interior - which made it very hot inside. I put it into reverse to back it up and…nothing. I’m used to a vehicle with an automatic starting to creep forward or backward when in gear and my foot is off the brake. Not the Nitro. I had to give it gas. Which leads to issue #2 - there’s a bit of pushing until the truck moves, and then at that point it MOVES. RIGHT NOW. I think I scared the people standing nearby - there was just not a smooth way to slowly back the truck up. Got it moving foward - no smooth way to get going forward either - and proceeded to brake. Problem #3 - there was about 1.5-2 inches of pedal travel (it seemed) before the brakes began to apply. So, with my training out of the way, I moved on with the test drive. There’s no big expanse of dash top between driver and glass like in the cars - which pretty much means no glare on the glass from the dash - that was nice. Center console was HUGE in width, as was the armrest. No good place to put my left elbow - sill was too high, armrest was too low. And make no mistake - the Nitro isn’t some cute-ute SUV with car-like ride - this thing is and rides like a truck. On the plus side, the fact that the windows aren’t very tall means they don’t take long to roll up or down.

At this point the event was winding down. I really wanted to drive the CLS550, but it proved to be popular. I wanted to drive the Sebring to compare it with the Avenger, but it was out as well. Then, something red caught my eye…

Dodge Charger SRT-8
I actually wanted to drive the 2.7L Charger they had, but it was out. So I figured - what the hell? - and grabbed the SRT-8’s keys. Comfortable seats, good dash and console layout, it was very nice. I was able to back it up and move out with little fanfare - I was trying to behave myself, after all. Moved towards the street and immediately hit the silly cruise control level that sits right above the turn signal stalk. I’d gladly give up the radio and info controls on the steering wheel for cruise control buttons, because that’s where God intended them to be. Plus too many stalks looks stupid. But I digress. The area we were in is suburban, heavy commercial and retail, and heavy traffic While were were asked/told not to get on the nearby tollway, I was aware of the frontage road. Little development there, and more importantly, little traffic. Left the light just fine, and then gravity took hold of my right foot. Quicker than I could say “sorry officer”, I was doing 90 with no fuss and no drama. And just as quickly, I was back down to 45. Now that I got those demons out of my system, I could focus on the rest of the car. Other than the “glare on the trim” issue as before, I had no complaints - this was just a damn nice car.

Time for only one more ride. Sebring is still out, as is the CLS550. So, to compare against the Patriot I drove earlier…

Dodge Caliber
Not sure if it was because this example was beat on more than others (it had 5000 miles on it), but the Caliber did not impress me. In fact, it didn’t compare to the Patriot at all in my mind. The textured dash reflected in the glass and was annoying, the lid for the SRS seemed to be a different shade than the rest of the dash, and that annoying “CVT-ness” was fully present and accounted for here. The 2.0L made more noise than I recall the 2.4L making in the Patriot. The power was fine overall, but I just did not get the same feeling overall with the Caliber that I did with the Patriot. It seemed a LOT cheaper (and likely was - Caliber SXT versus Patriot Limited 4×4) - but it did show me just how much two vehicles that were very similar under the skin could have a very different experience overall.

Both the Patriot and Avenger are on my ‘future vehicle’ list - I was impressed with both. My initial impression of the Avenger at the Chicago Auto Show wasn’t all that good - there were fit and finish issues - and it’s nice to see those have been addressed. The Patriot flat-out impressed me, and after looking at the pricing, it’s got to be one of the best bargains in the business today.

Built off the 116-inch wheelbase Jeep Wrangler Unlimited, the Trailhawk is an on-road cruiser that doesn’t give up the Jeep off-road capabilities. If I didn’t know any better, I’d think we are looking at the next-gen Jeep Grand Cherokee (although I’d hope they keep the Trailhawk name.)

Read and see more after the jump…

Jeep Trailhawk Concept Gallery

Let’s let the marketing people get some airtime with their description of the Jeep Trailhawk Concept:

“The key to the look of the Trailhawk,” said Nick Vardis, principal exterior designer, “is the vehicle’s distinctive proportions, due in part to its 116-inch wheelbase. The dash-to-front-axle dimension is dramatically long, giving the vehicle a sense of forward motion, while the front and rear overhangs are tight and abbreviated.“
Vardis said the body side is muscular and broad-shouldered, with the sheet metal pulled into shape, much like a drawn arrow in the bow of a skilled archer. Even the pillars are pulled back. The forward motion of the body is further accented by the drive of the raising beltline.
The stance is broad, and the wheels, pushed to the corners of the vehicle, are enclosed in robust flares dramatically offset from the body. Partly trapezoidal in shape, yet not asymmetrical, these angular, crisply-contoured wheel flares reinterpret one of Jeep’s fundamental design cues.
“The flares are stretched and pulled taut at one end,” Vardis said. “Each presents a ‘long side’ angled toward the center of the body.”
The body in turn tapers toward the front in plan view to expose more of the flares and accent the wide stance. The flares enclose large 22-inch, five-spoke wheels, each with a hefty 34-inch overall diameter. The specially-crafted tires are accented by a red stripe, with the red color repeated on the exposed brake calipers.
The lower body, which kicks outward along the bottoms of the doors, intersects the flares crisply. Tucked beneath this horizontal element is a recessed running board, accented by a silver molding. A tall trapezoidal vent, located at the front fender-front door cut line, is home to the circular Trail Rated badge.
The Trailhawk’s long hood is fronted by a signature seven-slot Jeep grille angled rearward to match the lean-back surface of the forward flares, with the slots filled with a mesh texture. Bracketed between the grille and the flares, the chamfered headlamps mimic the lean-back stance. Beneath their clear flush lenses, HID projector beam quad lamps nestled into twin “telescopic” polished aluminum barrels light the way forward while LEDs, configured in parallel stripes provide park and turn signals.
“The main headlamp units are cropped diagonally across the top,” said Vardis. “They peer out from an angled brow, giving the vehicle its bold, sinister look. In front view, the left and right lamps evoke the hooded eyes of a bird of prey.
“Like other concepts, we first viewed the math surface of the grille and headlamps together in the computer” added Vardis. “We immediately noticed the hawkish expression, hence the name ‘Trailhawk.’”

The taillamps mimic the look of the headlamps, including the striped turn signals, with the surface of the liftgate carved away.
The vehicle’s upper structure is set onto the lower body, encased by a crisp, chamfered 360-degree molding that runs around the greenhouse, accenting the high, arching beltline. At the base of the windshield is a seven-slot cowl screen that reprises the grille. The body is painted in Argent Pearl high-gloss, with the flares and lower body a slightly darker low-gloss variant.
The side windows retract fully into the body, leaving no B-pillar above the belt, while the diagonal quarter windows are also fully retractable. Gray-tinted twin longitudinal glass panels over the first- and second-row seats and the glass panel over the cargo compartment are removable, as is the swing-up backlight. With all the glass lowered and removed, the Trailhawk offers occupants virtually the same open-air ambience as a typical soft top Jeep. The fixed central spine contains overhead lighting and several integrated storage bins.

“The Jeep Trailhawk interior emphasizes the vehicle’s open air-freedom, inviting elements of the exterior theme into the interior,“said Cliff Wilkins, responsible for the interior design. “Tough mechanical elements which evoke exterior details are contrasted with sophisticated materials and finishes to give a modern, rugged, purposeful interior while delivering a premium off-road experience.”
The four-passenger interior is dominated by two major design elements —the cross-car instrument panel (I/P) form and a full-length central spine which forms the floor console. The AC outlets, center stack compass/inclinometer, and the dimensional, double-deck “biplane” gauges are housed in circular casings having the appearance of machined aluminum, with detailing matching headlamp surrounds. The two-tone leather-wrapped aluminum steering wheel features vertical individual switches for lights and speed control.
Riding the transmission tunnel, the console’s raised walls create a full-length open bin, handy for the storage of sundry items. Within the console’s side rails, two front/rear combination armrest/storage bin modules, movable via concealed tracks, can be positioned fore-aft at the occupants’ discretion. Using the familiar touchpad technology of laptop computers, a flip-out pad for the remote control fold-away flat screen navigation unit is housed in the forward armrest.

“The open console’s unique utility is enhanced by the relocation of the transfer case ‘Terrain Selector’ switch to the center stack of the I/P,” said Wilkins. “Also, there is the use of an electronic gear selector/park brake lever mounted to the right side of the steering column to continue this effect.”
Additional storage is available forward of the drop-open center stack control module, and in the lower door trim panels.
The driver and three passengers can relax in individual premium leather seating in Bark Black and Firewood Orange. The vehicle’s floor is a durable spray-finish with integrated non-slip heel pads, practical for all-weather use.
In the cargo area, each quarter panel houses a removable, portable “audio pod” sound system. Handsome in their rectangular dark gray cases accented with silver circular speaker bezels, each “pod” is fitted with a dock for an MP3 player. For carrying of first aid or road hazard gear, jerry-can style boxes in easy-to-find Firewood Orange are mounted forward of the speaker “pods.”
The utility of the cargo area is enhanced by a drop-down tailgate featuring integral concealed storage, four cup holders, and a sliding Load ‘N Go cargo tray with movable partitions that roll rearward for easy retrieval of stored items.
“One of the most remarkable things about the interior,” concludes Wilkins, “is that it was designed and surfaced entirely electronically — there were no traditional sketches or 3-D models. Even so, the interior turned out just as we had envisioned.”

An Automotive News articles shares the tidbit that the original concept drawing had a much shorter nose, and it took some late nights to get it to where it is today.

Here’s the specs on the Jeep Trailhawk Concept:

2007 JEEP® TRAILHAWK CONCEPT SPECIFICATIONS

Weight and Dimensions
Weight 3900 lbs (est)
Length 191.2” (4858 mm)
Wheelbase 116” (2946 mm)
Front overhang 34.5” (878 mm)
Rear overhang 40.7” (1033 mm)
Width (max @ body) 77.7” (1968 mm)
Height 69.3” (1761 mm)
Track front/rear 64.2”/64.2”
Approach/depart angle 27 Degrees/33.5 Degrees
Couple 33” (838 mm)

Powertrain and suspension
Engine 3.0L BLUETEC CRD, 215 hp @ 4000 rpm, 376 ft. lb @ 1600-2800 rpm
Drivetrain 4WD, 5-speed automatic
Suspension Front/solid axle w/ 4 bar links, Rear/solid axle w/ 5-bar links

Wheels and tires
Tire size front/rear 305/45R22 33” (838 mm)
Wheel size front/rear 22” x 10”

Color scheme
Exterior Argent Pearl H/G body color, Lt. Argent L/G wheel flares, DK., Argent L/G accent and Star Brite 3 H/G bright accent color
Interior Argent Pearl S/F, Med. Argent L/G and Star Brite 3 paint with firewood orange and bark black leather wrap

Key Performance Attributes
0-60 mph 9 seconds
Standing 1/4 Mile 15.7 seconds
Top speed 124 mph
Range 300 miles
Turning Circle 36 ft (est)
Crawl Ratio 29:1 (3.73:1 axles)

Now if the EPA would get off their arses and sign off on Bluetec, we’d be better off…