That means pushing the Chrysler brand, “a notch above Lincoln, a notch above Cadillac,” says Peter Fong, president and CEO of the brand. That will necessitate a big move up-market as Cadillac is already ahead and is progressing quickly to improve its own products and luxury status with cars like the SRX, CTS sedan, coupe and wagon and the upcoming XTS flagship.

How, exactly, Chrysler plans to do that has not been revealed. The full product plan to back up this new strategy is scheduled for release in November. Though the 200C electric vehicle revealed at this year’s Detroit Auto Show isn’t headed to production, it is a preview of the upcoming design language for the brand revival, so expect any new products to share some hints borrowed from that vehicle, including possible Chrysler-branded Alfa and Fiat variants.

Dodge will move further from Chrysler by focusing on offering sporty vehicles, emphasizing performance while balancing that against the new fuel economy and emissions mandates. Jeep will remain largely unchanged, though its recent focus on the more car-like smaller segments with vehicles like the Compass and Patriot will grow.

Chrysler’s Jeep brand, having been one of the most respected worldwide, has more vehicles on the market right now than ever before. The 2009 Patriot, upgraded a year after it was introduced, is just one of many that models that makes the Jeep brand what it is. In 2009, an effort was made to transform the Patriot from a standard design into world class appeal, by adding a brand new interior into the small SUV.

On the surface, the Patriot could be compared to the Dodge Caliber and Jeep Compass, although it features a better suspension than either. However, when taking a closer look, the all-new interior shines through and stands miles above the 2008 model, also gaining better sound insulation and revised suspension tuning for the off-roading driver. The interior, vastly superior to the 2008 model, shows that luxury can be attained while keeping costs down, and more than makes up for it’s poor predecessor. Under the hood, the Patriot zooms along at 172 horsepower, but the CVT transmission gets more out of the 2.0 litre four-cylinder engine than one would expect. The Patriot also features a chrome lever to lock the center differential, avoiding messy encounters with the old transfer case lever. Overall, it’s a great car for someone who wants a Jeep Cherokee with some off-road ability and an amazing interior.

Check out www.JeepsCanada.com for more details