Still mostly devoid of new product, Chrysler continues to toil in “less bad” territory, with sales down 8% in January 2010 over the previous year to 57,143. For the first time in a long time, though, the company can at least say it’s doing less bad than Toyota.

Despite actually adding a brand, Chrysler sales continue to struggle, but there is some hope. Separating the Ram brand from Dodge allowed the latter to actually post an increase in sales in January while Chrysler’s other three brands all came up with losses. Dodge managed to eek out a 1% increase in sales while the Chrysler brand fell just short, down 2%. The Jeep brand wasn’t far behind, down 7%, while the Ram brand dropped 25% on depressed truck sales.

At Dodge, the highlight of the brand continues to be the Journey SUV, which moved 4,790 copies for an increase of 55% over January 2009. Other notables included the Avenger sedan, up 44% to 3,134, and Caravan, up 34% to 4,298. Caliber sales were up a scant 4% while Challenger and Viper sales dropped 39% and 80% respectively.

Over at Chrysler, the picture was a bit more grim. The Sebring bounced back big time with sales up 85% to 3,593 and the Town & Country minivan was the brand’s top seller, up 6% with 4,531 copies sold. The rest of the lineup wasn’t looking so good, with the 300 down 26% and the ancient PT Cruiser dropping 32%.

2009 Chrysler Sebring
CLICK TO VIEW GALLERY

Things were looking slightly better over at Jeep with Compass sales up 52% to 1,244. Grand Cherokee and Commander also posted gains, up 6% and 22% to 3,311 and 1,313 respectively. Wrangler remains the brand’s best-selling vehicle with 4,888 copies sold, but sales were still down 23% from January 2009. The number-three seller, Liberty, was off 11% to 2,987.

The big disappointment was at the new Ram brand. Sales of the Ram pickup have been carrying the company, but despite being Chrysler’s best-selling vehicle with 9,957 copies moved off the lots, sales were still down 22%. Dakota sales, meanwhile, lost 32% to just 994 and Sprinter van sales fell off a cliff with just 81 sold, down 83%.

Source: Chrysler

A sleeker, more “urban-friendly” all-new Kia Sportage will make its debut at next month’s Geneva Motor Show, the automaker revealed today.

Its “bold, athletic, and sporty” design wears the brand’s new nose that’s complimented by more pronounced front shoulders and rear haunches. Swept back headlights flank the prominent Kia-badged grille up front. Deep character lines can be seen along the lower passenger doors, as well as across the rear hatch.

As a whole, the Sportage is longer, wider, and lower than the outgoing edition and promises more cargo and passenger space inside. Ride quality is said to be vastly improved thanks to the longer wheelbase.

Powertrains have yet to be announced, but as it stands, both diesel and gas mills are slated for production once sales start later this year.

Check back for more straight from Geneva in the coming weeks.

Source: Kia

It may be late to the four-door coupe party, but Audi officials promise it’ll be well worth the wait. Our spy shooters caught the German brand’s upcoming A7 undergoing a battery of winter testing in Europe. Unfortunately, thanks to haste of Audi’s engineers, only two of the shots really show the car’s profile and size.

It’s poised to compete head-to-head with the Mercedes-Benz CLS and newly released BMW 5 Series GT and is something of an A6/A8 hybrid build. The platform is said to come from the next A6, while its powertrains from both the A6 and bigger A8. Inside its cabin will be all the usual high-end Audi features.

The best idea of what the A7 will look like comes via the automaker’s Sportback Concept first shown at the 2009 Detroit show. Its sleek styling was largely welcomed by both the press and public. Like the 5 Series GT, the Sportback touts a five-door hatch configuration, a feature most likely to be found on the production A7.