By  THEODORE OPARA
WESTSTAR Associates Limited distributors of Mercedes Benz brand of vehicles in Nigeria has added the Chrysler Group to its portfolio. The Chrysler Group comprises Chrysler, Jeep, Dodge and Ram.

According to a press statement from Weststar Associates, the Managing Director, Mr. Mirko Plath disclosed that the company has been appointed authorised general distributor of Chrysler, Jeep and Dodge brand.

“Weststar is proud to be associated with Chrysler Group and will now be known as authorised general distributor of Mercedes Benz and Chrysler, Jeep, Dodge with overall responsibility for sales and services for both brands,” Mr. Plath said.

Chrysler Group has a global strategic alliance with Fiat SPA, a company with rich history and strong propensity toward technological innovation for its products and production process.

The Chrysler Group lineage dates back to1925 when Walter P. Chrysler first established his namesake automobile company focused on the values of engineering excellence and innovation. These core values have inspired the company to create an incomparable number of sector and engineering firsts that have transformed the modern automotive industry.

As part of their commitment to sustainability they have also invested in the development of more fuel efficient technologies in five areas aimed at reducing fuel consumption and emissions: vehicle energy demand; engines; transmissions; axles; and alternatively fueled power trains, such as flex-fuel, compressed natural gas, hybrid and fully electrified vehicles.

In 2010, Chrysler Group introduced the new Pentastar V-6 engine in 10 vehicles, including the all – new 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee. The Pentastar V-6 is the most technically advanced six cylinder engine ever offered by Chrysler Group and improves fuel efficiency on average by 7 percent over predecessor engines.

Safety is also a key component in the design of every Chrysler Group vehicle and there is a wide range of available features that help to keep drivers and passengers safe such as: ParkView rear back up camera, Blind-spot Monitoring, Rear Cross Path Detection, Forward Collision Warning and Electronic Stability Control.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety in the United States recently awarded seven of the 2011 model vehicles with the top Safety Pick Award.

Meanwhile, the newly introduced Chrysler brands are heading to the Abuja Motor show with Mercedes brand. According to the Managing Director, Mr. Mirko Plath, “visitors and automobile enthusiasts at this year’s show should look forward to seeing an array of vehicles on display as Weststar would be showcasing various models of Mercedes-Benz passenger cars and commercial vehicles which include: the  new C-Class, various E-Class models, the S-Class (the leader in the upper luxury segment), G55 AMG and ML63 AMG, the Mercedes-Benz Truck Of The Year 2011- Atego,  the heavy duty vehicle -the Actros as well as the Sprinter and Vito mini buses”.

Following its 125th anniversary the brand with the three-pointed star demonstrated its leadership as inventor of automobile at the just concluded 2011 Frankfurt International Motor show in Germany where it presented no less than six world premieres with every single one of them confirming the innovative power of the brand.

Furthermore, to the delight of lovers of luxury SUVs, Weststar has confirmed that the Jeep Grand Cherokee, Jeep Compass, Dodge Durango Crew Lux, Dodge Durango Citadel, Jeep Wrangler Sahara as well as the Jeep Patriot will be on display at the fair.

“Chrysler Group vehicles are highly recognized for their safety features and high performance on and off road. We are very thrilled about the latest addition and are looking forward to launching it at the fair”, says Plath.