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This is a letter from Jim Press:

I would like to thank you for your past support and hope you are thoroughly enjoying your Dodge ownership experience. It’s an exciting time to be in the car and truck business. We’re in the process of solving a complex riddle – developing vehicles with top performance, world-class quality and class-leading safety and security, while simultaneously using less fuel. And the answers we’re coming up with at The New Chrysler will benefit drivers for decades to come.

To kick things off, the first hybrid versions of our 2009 Dodge Durango HEMI® Hybrid sport-utility vehicles will be available this fall, giving drivers the chance to own a vehicle with room for up to eight passengers that can save gas without compromising their lifestyle needs.

Our Dodge Durango HEMI® Hybrid offers everything owners have come to expect, yet with an estimated 40 percent fuel economy improvement in city driving and more than 25 percent better fuel efficiency overall. This means with the hybrid powertrain you’ll get an estimated 385 horsepower from the 5.7-liter HEMI®, for impressive performance when you need it. Plus, you’ll get best-in-class cargo capacity, offering 68.4 cubic feet behind the second row.

With this as our first hybrid offering, you may be wondering: Why Dodge Durango? It’s about leadership in the industry. A full-size sport utility needs more performance than a small car, and a hybrid version can’t compromise any of these traits. Not surprisingly, the market was calling for a hybrid system in an SUV for these reasons. So Dodge grabbed the opportunity to deliver this cutting edge technology. Better yet, this is just the beginning of our efforts. Dodge considers improved fuel efficiency to be a top priority in our drive to restore our company to rank among the top automakers in the world. You can read more about our hybrid program at the
Red Letter Dodge blog.

I’ve been in this industry for decades, working to thrill buyers with cars and trucks that exceed their expectations. I’m proud to be a part of the ongoing transformation of Dodge into a leader in fuel-efficient vehicle technology. I hope you’ll choose to be part of our journey by considering our new 2009 Dodge Durango HEMI® Hybrid. Please take a minute right now to explore our offerings at Dodge.com.

Jim Press
Vice Chairman, Chrysler LLC