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Only one minivan in Chrysler's future, no subcompacts for U.S. market

The Chrysler Group will offer just one minivan in the future--the Chrysler Town & Country--as part of a plan to end duplication in dealer showrooms and give each of its brands a strong and distinctive lineup. Under the plan, the Dodge Grand Caravan minivan and Dodge Avenger mid-sized sedan will be replaced by a single crossover in 2013, Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne told Automotive News. The Chrysler brand will get a replacement for the 200 sedan when the Avenger, its sibling, is replaced.

Fiat Punto Sporting arrives with revised Punto range

The Fiat Punto Sporting (pictured) ash been added to the Punto range The Fiat Punto is a bit of an anonymous Fiat that should probably sell better than it does, but with most of Fiat’s marketing efforts centered on the 500, the Punto just gets overlooked. So Fiat are trying to inject a bit more interest in the Punto by making some teaks to the range, deleting a couple of trim levels and adding a new one – the Punto Sporting. The Fiat Punto Sporting is Fiat’s take on ‘Sporty’ for the Punto with a set of side skirts, a sports suspension setup, ‘Tarmac’ finish on the dash, 16″ alloys, chrome exhaust tip and a gloss black roof.

New car sales up by 3% on 2013

ANOTHER RISE in new car sales in February has meant purchases have increased every month for two years. A total of 68,736 vehicles were registered last month - a 3% rise on the total for February 2013, the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) said. Sales for the first two months of this year have totalled 223,298 - a 6.1% rise on the total for the first two months of 2013 SMMT chief executive Mike Hawes said the two years of continuous growth was "a real endorsement of consumer confidence and the attractiveness of the new car market".