Not that we’re surprised or anything, but Chrysler’s “all-new limited production model” that we told you about yesterday is nothing more than a factory-customized PT Cruiser. Announced in conjunction with Detroit’s Woodward Dream Cruise, the PT Dream Cruiser Series 5 will be available this fall with prices starting from $22,700. Production will be limited to 1,750 units for the U.S. market. So what’s so special about Chrysler’s 14th factory-customized limited-edition PT Cruiser? Well, aside from the contrasting two-tone theme with a Brilliant Black Crystal Pearl painted roof and hoop spoiler, the Dream Cruiser Series 5 also gets cross-hatched, solid billet aluminum grilles, 17-inch SRT alloys, chromed body-side trim moldings and new badges.

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At the 2003 Detroit Motor Show Dodge unveiled a monstrous creation called the Tomahawk; a unique motorcycle with two front wheels and two rear wheels powered by a 500HP 8.3L V10 engine from the Viper. Although the Tomahawk was never intended to for production, Chrysler actually built 10 running (but not road-legal) examples that were sold for $550,000 a piece through Neiman Marcus. Now, a Chinese maker decided it was time that someone re-introduced the Tomahawk into the market as a cheap knock-off called the KMD K-007 Tron Bike MC-06. How cheap? Well, $1,398 will buy you a poorly executed Tomahawk replica. For that kind of money don’t expect any mechanical wonders as the original concept’s 500 HP V10 engine has been replaced by a… 150cc single cylinder engine that pumps out a staggering 10 HP. However, just like the original Tomahawk, the KMD is not street legal…See more pics after the jump Continued

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General Electric has been building hybrids for many years. Its Evolution Series of locomotives are some of the most efficient currently on the market, and the giant company has plans for a replacement model using its own batteries soon. Also planned by GE is a move into the large truck market, where diesel hybrids are expected to become increasingly popular in the coming years. With all of this research and development already done for hybrid systems and the growing interest in the technology in the auto realm, Chrysler is looking to tap into some of that knowledge for an upcoming project for a “dual-battery energy storage system.”

Though we’re not entirely sure what this technology entails, we just reported that GE and Chrysler have gotten a bit of funding from the Department of Energy for further developments of the system. Considering the deep pockets that GE has, Chrysler seems wise to partner up with them, and the auto company already has ties to the energy conglomerate, as current Chrysler CEO Bob Nardelli has served as a GE executive in the past. We anxious to see what “good things” this tie-in can bring to life.

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Mercedes-Benz is giving second life to the former Chrysler Pacifica Advance Design Center and plans to purchase the building in Carlsbad, California. The companies have entered a contract for the sale of the building though it hasn’t closed yet. Terms weren’t disclosed, but the nearly 35,000-square-foot building listed for $7.3 million. Spokespersons for each company confirmed the pending sale. Chrysler closed the site earlier this year as part of a plan to streamline operations. The 20-person Pacifica design team has relocated or left the company.  Mercedes’ plans for its existing studio, 51 miles to north in Irvine, California, are unclear. It opened in 1990 and employs about 18 people, according to company materials. However, it measures about 13,000 square feet–less than half of the size of the Chrysler property.

The West Coast has been a hotbed of design for both automakers.

The Chrysler Pacifica studio opened in 1983 and spawned the Dodge Challenger concept in 2006. It also was responsible for the concepts that led to production versions of the Dodge Intrepid, Plymouth Prowler and Jeep Compass, as well as a number of influential concepts that were not produced, including the Chrysler Millennium and Chrysler Atlantic.

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Much hubub has been made over the current Let’s Refuel America program in which buyers can choose to lock in the price of gasoline at $2.99/gallon for three years courtesy of Chrysler LLC, but the incentive has apparently been successful. Chrysler announced this morning that the program, launched on May 7th and scheduled to end May 31st, will continue for more than an extra month to July 7th.

The deal is that purchasers who choose the Let’s Refuel America program will get a gas card that’s linked to their credit card. They can use the gas card at 97% of the nation’s gas stations, and while the price on the receipt will reflect the actual price/gallon of gasoline, only $2.99/gallon will show up on the purchaser’s actual credit card. The deal doesn’t apply to every Chrysler vehicle (the Viper, Challenger, Crossfire, all SRT models, Sprinter, Ram Chassis Cab and Jeep Wrangler are excluded), and there are limitations like a yearly allotment for gallons and a cut-off after 36,000 miles. Of course, customers can also choose plain old cash back or 0% financing, too.

According to Chrysler, however, many are choosing the Let’s Refuel American program (we’d love to know a raw number, but none were given in the press release after the jump), and the vehicles with the highest take rate are the most fuel efficient ones in the company’s lineup like the Dodge Caliber, Journey, Avenger and Chrysler Sebring. The states that in which the program is most popular are California, Connecticut, Indiana, Ohio and Washington.

So clearly the program is working for Chrysler, enough at least to extend it another month. This means that it’s helping dealers sell cars, though we wonder what happens if the cost of gas goes up as much in the next three years as it has in the last three years. Could this program end up hurting Chrysler’s bottom line in exchange for the short term gain of selling more cars, or has the automaker somehow hedged its bet against that scenario?

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Chrysler Crossfire

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Chrysler Aspen

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Chrysler Town And Country

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Chrysler Sebring

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Chrysler PT Cruiser

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