Superheroes need super wheels, said The Detroit News. The heroic quartet of the Fantastic Four—The Thing, Human Torch, Invisible Woman and Mr. Fantastic, will star in “Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer,” which Twentieth Century Fox will release June 15. The vehicle of choice for the Fantastic Four is the one-of-a-kind Fantasticar. In the movie, it is capable of speeds of up to 550 mph and can reach an altitude of 30,000 feet. Fantasticar can separate into three sections. Each one has deployable wings and can maintain the same speed and performance as the entire craft. And it has a HEMI®. Among the Dodge cues are the brand’s signature crosshair grille and headlights. Designed by Tim Flattery, a Michigan native and 1987 graduate of the Center for Creative Studies in Detroit, the Fantasticar was inspired by the shape of a manta ray. The Ram logo appears on the exterior and interior of the vehicle. Also getting some screen time in “Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer” are the Dodge Ram Mega Cab® and Dodge Durango.

For the second year in a row, the winner of the Ginn Open will drive away in a Chrysler Sebring Convertible. Attendees of the LPGA event can help raise money for the Red Cross and the Florida Children's Hospital each time they test drive a Chrysler brand vehicle during the tournament, being held at the Ginn Reunion Resort in Reunion, Fla., through April 15. The Chrysler brand is one of founding sponsors of the Ginn Open and its official automotive sponsor. Donations to the Red Cross and Florida Children's Hospital will help provide assistance to the residents of Lady Lake, Fla., an area hit by severe storms and tornadoes in February that killed 21 people and destroyed hundreds of homes. The Chrysler brand is donating $5 on behalf of each person who test-drives a Chrysler brand vehicle during the Ginn Open. Test-drives are open to all individuals with a valid driver's license and are 18 yrs or older. The test-drive program will be open to the public 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m., April 12-15.

The Chrysler Group's Five Star® dealers set Certified Pre-Owned Vehicle (CPOV) best-month and best-quarter sales records in March. March CPOV sales totaled 12,979 units, up 8 percent versus March 2006. First-quarter CPOV sales reached a record total of 32,254 units, an increase of 8 percent compared with the same period last year. All three Chrysler Group brands had increases in CPOV sales for the month and the first quarter.

Joey Saldana drove his Mopar®-powered sprint car to a second-place finish Friday night in the World of Outlaws race at Paducah International Raceway in Paducah, Ky. Saldana, who was aiming for his fourth-straight victory, managed to extend his lead in the series standings with his runner-up performance. In Formula Drift competition, Samuel Hubinette drove his Mopar Dodge Charger SRT8 to a seventh-place finish after overcoming a broken driveshaft earlier in the event in Long Beach, Calif., on Saturday. The Busch Series was the only NASCAR racing going on over the holiday weekend. David Stremme was the top performer among the Dodge drivers, finishing 11th behind winner Carl Edwards (Ford) in Saturday's Pepsi 300 at Nashville Superspeedway.

Last Thursday, Las Vegas billionaire Kirk Kerkorian went public with an offer for the Chrysler Group. The $4.5 billion bid by Kerkorian's investment company, Tracinda Corp., carried several conditions. Tracinda said its offer hinges on striking a new "satisfactory" labor deal with the United Auto Workers union and reaching an "equitable arrangement" with parent DaimlerChrysler on sharing an estimated $20 billion in pension liabilities and retiree health care costs. It also wants exclusive rights to examine Chrysler's financial data for 60 days. (National Post)

Employee Greg Faubert asked The Scoop, "I have noticed that the headlights on the new Sebring and Caravan have protruding details on the lens. What is the function of these protrusions?" Check out "Ask The Experts" for the answer.

A federal judge will hear opening arguments in a lawsuit filed by automakers and car dealers challenging the state of Vermont's effort to impose tough auto emissions standards on new cars and trucks. At issue is Vermont's decision, along with nine other states, to adopt California's 2004 tailpipe emission rules. Beginning in 2009, the regulations require automakers to increase the fuel economy of vehicles by about 25 percent to reduce carbon dioxide emissions, which have been linked to global warming. General Motors Corp., DaimlerChrysler and the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers, a Washington, D.C.-based trade association that represents automakers, along with several dealerships, filed federal lawsuits to bar the new rules from taking effect in California, Rhode Island and Vermont. The Vermont case opens today in U.S. District Court in Burlington, Vt. The trial amounts to the first court test of whether states can mandate emissions levels. It comes a week after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that carbon dioxide emissions can be regulated as an air pollutant. (The Detroit News )

What makes the all-new 2008 Town & Country minivan the "family room on wheels?" From Stow 'n Go® to Swivel 'n Go^TM  to Sirius Backseat TV^TM, this minivan has the whole family covered in comfort, style and flexibility for short or long trips. Video Scoop takes you through all the great interior features in a music video on scoop.chrysler.com

The photos are rolling in to The Scoop's celebrity look-alike contest. Employees are having so much fun with it that we're extending the deadline for entries to April 27. Send your own entry or convince a colleague to enter. Just remember that we need the employee's permission to publish their photo. Want to see the amazing look-alikes we have so far? Visit scoop.chrysler.com to view the gallery.

The Chrysler Group is offering a number of great deals on its vehicles in the month of April. If you or someone you know is in the market for a new vehicle, here are the extra offerings you need to know about:

 No charge DVD on 2006/2007 minivans and $500 bonus cash on '06/'07 minivans without factory-installed DVD
- $1,000 Employee Price/Employee Choice bonus cash on 2007 Durango and Pacifica
- Three- and five-month lease pull-aheads continue
- $1,500 lease-to-purchase loyalty bonus cash on select '07s
- 0 percent APR for 60 months on select '07s and for 72 months on most '06s
- Bonus cash and bonus lease cash on select 2007 vehicles
- All of the above is in addition to already aggressive consumer/lease cash amounts on all vehicles

Reviewing and saving your traveler profile in Cliqbook will ensure that both Cliqbook and the HRG travel counselors will receive the most up-to-date profile information for your next business trip. Until travelers do this, the profile will not be visible to the HRG travel agents. Simply sign into Cliqbook and click on "profile," review all profile information and select the "save" button. This must be completed by each individual traveler or arranger, and it only takes a few seconds. If you need assistance, contact the Cliqbook Help Desk at tieline  876-1000 or tollfree at (877) 342-3270 and select the option for Cliqbook Technical Support. The Transatlantic Star Shuttle and Kokomo Shuttle are not available in Cliqbook yet. Please contact an agent for these shuttle reservations at tieline 876-1000. Additional details can be found on Dashboard Anywhere at Home Page, Quick Links, Book Air, Hotel and Car Reservations Link.

The new ordering system through Supplier and Asset Management will launch in April. The system is used when ordering hardware, software and services. There is an on-line manual and help pages that will provide additional information. The iTRAC support desk at tieline 754-5419 also is available to help new users. Users who have questions can send an e-mail to iTRAC@dcx.com. Operations Support Services or Network Management Audit requests will not change the way they are processed.  The Request and Order Processing System/Action Request Forms will remain open for processing orders that have been started in the system and for historical referencing. New training dates have been scheduled in TEDS.   

Training
Overview Sessions (TEDS Registration Code - ITMITC100)
April 20 Café C   9:30-11:30 a.m. 
April 27 Café C   8-10 a.m. 
May 4  Lect 2K  1:30 - 03:30 p.m. 

Hands-on Training (TEDS Registration Code - ITMITC120)
April 25 DCOB - F   8-11:30 a.m.
April 25 DCOB - F 12:30-4 p.m.
May 1  DCOB - F    8-11:30 a.m.
May 1  DCOB - F  12:30-4 p.m.
May 7  DCOB - F    8 - 11:30 a.m.
May 7  DCOB - F   12:30 - 4 p.m.

It’s time to sign up for the 2007 Race for the Cure, to support breast cancer awareness. It is a 5-kilometer race or walk.  The entry fee is $30 for adults, $17 for seniors and children. The Women's Forum is again sponsoring the "Dodge Sprinters" for the 8 a.m.-noon, June 16 race in Comerica Park, Detroit. Interested parties can register online or manually. Save $5 by registering online. Go to www.karmanos.org/detroitraceforthecure/ and click on "register online." No team password is required. To register manually, pick up and return your forms and fees to Carla Klobuchar, CK3, (248) 576-2609; Carol Klaus, CAK7, (248) 576-2597; or Ginny Fischbach, VJF1, (248) 576-8920.

Did you know that the Sterling Stamping plant processes 1,700 tons of steel daily? The Sterling Stamping plant is a 2.8 million-square-foot-facility and supplies to local Detroit assembly plants as well as Windsor, (Ontario), St. Louis North and South, Toledo (Ohio) North, Saltillo (Mexico) and Steyr (Graz, Austria). The Women's Forum is sponsoring a tour from 2-4 p.m. Tuesday, April 24, so employees can learn more about Sterling Stamping. The plant is located at 35777 Van Dyke Rd, Sterling Heights (15 Mile and Van Dyke). Sign up in TEDS with course code WFRMPT407 no later than April 20. Sign-up is limited.

DaimlerChrysler, General Motors Corp. and Ford Motor Co. are sponsoring the 2007 Formula SAE, one of the largest gatherings of student engineering talent, with more than 1,800 students from around the world competing in 130 collegiate teams. Formula SAE is seeking volunteers to help with this year's event at Ford's Michigan Proving Ground in Romeo (34 Mile and Fisher Road) beginning Thursday, May 17, and ending with the design finals on the morning of Sunday, May 20. Volunteers are needed each day except Sunday. The teams have been designing and building formula-style race cars that will be judged on design, cost and presentation, and will compete in dynamic events such as acceleration, skidpad, autocross, enduranceand fuel economy. Volunteers are needed in all areas of the competition, including: timing and scoring; refueling; technical inspections; track events; and volunteer registration. If you are interested in being a volunteer, contact Kathleen McDonald, the event coordinator, at katklauz@aol.com or (248) 601-3075. If you respond by e-mail, include your name, work phone number, e-mail address and T-shirt size in addition to the days and assignments in which you are most interested.

The Chrysler Group softball league has been around since 1982, when the Ram's head hood ornament from a Dodge Ram pickup was turned into the coveted "Ram's Head Trophy." The league has room for four new teams this year. The league runs from May through August at the DCTC Softball Field. For more information or if you would like to add your team, contact the current league commissioner Tom Kuskowski (tfk2), at tieline 722-1702.  If you are interested in playing, but don't have a team, or would like to list yourself as a substitute, contact Sasa Doll (sf164), tieline 776-5189.

Every year, more than 470,000 babies in the United States are born too early. Premature birth is the leading cause of newborn deaths, and any family can be affected. For more than 68 years, March of Dimes research and programs have helped save millions of babies from death or disability. By taking part in the nationwide WalkAmerica, either by walking or pledging, you can help babies be born healthy and full-term. This year's campaign is co-chaired by John Franciosi, Senior Vice President—Employee Relations, and General Holiefield, UAW Vice President and Director DaimlerChrysler Department. The WalkAmerica campaign takes place April 29-30 in various locations. Employees can logon to www.walkamerica.org to register.

Calories found in drinks will probably have little or no effect on how much you eat over the course of the day, which is dangerous for your health and your waistline. Liquid calories are hiding in your coffee drinks, your cocktails, your sodas, your fruit smoothies, and even in your hydrating sports drinks. For example; 12 oz juice, 16 oz café latte, 16 oz sweetened ice tea, 12 oz fruit smoothie, and an 8 oz glass of red wine (a days worth of beverages) will add 1,020 calories. Stop by the booth for more information from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. today on the second floor of Tech Plaza. This program provides awareness on how liquid calories add up and how it is easy to cut down on calorie intake with substitutions.

Do you want to lower your blood pressure or learn ways to keep it under control?  Check out StayWell's Dash to Good Health Dash Diet Campaign, April 16-May 12. During the campaign, participants will track their consumption of fruits and vegetable on a tracking sheet, and participate in four weekly blood pressure checks in the StayWell office. Participants will earn WellBuck$ and an incentive for participating. To register for the campaign, stop by a registration booths or contact Amanda Muckenthaler at AF564. Registration booths for the Dash will run from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. on the second floor of Tech Plaza on April 11 and on the second floor by the sundry shop at Headquarters on April 12.

The ITM organization supports many DaimlerChrysler business opportunities and challenges with systems, applications and procedures to achieve the "2007-and-beyond" goals and objectives. Individuals need to have the interpersonal and influencing skills to effectively interface with our business partners, so two workshops are being offered: Enhancing Client Relationships, class code ITMIRM100 (May 15-17); and High Performance Consulting, class code ITMIRM200 (May 18). Both courses focus on developing individuals to be more consultative with their business partners. If you have questions, call Lisa Marie Wheeler at tieline 722-4415.

Substation maintenance at the DaimlerChrysler Technology Computer Center is scheduled for April 20, 21 and 22.  Areas affected are house lights, freight elevator, phones and voice mail, workstations and fire suppression system within the East Node. The Computer Center should not be affected due to automatic transfer switching capabilities. There will be three critical times when power is transferred, but no loss of power is expected.
The critical transfer times are:
6 p.m.- 8 p.m. Friday, April 20 (power will be transferred from side A to side B).
5:30 p.m.-7:30 p.m. Saturday, April 21 (power will be transferred from side B to side A).
5:30 p.m.-7:30 p.m. Sunday, April 22 (power will be transferred back to normal status).

Facility personnel will be available if access to the data center is required. Contact Deborah Fornal with any questions: tieline 776-1011, outside number (248) 576-1011 or cell number (586) 524-2008.

The Women's Forum has a very special evening session planned from 5-7 p.m. on Tuesday, April 17, in the Auditorium in Auburn Hills. It is a self-defense workshop led by Sgt. Darcy Leutzinger of the Warren Police Department. Along with arming you with facts, Sgt. Leutzinger and her officers will demonstrate self-defense techniques that could save a life. Comfortable dress is recommended, as you will learn certain techniques. There also will be an informative handout for all participants. A fee of $10 per participant will be collected at the door. Registration in TEDS using course code WFRMRASS14.

The Tower Bake Shop makes customized sheet cakes just for you!  Perfect for birthdays, anniversaries, retirements, or any occasion!  Visit our website for variety and pricing information at www.aramarkcafe.com/daimlerchrysler or click on one of the Cafe locations through Dashboard Anywhere.

The Women's Forum has again partnered with Goodwill Industries of Greater Detroit to aid their mission of providing people with disabilities and other barriers to employment with opportunities to become independent, self-supporting citizens through training, work experience and employment in the community. The Women's Forum and Goodwill will assist women entering the work force who need professional attire during job searches, interviews and the average work day. Employees and contractors are asked to donate gently used or new professional dress shoes, boots, purses and briefcases. The donations can include all heel heights appropriate for professional attire. Flip-flops, clear heels and Birkenstocks are not needed at this time. Gently used purses can be made of all material with the exception of denim and straw. Collection boxes will be located in the Headquarters and Design court entrances April 16-20. The boxes will be moved to HQ Conference Center 1A on the morning of the Rise and Shine Series event (Friday, April 20).