VIDEO: Chrysler's "Born of Fire" Super Bowl Ad Starring the New 200, Eminem and the City of Detroit

Chrysler, unlike other automakers that were teasing and showing off their Super Bowl ads well before Sunday's event, held back giving viewers their first taste of the brand's two-minute long commercial in the third quarter of the game. The new TV spot, called “Born of Fire," showcases the all-new 2011 Chrysler 200 and reveals the brand’s new tagline, “Imported from Detroit.”

The commercial, which features singer Eminem driving the 200 through Detroit, is as much about the brand and the revamped mid-size sedan as it is about Detroit and the town "that’s been to hell and back.” Overall, we'd say the ad conveys an honest and somewhat emotional message to consumers about the 200 as well as Chrysler in general.

“Super Bowl advertising is about making a statement and capturing the attention of the audience,” said Olivier Francois, President and CEO, Chrysler Brand and Lead Executive for Marketing, Chrysler Group LLC."‘Born of Fire’ is designed to generate conversation about the brand and the new 2011 Chrysler 200. The spot reflects where the brand is headed and pays tribute to our industrial roots.”

“The new tagline was created to convey the message that one does not have to cross an ocean to obtain luxury, it's available right here,” Francois added.

As touching as the Chrysler's new TV spot may be, we can't help but wonder if the rumors about a Lancia-badged version of the 200 turn out to be true, how will the Italians advertise the car in Europe?

2011 Chrysler 200 Convertible to get its First Public Outing at the Chicago Auto Show

The new 200 Convertible will make its motorshow premiere at the upcoming 2011 Chicago Auto Show, which runs for the public from February 11 to 20, Chrysler confirmed today. Essentially a re-packaged, re-designed and partially re-engineered version of the drop-top Sebring, the 200 Convertible will soon go on sale in the States with a starting price of $27,195, and a choice of two powerplants, a 173HP 2.4-liter four-pot and a new 283HP 3.6-liter V6, both matched to a six-speed automatic transmission.

“The coming out of the stylish new 200 Convertible at the Chicago Auto Show completes the brand transformation in conjunction with the largest consumer auto show in the country,” said Olivier Francois, CEO — Chrysler Brand, Chrysler Group LLC. “The 200 Convertible is the fourth new vehicle introduced in the last three months coming on the heels of the debuts of the new 2011 Chrysler 200 sedan and 2011 Town & Country minivan in Los Angeles and the introduction of the all-new flagship Chrysler 300 in Detroit. Starting in Chicago, the entire Chrysler product lineup is new for 2011.”

New Chrysler 200 Convertible Prices Announced, Four-Cylinder Starts from $27,195, V6 from $31,990

We've already had our first in-depth look at the revised Sebring Convertible, which has been renamed to 200 Convertible, but now, Chrysler has releasing pricing a couple of months ahead of its market launch in the States. The new 200 Convertible is available in three trim levels (Touring, Limited and S), two engine choices including a 2.4-liter four-cylinder and a 3.6-liter V6, plus the option of a traditional soft top or a retractable metal hard top.

The range begins with the entry-level Touring model powered by a 173HP 2.4-liter four-banger matched to a six-speed automatic transmission, which is priced at $27,195 including a $750 destination fee. That brings the 200 Convertible in the same price range as Ford's 305HP Mustang Convertible V6, which starts at $27,495 (including destination and a $500 cash back).

Standard features on the Touring model include a cloth soft-top, leather-wrapped steering wheel with integrated controls for audio and speed control; leather-wrapped shifter knob; air conditioning; MP3 radio with six speakers; front and side air-bags, electronic stability control with brake assist and traction control; automatic headlamps with LED light pipe accents; LED taillamps; power windows and locks; remote keyless and 17-inch alloy wheels.

Next up is the 200 Limited that is powered by the 283HP-strong 3.6-liter Pentastar engine mated to a six-speed automatic transmission. It has a starting MSRP of $31,990 including a $750 destination fee.

On top of the standard features of the Touring, the Limited adds leather heated front seats; remote start; Media Center 730 touchscreen with 30 gigabyte HDD/CD/DVD/MP3 radio; Uconnect handsfree phone with Bluetooth; USB port for iPod/MP3 connectivity; electrochromatic rearview mirror; universal garage door opener; fog lamps; exterior chrome details and 18-inch alloy rims.

Following the launch of the Touring and Limited variants, Chrysler will further enhance the 200 Convertible's range with the addition of the 'S' model. Offered exclusively with a V6 engine, the 'S' will come with several unique styling features such as a special finish on the grille, dark headlamp surrounds, bespoke 18-inch "tuner-inspired" aluminum wheels, black leather seats with suede inserts and a Boston Acoustics speaker system. The Detroit automaker did not announce pricing details on the 200 Convertible S.

VIDEO: New Chrysler Ad Emphasizes the Importance of Style

In its latest commercial, Chrysler takes a trip down memory lane, showcasing some of its vintage models and wonders what ever happened to the glamour and style that these cars represented. And you guessed it; according to Chrysler, good 'ol American style is making a comeback on the firm's new models like the recently launched 300 sedan. Video available after the jump.

Chrysler 200 Convertible Photographer Lashes Out on Facebook, Calls the Person who Leaked the Pictures an "Arrogant D...bag"

If you've been following our daily posts, you'll remember that the first batch of photos of Chrysler's 200 Convertible, previously known as the Sebring, were leaked onto the net last Thursday (January 13, 2011). The following day, Chrysler posted the photos on its official website. End of story? Well, not exactly as we discovered a very interesting posting on the photographer's official Facebook page.

Webb Bland, the person who shot the admittedly impressive press photos of the 200 cabriolet accused a “misguided idiot somewhere outside of the fantastic marketing team at Chrysler” for leaking the images “weeks in advance of the meticulously scheduled unveiling”.

“Rage-induced”, Mr. Bland added that “it's goddamn infuriating that so many car blogs have already run many of the photos cropped awkwardly, without context or back story, and at a horribly compressed resolution, on top of that.”

While we can understand the photographer's disappointment, we think that his reaction was over the top. Leaks (intentional or...not) are all too common in the automotive industry and you just can’t accuse all blogs for the quality of the photos. Neither can you expect them to crop a photo just like a professional photographer. Furthermore, all sites posted the HD pictures once Chrysler decided to drop the ball.

Any website - be that a news outlet or a blog- jumps at such an opportunity in order to be able to convey the latest information to its readers. But in any case, we’re not the enemy of professional photographers and we’re pretty sure the online media wasn’t trying to sabotage Mr. Bland’s work.

Maybe Mr. Bland should’ve concentrated on finding out who was that “one selfish arrogant douchebag who got a hold of the digital files before the CEO was set to review the images”, rather than taking a shot at blogs and automotive websites that present his work to the public.

We don’t want to add any more fuel to this fire, but it seems that Mr. Bland has a good idea about who the culprit might be and maybe the fact that it could be a Chrysler exec is what caused him to lash out.

Granted, if someone inside Chrysler leaked the photos, there’s not much Mr. Bland can do, other than maybe re-evaluate his professional relationship with the automaker.

In any case, reporting the news shouldn’t be confused with wrongdoing.