In case you happened to overlook the discreet insignia, this is the Chrysler EV, one of three electric powered prototypes that were revealed today by Chrysler LLC. The other two vehicles were the Dodge Coupe EV and the Jeep Wrangler EV. Based on the Town and Country minivan, Chrysler’s proposal utilizes the same hybrid system as the Jeep EV combining the electric-drive components of an Electric Vehicle with an integrated small-displacement engine and generator to produce additional energy to power the electric-drive system when needed. If you’re thinking Chevy Volt you’re absolutely right as GM’s forthcoming hybrid uses a similar in philosophy drivetrain.

According to separate reports in The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal, two of the most iconic and troubled…. names in the American industry, General Motors and Chrysler LLC, have been in preliminary talks the past month or so concerning a possible merger. It is also reported that Cerberus Capital Management, the private equity firm that owns Chrysler LLC is also holding talks with other automakers including the Renault - Nissan Group.

In a few years time, your “All-American Jeep” maybe manufactured in India if Chrysler LLC gets its way and finishes a deal with Indian contract auto manufacturing firm, Argentum Motors. But unlike this past weekend’s reports about a possible merger between Chrysler LLC and GM that were never actually ratified (see details here), this story has been officially confirmed by the head of corporate communications for Argentum Motors, Colonel Bhagwati Prasad Suman.

Ford’s selling its Mazda stakes; GM and Chrysler are in merger talks and now, the latest rumor to emerge is that Chrysler LLC’s owner, Cerberus is thinking of dismantling the company and selling its assets to various companies/automakers. We’re pretty sure that we’ve missed out on a few rumors, but let’s concentrate on Reuters’ latest “Rumorville” report. The site claims that private equity firm Cerberus is in talks to sell all or part of Chrysler LLC’s operations to Renault and GM, according to people familiar with the talks -jeez, these people must be doing a lot of talking.

Once upon a time, range-topping models used to be excluded from any offers that automakers made to their employees. Of course that was when dealers weren’t seeing their lots filled up to the neck with unsold cars. Nowadays, even the almighty Dodge Viper can now be bought with a discount if you happen to work for one of the firms of the Chrysler Group here in the States.

Another day, another Chrysler LLC rumor. This time the Detroit News is reporting that the Renault-Nissan alliance has made a proposal to obtain a 20 percent stake in Chrysler LLC from Cerberus. Citing sources familiar with the matter, the newspaper said that the Carlos Ghosn, CEO of both Renault SA and Nissan Motor Co., has already sent an offer that included revisions to a draft agreement prepared by Cerberus.

While Cerberus is reportedly talking with GM and Renault (click here for details), Chrysler continues to close factories and lay off workers in its North American sites. Today the American automaker said that it plans to close the Delaware Assembly Plant by the end of December, 2008 instead of late 2009 as was the original plan which was announced in February 2007. The closure of the Delaware plant that builds the slow-selling Dodge Durango and Chrysler Aspen models will affect approximately 1,000 jobs.

The new Dodge Trazesty Trazo is the fruit of Chrysler LLC and Nissan’s OEM agreement that was signed in January 2008. Apparently we’re not the only ones that think that there’s nothing ‘Dodge’ about the Nissan Versa (Tiida in Europe and Japan) as the American automaker preferred to badge the sedan as the “Trazo by Dodge”. As you can see in the image gallery after the jump, Dodge’s signature ram logo is nowhere to be found. The Trazo will be offered for sale in select Latin American markets in sedan form only equipped with a 1.8-liter four-cylinder gasoline and E100 ethanol-capable engine with both automatic and manual transmissions.

As if Chrysler LLC doesn’t have enough probblems to worry about, now it has to deal with the overall decline in U.S. auto sales. The firm which comprises the Chrysler, Dodge and Jeep brands reported total October 2008 U.S. sales of 94,530 units, down a staggering 35 percent from the same month last year. Chrysler suffered the most losses selling a mere 19,903 vehicles in October which represents a decrease of 51 percent compared to the same month a year ago. The Jeep brand delivered 21,360 units in October, down 33% from last year while Dodge sold 53,267 vehicles, a 27 percent decline from October 2007.

As well as reporting its gloomy financial results for the third quarter of 2008, General Motors today also announced that its ending at talks with Cerberus Capital Management LP for the possible acquisition of the Chrysler Group. While the American automaker did not refer specifically to Chrysler LLC, it’s no secret that the two companies had been in talks for quite a while now. And while this decision may be all for the better for GM as it allows the company’s leadership to focus on its own problems, we can’t help but wonder where this leaves Chrysler…