Chrysler To Expand Six Detroit Plants

In a move that will further boost Chrysler Corp.’s truck production, the No. 3 domestic automaker said Wednesday that it will spend nearly $1.3 billion over five years to expand six Detroit plants.

Chrysler’s production already is tilted heavily toward light-duty trucks. Last year, 64 percent of the vehicles it sold in the United States were pickups, vans, minivans or sport utility vehicles.

The largest of the investments announced Wednesday is the $750 million expansion of Chrysler’s Jefferson North assembly plant, where the popular Jeep Grand Cherokee is produced.

The expansion will allow Chrysler to increase production to an estimated 400,000 units a year, up from 300,000, The Detroit News reported.