I will admit, I’m impressed that Chrysler is still among the living.

Things weren’t looking too good a few years back, as the entire American automobile industry was falling off a cliff. In the midst of all that, Chrysler hired Bob Nardelli, the infamous CEO of Home Depot who had a propensity to squeeze profit out of a company, even if it meant wrecking it because it was wreckable, to quote Gordon Gekko (Michael Douglas) in the movie Wall Street. Chrysler got wise and gave Bob the boot, bringing on Sergio Marchionne, who previously turned Fiat from laughable to lauded. With Chrysler, Sergio has now brought the company from bankruptcy to beatification, in a very profitable way.

Chrysler has recaptured much of its former glory, bringing back classics like the Charger and Duster – and separating Ram from Dodge – thus turning it back into a premiere brand among American-made cars and trucks. In many ways, Chrysler is like Cher. Just when you think you’ve heard the last….

So, what does 2014 bring for Chrysler fans? Most importantly, continued innovation and consumer attentiveness.

For example, the 2014 Grand Cherokee has an available 3.0 liter diesel (a baby diesel, if you will), as well as snazzy new Summit and Trail Hawk trims, which gives your off-road experience even more traction, style and peace-of-mind. Also available are a stronger, butcher SRT8 (not to be confused with STR8) trim, that can be both gay and straight at the same time. Not since Anne Heche have you had all the beauty and the power in such an attractive package. (Love the car and company, but I just wish they would get with times and not use Native American tribes as mascots.)

On the pickup truck front, the 2014 Ram 1500 is available with a similar 3.0 liter “light duty” diesel engine. In fact, it’s a turbo-diesel. It sounds butch because it is.

Why is this such a big deal? Because it could give a sizable slice of America the chance to experience the wonders of modern diesel technology. When we think of diesels, we think of big noisy trucks that need that extra power boost. Diesel engines are energy efficient because they use compression instead of a spark. However, they’re also heavier, making them great for long haulin’ but a big drag on road performance. Diesel engines for passenger vehicles have been rough on the vehicle and everyone around – until recent years.

The 2014 Ram is the first in its class to offer a turbo-diesel engine. The turbo-charge allows the diesel engine to be efficient and have great performance at the same time. As Ram continues to gain in popularity, it’s even more important that the brand offers choice and butch-ness in its trucks. Adding a “light diesel” turbo to its lineup means a Ram 1500 is now available with all the “oomph” of a big truck, but without all the “ouch” on your wallet.

Bottom line: the Ram 1500 looks great and performs greatly. Now, it can be tweaked to meet even more needs, desires and tastes. Not to mention that power and luxury can now be combined just like Tom Ford and Michael Kors. What’s not to like about that?

Also new from Chrysler in 2014: 8.4-inch touchscreens are available on even more vehicles.

Chrysler introduced its Uconnect infotainment system some time ago, but only select drivers of select models could get their hands on all those inches. Now, all you have to do is ask and let your fingers do the walking. Admittedly, the screen is huge — easily the most prominent part of the dashboard. Yet unlike the amazon drag queen who takes the DJ booth hostage, this is 8.4 inches that you just can’t stop playing with.

For those of us who are becoming Mr. Magoo-like in terms of our eyesight, the big icons and easy-to-find function buttons truly make Uconnect a must-have for anyone who uses a touchscreen – and nowadays, that’s all of us.

Even better, this new generation of touchscreens allows for all kinds of interactions, without sacrificing standard push-buttons on the dash for temperature and other functions. In other words, you don’t have to try to program the car’s computer just to turn the air down.

To be sure, there are many other new cool things about Chrysler for 2014. And just as there are over a million stories in the Naked City, these (light diesels, 8.4 inches) are just two of those million stories.

Not bad for a company that almost went the way of Montgomery Ward’s and Woolworth, right?