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Some Jeep Cherokees and Chrysler 200s to get standard stop-start in 2015

Automakers the world over are striving to find ways to make their models more efficient, and Chrysler has a solution for some versions of the 2015 Chrysler 200 and 2015 Jeep Cherokee (2014 model shown). The Tigershark 2.4-liter four-cylinder in the 200 and the 3.2-liter Pentastar V6 in the Cherokee are getting a slight boost later this year thanks to the addition of Chrysler's Engine Stop-Start system as standard equipment. The company predicts modest gains - a three-percent improvement in fuel economy and a three percent reduction in CO2 emissions with the new tech compared to without it. While it's not much, those who sit in traffic a lot may see a difference.
Chrysler's stop/start system uses a high-speed starter motor to restart the vehicle in a claimed a third of a second. It works by detecting when the vehicle comes to a stop and turning off the engine. A more powerful battery maintains all of the model's accessories while it sits. When the driver lets off the brake, the car starts up again to drive away. There is even a button in the cabin to turn the ESS off, if desired.
The Jeep will be the first to receive ESS in the third quarter of this year to coincide with the start of production of the 2015 model-year version. The 200 will follow in the fourth quarter as a rolling change in production.

Jeep driver nearly gets washed away by fast moving river

Just because you can do something doesn't mean that you should. For example, you should never attempt to cross a fast-moving river in a bone stock Grand Cherokee no matter how shallow the river looks. Especially if you don't know what you're doing. A video posted recently to the Facebook group Jeep EXPERIENCE, shows an inexperienced jeep driver learning that lesson the hard way. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. The video starts innocently enough, with a group of off-roaders watching one of their friends attempt to ford a shallow looking river. Things quickly go sideways however, when the driver of the silver Grand Cherokee just plunges right in and quickly gets in over his head. The river is moving faster than the driver thinks it is, the driver panics, makes some bad decisions, then the jeep is turned over and swept downstream. Eventually, the jeep is hauled out by a Land Rover after a long comedy of errors that involves one guy losing his trousers to the current and the Cherokee ingesting untold gallons of water. What went wrong here? Well, It's pretty obvious from the video that the Cherokee driver didn't have a clear idea of where he was going or about the condition of the riverbed. He chickened out halfway across the river, and in what appears to be a misguided attempt at turning back, he reverses, digs himself deeper in the riverbed, then turned broadside on into the current. When he changes his mind again and decides to just gun it for the opposite shore, he drives directly into a deep water hazard that would have been obvious to an experienced off-roader. At that point the jeep and the driver were doomed. Hopefully the driver learned a lesson here, and hopefully he didn't pollute that river too much with the jeep's fluids. Related Video: News Source: Jeep EXPERIENCE Weird Car News Jeep Land Rover Driving Safety SUV Off-Road Vehicles Videos river

Fiat Chrysler's Q3 profit boosted by strong North American earnings

MILAN, Italy — Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) reported a 17 percent jump in third-quarter adjusted operating profit on Tuesday, helped by a strong performance in its key North American market and improving operations in Europe and Latin America. The world's seventh-largest carmaker still makes the lion's share of its profits in North America, so improving, or at least maintaining, its margins there is a key focus. The carmaker reported an 8 percent adjusted operating profit margin in the region, up from 7.6 percent a year ago, despite a drop in sales and shipments. "FCA's profitability in North America remained strong in the quarter despite a weakening market there," a Milan-based analyst said. FCA's profitability compares with an 8.3 percent North America margin reached in the quarter by bigger U.S. rival GM , showing CEO Sergio Marchionne making progress towards his goal of closing the margin gap with GM and the company's other U.S. rival, Ford, by 2018. The company's confirmation of its full-year outlook also pushed shares higher, a trader added. The stock was up 2.8 percent by 1129 GMT, outperforming a 1 percent rise in the European auto index. FCA has been retooling some U.S. factories to boost output of sport-utility vehicles (SUVs) and trucks while ending production of some unprofitable sedans to strengthen profitability as the U.S. car market comes off its peak. The company said a drop in North America shipments due to lower fleet sales and discontinued models was partially offset by higher deliveries of Ram trucks and two models from the Alfa Romeo stable: the Stelvio sport utility vehicle and Giulia sedan. Profitability also improved in Europe, helped by sales of the Stelvio and the new Jeep Compass, and Latin America, while margins at Maserati remained strong at 13.8 percent due to strong demand for its first SUV, the Levante. In a later conference call, investors are looking for hints on the new strategy to 2022 which the company promised to unveil early next year. Chief Executive Sergio Marchionne said earlier this year that FCA would streamline its portfolio and that components businesses, including Magneti Marelli, would be separated from the group, possibly via a spin-off. While FCA confirmed its targets this year, doubts remain about its exposure to a weakening U.S. market, recall costs and potential fines over emissions after it was targeted by European and U.S.