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Chrysler earns $1.7B in 2012, revises product plans for US

Hot on the heels of Ford's earnings announcement for the year that was, Chrysler today reported a 2012 net income of $1.7 billion, up substantially from the comparatively minuscule $183 million profit earned in 2011 when it repaid its US government loans.
Chrysler's good year ended with an excellent fourth quarter that saw net income rise 68 percent from $225 million in 2011 to $378 million. Where are all those extra earnings coming from? Market share, which Chrysler saw increase to 11.4% last year on sales of 1.65 million vehicles. In fact, the Auburn Hills, MI-based automaker out-paced the industry's market growth of 13 percent last year with sales up 21 percent for the year.
The company also revealed an updated product plan for its Chrysler Group and Fiat brands that looks all the way out to 2016. It's an updated version of the plan introduced in 2009 shortly after Fiat took control of the American automaker, and includes such new additions as an Alfa Romeo model, likely the 4C, to be introduced in the US this year, as well five more Alfa models by 2016. Likewise, Fiat will be growing by an additional seven models in the coming few years.

Alfa Romeo working on seven-seat, mild-hybrid SUV

Alfa Romeo will kick off its next product offensive with an SUV larger than the Stelvio (pictured) being prepared for launch about two years from now. The people-hauler, built on the Stelvio's Giorgio platform (the same as the Giulia sedan), will be the first brand offering with an electrified drivetrain, and the largest vehicle Alfa Romeo has ever built. A report last year said the coming SUV would probably slot into the BMW X5 and Mercedes-Benz GLE segment, however, the XL Stelvio has been benchmarked against the Audi Q7 and Volvo XC90, and a seven-seater model is likely. Alfa Romeo Chief Technical Officer Roberto Fedeli opened up to Auto Express, saying that a larger, heavier SUV could embody brand DNA with the help of "a 48-volt mild hybrid solution." The near-instant get-up of an e-turbo would counteract weight gain expected to be around 440 pounds. Fedeli revealed Alfa Romeo's testing a 2.0-liter, four-cylinder with an e-turbo on a simulator, and said they "can achieve around 350 to 400 bhp." Right now, the standard Stelvio produces 280 horsepower from its turbocharged 2.0-liter. A larger model that opened proceedings at 350 hp would create enough separation between the Stelvio and a rival like the 333-horsepower Audi Q7 with the 3.0-liter six-cylinder. Were there a Quadrifoglio version, we'd imagine it would want to outdo the 505-hp coming from the four-leaf Stelvio. After the SUV launches, the next-generation Euro-market Giulietta bows. After that, perhaps a new 4C? This summer, Autoline Network reported that the 4C would die in 2020 due to lagging sales. Yet, according to Auto Express, Alfa Romeo execs are still deciding "whether to completely reinvent the Alfa 4C for its next generation with a new chassis architecture and engine." We know that a heavily tweaked 4C appears next year as a 2019 model, the revisions aimed at getting the coupe closer to what it should have been from the beginning, and Fedeli wants a halo car to pitch alongside Alfa Romeo's Sauber F1 sponsorship. A brand new 4C would be a lot to ask, although it appears the door isn't totally closed. Related Video:

Stellantis announces ‘Circular Economy’ business to drive revenue, decarbonization

Stellantis has already announced its plans to reach net-zero carbon emissions by 2038. Today, the automaker has announced a new business unit to help it reach that goal while generating 2 billion euros per year in revenue by 2030. The “Circular Economy” business will help make revenue less dependent on finite, rare and ecologically problematic materials. The Circular Economy model features what Stellantis calls a “4R” strategy, comprising remanufacturing, repair, reuse and recycling. The goal is to make materials last as long as they can, reducing reliance on the acquisition of those precious new materials in the future by returning them to the business loop when theyÂ’ve reached the end of their first life. Through these processes, Stellantis says it can save up to 80% raw material and 50% energy compared to manufacturing a new part. Remanufacturing, or “reman” in Stellantis shorthand, means dismantling, cleaning and rebuilding parts to OEM spec. Nearly 12,000 remanufactured parts are available for customers to purchase. Some remanufacturing is done in-house, and some with partners and through joint ventures. Repair is pretty obvious — fixing parts to put back into vehicles. This also consists of reconditioning, to make a vehicle feel like new. Stellantis boasts 21 “e-repair” centers for repairing electric vehicle batteries.  Reuse refers to parts still in good condition from end-of-life vehicles sold as-is. Stellantis says it has 4.5 million multi-brand parts in inventory. These are sold in 155 countries through the B-Parts e-commerce platform. Reuse also refers second-life options, such as using batteries outside of automotive purposes. Recycling involves dismantling parts and scraps back into raw material form that is then looped back into the manufacturing process. Stellantis says it has collected 1 million parts for recycling in the past six months. Recycling doesnÂ’t get counted in that aforementioned 2 billion euros of revenue, but it does save the company money on acquisition of raw materials. As for batteries, specifically, Stellantis expects this recycling business to ramp up after 2030, when the packs currently in service begin to reach the end of their lifecycle. Stellantis will use its new “SUSTAINera” label to denote parts that are offered as part of its Circular Economy business.