2013 Chrysler 300 S on 2040-cars

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Fiat Chrysler, Peugeot owner PSA reportedly in merger talks

Fiat Chrysler and Peugeot owner PSA are in talks to combine in a deal that could create a $50 billion automaker, the Wall Street Journal reported on Tuesday, citing sources. The deal could be in the form of an all-stock deal, the report said. Fiat Chrysler shares rose sharply after the report and were up more than 7% in late afternoon trading. Fiat Chrysler and Peugeot had no comment. Investors have speculated for several years that Fiat Chrysler was hunting for a merger partner, encouraged by the rhetoric of the company's late chief executive, Sergio Marchionne. In 2015, Marchionne outlined the case for consolidation of the auto industry, and tried unsuccessfully to interest General Motors in a deal. Peugeot and Fiat Chrysler had discussed a combination earlier this year, before Fiat Chrysler proposed a $35 billion merger with French automaker Renault SA. Fiat Chrysler Chairman John Elkann broke off talks with Renault in June after French government officials intervened, and pushed for Renault to first resolve tensions with its Japanese alliance partner, Nissan. Following the collapse of the Renault merger plan, Fiat Chrysler CEO Mike Manley left the door open for talks with would-be partners, but said the Italian-American automaker could go it alone despite mounting costs to develop electric vehicles and comply with tougher emissions rules in Europe, the United States and China. Peugeot CEO Carlos Tavares dismissed the idea of a combination with Fiat Chrysler during a discussion with reporters at the Frankfurt auto show last month. "We don't need it," Tavares said when asked whether he was still interested in a deal with Fiat Chrysler. Fiat Chrysler has a commercial vehicle partnership with Peugeot.

Chrysler readying 20 Moparized vehicles for SEMA

The Las Vegas Convention Center has plenty of space for aftermarket companies and automakers to show off their wares, and it looks like Chrysler is taking advantage of the spacious floor plan. At next month's SEMA Show, Chrysler will have a full 20 cars from its six brands decked out with Mopar gear.
As a hint of what is to come, Chrysler released a handful of teaser sketches showing glimpses of modified Jeep Cherokee, Ram 1500, Fiat 500L and Chrysler 300 concept vehicles. The automaker will also use the venue to show off a new line of Jeep Performance Parts offered by the all-new Mopar Off-Road Division. In addition to the images, Chrysler also issued a brief press release - posted below - breaking down some of the "industry-first features" that Mopar has offered in recent years.

Forget the stupid millennial pitch, the Chrysler Portal Concept is full of good ideas

Chrysler's statements on the Portal Concept are heavy on the millennial, as we previously mentioned. And as such, the six-passenger people hauler shown at CES 2017 has all the elements of a concept for the m-word generation - connectivity, cameras, and plenty of items with a "modular" adjective on them. But put aside the tired idea that millennials are different from other car shoppers for a moment, because the Portal Concept boasts a bunch of great design ideas that anyone would appreciate. The thing is that millennials are the widest chunk of population in the United States. As such, they're hard to define. It seems like someone at Chrysler realizes this, as the press release for the Portal states: "While millennials are a broad group of consumers at varying life stages, the Chrysler Portal concept is designed and engineered with all life stages and lifestyles in mind, including active/adventure, single, married/partnered, those with newborns and older children." In other words, this is a vehicle designed for all kinds of people that suits all kinds of needs. Spoiler alert: The best package for flexible hauling of people and cargo is a minivan. And that's what the Portal Concept is, albeit slightly smaller than the current Pacifica. Chrysler Portal Concept View 20 Photos It's an obvious angle, as Chrysler popularized the modern minivan. But with current vans ballooning in size, there's room for the same virtues in a smaller footprint. If it takes 360-degree cameras and a customizable light ring around the doors to convince people that a flat floor and movable seats are cool, so be it. It's the practical aspects of the Portal that we like best, not the throwaway concessions to connectivity and autonomy. The best, most practical feature in the Portal is its seating arrangement. The seats ride on two parallel tracks, and each folds skinny with the seat pan popping vertical, or low with the seatback down. All (save the driver's bucket) slide back for room in front, or vice versa for space in the rear. Integrated seatbelts further help the seating flexibility. Even in a more realistic production form this is a clever innovation, almost as good as the original Stow 'N' Go. The same goes for the panoramic, high-mount screen that shows the dashboard and a host of other informative bits of data.