1962 Chrysler Imperial on 2040-cars

Auto blog

Sergio rethinks FCA-GM merger idea, dismisses critics

After many public overtures, Fiat Chrysler Automotive CEO Sergio Marchionne has claimed his company won't be making a hostile takeover bid for General Motors. This is despite widespread speculation that FCA's desire to merge was motivated by its allegedly dire situation. As one unnamed GM exec who spoke to Automotive News earlier this year put it, "Why should [GM] bail out FCA?" "We are not choking. We are in relatively decent shape," Marchionne told journalists attending an FCA shareholder meeting in Amsterdam, AN reports. "We have been publicly rebuffed, we have been rejected and you cannot force these things. I don't want to. At the moment, we have no intention to do anything hostile." Instead of focusing on merging with GM, or any other partners for that matter, FCA will refocus on implementing its ambitious five-year investment plan, which would see it dump $52 billion into its various brands, with a particular focus on Alfa Romeo, Maserati, and Jeep. So far the attempt has largely been unsuccessful, especially as it relates to the Italian brands. Earlier this week, additional reports emerged that claimed Alfa was pushing back the Giulia and an unnamed CUV while reassigning resources to updated versions of the Giulietta and MiTo hatchbacks. This is not the first time we've heard about trouble for the Giulia, of course. For Masearti, though, it was the first we'd heard of delays for Alfieri sports car, which allegedly won't appear in 2016, as promised. We can expect a proper breakdown of FCA's adjusted plans when Marchionne and Company reveal an updated product slate next month. Related Video: The video meant to be presented here is no longer available. Sorry for the inconvenience. News Source: Automotive News - sub. req.Image Credit: Paul Sancya / AP Alfa Romeo Chrysler Fiat GM Jeep Maserati Sergio Marchionne FCA

Chrysler slows minivan production, hasn't built VW Routan this year

Chrysler has slowed production of its Town and Country and Dodge Grand Caravan minivans this week, Automotive News reports. The Windsor, Ontario plant will cut its three shifts from eight hours each to four hours each in an effort "to align production with market demand," a Chrysler spokesperson told AN. Chrysler also builds the closely related Routan minivan for Volkswagen at its Ontario facility, but has not built a single example thus far in 2013.
Sales of Chrysler's minivans fell 15 percent for the first two months of 2013, and a large part of that has to do with the 26-percent drop of the Grand Caravan alone (the T&C was only down by one percent). According to Automotive News data, as of March 1, Chrysler had an unsold inventory of 24,713 Town and Country models and 18,547 Grand Caravans - a 69- and 43-day supply, respectively.
"No sense running full speed now, then have a lot of vehicles sitting around a few months down the line," Chrysler spokeswoman Jodi Tinson told AN. Full production is expected to resume again on March 18.

2017 Chrysler 300S Sport Appearance Package makes tweaks

Your opinion may differ, but to us, if you want the best-looking Chrysler 300, you pretty much have to go with the S model. And now, thanks to the new Sport Appearance Packages, the 300S is going to look even better. The exterior Sport Appearance Pack is going to be standard on the V8-powered 300S and optional on the V6 model. It'll bring you some good stuff, like a gloss-black grille and smoked headlamps, both of which sit in a sportier fascia with larger air intakes and LED fog lamps. There's also a new rear spoiler, and of course, 20-inch wheels (19s if you opt for all-wheel drive). Go for the interior Sport Appearance Package, and the entire inside section of the seats is finished in suede while the exterior sections are leather. The Light Gray Diesel contrast stitching adds a dash of spice to the otherwise black cabin, while the piano black trim's gloss is the closest you'll get to brightwork. Overall, the interior Sport Appearance Pack is a far less comprehensive job than the exterior pack, but it's still pretty nice. We like the overall look provided by both Sport Appearance Packages. They are clean, not overdone, and take the already serious look of the 300S a step further. But there's also little hiding the 300's age at this point. While it's a good look, it's a poor replacement for an all-new 300. We're waiting, Chrysler. Pricing isn't out yet, but we can tell you that dealers will begin taking orders for both the Interior and Exterior Sport Appearance Packages this August. You can see what both packages look like on in the gallery up top, which also features the new Ceramic Gray exterior color.