Affordable Classic - 1986 Chrysler Lebaron K-car Convertible on 2040-cars

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Trump wants a trade deal, but South Korea doesn't want US cars

SEOUL - US auto imports from the likes of General Motors and Ford must become more chic, affordable or fuel-efficient to reap the rewards of President Donald Trump's attempts to renegotiate a trade deal with key ally South Korea, officials and industry experts in Seoul say. Meeting South Korean President Moon Jae-in last week in Washington, Trump said the United States would do more to address trade imbalances with South Korea and create "a fair shake" to sell more cars there, the world's 11th largest auto market. "What we really want to say to the United States is: Make good cars, make cars that Korean consumers like." While imports from automakers including Ford, Chrysler and GM more than doubled last year largely thanks to free trade deal which took effect in 2012, sales account for just 1 percent of a market dominated by more affordable models from local giants Hyundai and affiliate Kia. Imports make up just 15 percent of the overall Korean auto market, and are mainly more luxurious models from German automakers BMW and Daimler AG's Mercedes-Benz, which also benefit from a trade deal with the European Union. "Addressing non-tariff barriers would not fundamentally raise the competitiveness of US cars," a senior Korean government official told Reuters, declining to be identified because of the sensitivity of the subject. "What we really want to say to the United States is: Make good cars, make cars that Korean consumers like." TASTE BARRIER In Korea, US imports are seen as lagging German brands in brand image, sophistication and fuel economy, industry experts say. US imports do have a competitive advantage in electric cars: Tesla Motors' electric vehicles are seen as both environmentally friendly and trendy, while GM has launched a long-range Bolt EV. US Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross had cited a quota in the current trade deal as an obstacle to boosting imports. The quota allows US automakers to bring in each year 25,000 vehicles that meet US, not necessarily Korean, safety standards. Should GM, for example, decide to bring in more than its quota of one model - the Impala sedans - it would cost up to $75 million to modify the cars to meet Korean safety standards, the company told its local labor union. Asked about non-tariff barriers, a spokesman at GM's Korean unit said removing them could expand the range of models the company can bring in from the United States. No US company, however, has yet to make full use of the quota, industry data shows.

Junkyard Gem: 2002 Chrysler PT Cruiser with 5-speed manual transmission

Before we get started on today's Junkyard Gem, let's talk about what I mean by the word "Gem" in this context, because I've been getting a lot of hate mail from readers foaming at the mouth with rage because I dared to refer to such cars as the Pontiac Sunfire or Subaru Tribeca by that name. When I say "Gem" I mean it in the historical sense, not because I think a particular vehicle is a generally superior machine. OK? Now we can talk about a real junkyard rarity: a PT Cruiser with a manual transmission. Chrysler sold PT Cruisers in Europe and Japan, where manual transmissions are preferred, and the 5-speed manual was the base transmission in the North American-market PT Cruiser all the way up until the 2009 model year. However, most American and Canadian PT Cruiser buyers proved willing to spend the extra money to get an automatic transmission, because... well, PT Cruiser. I found this car in a wrecking yard in the San Francisco Bay Area, which is such a hotbed of amateur racing and restoration of old British and Italian sports cars that perhaps residents have a slightly greater appreciation for three-pedal cars than Americans in general. With 150 horsepower moving 3,123 pounds— essentially a slightly bigger Neon — this car would have been more fun to drive than most minivans. Later on, Chrysler dropped Neon SRT4 drivetrains into PT Cruisers, creating the 215-horse GT Turbo PT Cruiser. We think a bustleback body kit would go well with one of those cars. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. "Take it easy, Mr. Satan!"

Wolverine will drive weird custom Chrysler 300 in next X-Men movie

Fiat Chrysler loves a movie tie-in. Remember the Stormtrooper-spec Dodge Charger we messed around with? Then there was the Jeep Renegade Dawn of Justice special edition, built for Batman v. Superman. And now, it looks like the company donated a misshapen Chrysler limo for the latest film in the Wolverine series. Some movie-stalking paparazzi caught Hugh Jackman next to this odd vehicle, and you can see photos at Just Jared, a celebrity gossip site. The photogs were more concerned with the graying star, who's reprising his role as the adamantium-boned superhero for the ninth time including cameos, but we'll focus on the machine. We can see the car's rear three-quarters and not a lot else. It looks broadly based on the 300, but much longer. The Chrysler winged badge is clearly visible on the trunk, while a retro script version of the automaker's logo sits on the rear pillar. There's also an unexplained "E8" badge to the right of the driver's side taillight. And as for those lamps, it's like FCA mashed together the current 300's taillights with those from a Cadillac CT6. The trunk and rear window are the strangest elements of all. We can't figure out what's happening with the tiny rear glass, the strange curve to it, or the tiny, sloping rear deck. It's ... not pretty. From the rest of what's visible, it's clear this particular car is a limo of some kind. The front end has been modified with fat fender flares sitting over some big multispoke wheels, and the door handles have been shaved. Behind the B-pillar, it gets weird. There's a long stretch of glass and bodywork, and then a very small rear door. Ingress and egress would be tough, to say the least. There's a lot of brightwork, too, from the wheels to the thick chrome strip running below the greenhouse and onto the hood. A couple of the images give a glimpse into the interior, which is wholly different from that in the production 300. We've embedded a tweet with some of the images below. But for the full gallery, you'll need to head over to Just Jared. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. Related Video: News Source: JustJared.comImage Credit: Marvel Studios Auto News TV/Movies Chrysler Luxury Sedan