2007 Chrysler Pt Cruiser Base Wagon 4-door 2.4l on 2040-cars

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Volkswagen is not cool with a Fiat Chrysler merger

Volkswagen CEO Matthias Mueller shot down Fiat Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne's overtures for a merger in blunt fashion this week. Mueller told Reuters at the Geneva Motor Show, "We are not ready for talks about anything ... we have other problems. I haven't seen Marchionne for months." The unusually candid – and icy – response from one chief executive to another comes after Marchionne similarly pursued General Motors (again) this week. The FCA boss suggested GM might be looking for a new European partner as it prepares to unload its troubled Opel and Vauxhall divisions to PSA. A GM spokesman told USA Today that the company is not interested. Marchionne has been openly suggesting a GM merger since at least 2015, despite GM never reciprocating interest. VW's "other problems," as Mueller notes, include legal proceedings, fines, recalls, and other issues related to its long-running diesel scandal. Marchionne has long sought industry consolidation, arguing that automakers don't get a proper return on their investments in technologies, some of which are relatively similar. He's suggested sharing chassis and powertrain components could be a benefit to the collective auto sector. Skeptics argue FCA, which is smaller than GM, VW, Toyota, and others, needs a partner to survive, while its rivals already have the necessary scale to remain competitive. Related Video:

Which car companies are creating new jobs in America?

Since January, automakers have announced investments totaling $9.5 billion in U.S. plants, creating or retaining more than 12,000 jobs. Some of those companies have yet to announce just how many jobs will be created given their investments, with the location of many of those jobs still to be determined. Specifically, the 4,000-job Toyota-Mazda joint venture plant still hasn't announced its location, with numerous states jockeying for it. Hyundai has plans to invest $1 billion but has not announced a jobs number yet. And likewise Ford is investing $1.2 billion in Michigan without specifying a number of jobs. Volvo this week announced plans to add a second line to its factory under construction in South Carolina, spending another $500 million and adding 2,500 jobs to the 2,000 it was already trying to fill. Then Thursday, Daimler announced a $1 billion expansion to its facility in Tuscaloosa, Ala., to produce EV batteries and electric SUVs, a move that will add 600 jobs to its hiring this year. Above, we've created a handy pie chart showing you which companies have announced new jobs and how many there will be. Reporting by Paul Lienert in Detroit News Source: Reuters Plants/Manufacturing BMW Chrysler Ford GM Honda Hyundai Mazda Mercedes-Benz Toyota Volvo jobs

2015 Chrysler 200 caught looking good after leaking out

We can't yet share all the details on the 2015 Chrysler 200 sedan, but we can direct your attention to the image above, which was published by the boys at Jalopnik after Chrysler reportedly let it out by accident. As you can see, the new 200 will be a nicely styled piece of machinery.
According to leaked documentation, the 2015 Chrysler 200 will come with the buyer's choice of a 2.4-liter Tiger Shark four-cylinder engine with 184 horsepower and 173 pound-feet of torque or a 3.6-liter Pentastar V6 boasting 295 horses and 262 lb-ft. Those ponies will be routed through a nine-speed automatic with a rotary gear selector, sending power to the front wheels. Alternatively, a high-tech all-wheel-drive system will be available that can electronically disconnect the rear axle, saving fuel.
Speaking of fuel efficiency, the 2015 200 will be able to achieve up to 35 miles per gallon on the highway, which is an impressive figure for this class. An on-sale date has yet to be announced, but the next 200 will start at $21,700 (plus $995 for destination) when it does finally hit dealerships.