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UAW urging Chrysler to sell shares to investors

The United Auto Workers union is pushing Chrysler to sell 16.6 percent of its stock to investors in an attempt to establish the value of the shares. The UAW is currently locked in a lawsuit with Chrysler parent company Fiat over how much the Italian automaker should pay to buy shares from the trust fund. Last year, Fiat told the trust it intended to exercise its right to purchase 3.3 percent of the union's shares at issue. But the union contended the 54,154 shares were worth closer to $381 million instead of the $155 million Fiat offered.
Currently, the UAW owns 41.5 percent of Chrysler while Fiat holds 58.5 percent of the company. Currently, it's unclear whether the UAW could force Chrysler to put the shares on the open market. Doing so would be the first step toward a much-anticipated initial public offering. Chrysler has said it will comply with its shareholders agreement, and Fiat has echoed that tune. According to The Detroit Free Press, the UAW Retiree Medical Benefits Trust has declined to comment on the situation.

Tier 1 suppliers call GM the worst OEM to work with

Among automakers with a big US presence, General Motors is the worst to work for, according to a new survey from Tier 1 automotive suppliers, conducted by Planning Perspectives, Inc.
The Detroit-based manufacturer, which has been under fire following the ignition switch recall and its accompanying scandal, finished behind six other automakers with big US manufacturing operations. Suppliers had issues with trust and communications, as well as intellectual property protection. GM was also the least likely to allow suppliers to raise their prices in the face of unexpected increases in material cost, all of which contributed to 55 percent of suppliers saying their relationship with GM was "poor to very poor."
GM's cross-town competitors didn't fare much better. Chrysler finished in fifth place, ahead of GM and behind Dearborn-based Ford, which was passed for third place this year by Nissan. Toyota took the top marks, while Honda captured second place.

Mopar-modified Chrysler 200 reappears in Chicago

Chrysler made what was one of the biggest debuts of the 2014 North American International Auto Show last month when it debuted the heavily redesigned 200. While impressive on its own, the sleek sedan's Mopar counterpart, which was tucked away in a corner during the Detroit show, adds even more visual flair.
Based on the Chrysler 200S, the showcar had already benefitted from Lunar White Tricoat paint and meaty, 19-inch wheels (now in Satin Lite Bronze finish). White leather seats with bronze stitching accented the cabin treatment.
For Chicago, Chrysler added a Mopar body kit and new upper and lower grilles, both of which give the four-door a considerably more menacing look. The rear fascia is set off by a new bumper and a revised set of exhaust tips. The cabin is unchanged from the Detroit car.