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Chrysler honors Arsenal of Democracy's 75th anniversary

The Allied victory in World War II wouldn't have been possible without the Arsenal of Democracy. This phrase, originally coined by President Franklin D. Roosevelt 75 years ago today, described the war-time transformation of US manufacturing, especially the auto industry, to produce tanks and planes instead of cars and trucks. One of the earliest purpose-built facilities was the Albert Kahn-designed Detroit Arsenal, located in suburban Warren, MI, literally across the street from the future site of the General Motors Technical Center. Built by Uncle Sam, the plant churned out M3 Grant and M4 Sherman tanks with frightening speed, but it wouldn't have been possible without Chrysler. The company (which is ironically now allied to a former supplier of Nazi Germany and fascist Italy) operated the plant and applied automotive mass-production techniques to producing the government-designed tanks. The plant was so successful, according to Fiat Chrysler historian Brandt Rosenbusch, that it singlehandedly outpaced the entire Third Reich's tank production by 5,000 units over the course of the war. The Detroit Arsenal was also responsible for a quarter of all American tank production during the war. And like so many wartime factories, women formed a large percentage of the workforce, as men were drafted out of assembly work and into the armed forces. Chrysler has commemorated the 75th anniversary of the Arsenal of Democracy speech with a video on the Detroit Arsenal and its role there. And as for the site today? It built tanks up until 1997, and still serves as the home of the US Army's TACOM (Tank-automotive and Armaments Command) Life Cycle Management Command, a major site for tank research and development. News Source: Fiat Chrysler Automobiles via YouTube Chrysler Military Classics Videos FCA warren

Fiat Chrysler CEO says final merger talks with Peugeot going well

BRUSSELS — Fiat Chrysler's chief executive Michael Manley said on Wednesday that merger talks with Peugeot owner PSA  to create the world's No. 4 carmaker are progressing well and he hopes to have a deal within 12-14 months. Speaking to Reuters on the sidelines of an industry meeting, he said he doesn't expect any major obstacles that could delay a final agreement. "Talks are progressing really well," Manley said about negotiations with the French carmaker ahead of a briefing by the European automotive association (ACEA), of which he is president. His comments come a month after the two carmakers agreed to a binding deal worth about $50 billion to combine forces in response to a slowdown in global demand and mounting costs of making cleaner vehicles amid tighter emissions regulations. Manley's timeline for completing the deal by early 2021 is in line with a forecast made by the companies in December. Fiat and Peugeot are now getting into the details of how the merger will work, including choosing which vehicle platforms — the technological underpinnings of a vehicle — will fit which products in a combined company. Because customers in different locations still prefer vastly different cars, there is room for multiple platforms in a combined group, Manley said. "That global platform is an elusive beast," he added. "This concept of a massive global platform in my mind is almost a myth, but that doesnÂ’t mean to say weÂ’re not going to recruit significant volume." Related Video:    

European new car sales drop nearly 8% in first half of 2019

PARIS — European car sales dropped 7.9% in June, led by bigger declines for Nissan, Volvo and Fiat Chrysler (FCA), according to industry data published on Wednesday. Registrations fell to 1.49 million cars last month from 1.62 million a year earlier across the European Union and EFTA countries, the Brussels-based Association of European Carmakers said in a statement. Calendar effects resulted in two fewer sales days in most markets, accentuating the decline. Registrations for the first half closed 3.1% lower, ACEA said. For European carmakers, weakening demand at home compounds the pressure from a sharper contraction in China and emerging markets that may yet bring more profit warnings. NissanÂ’s aging model lineup contributed to a 26.6% June sales slump while Volvo Cars, owned by ChinaÂ’s Geely, saw deliveries tumble 21.7%. Registrations also fell 13.5% last month at FCA, 10.1% at BMW, 9.6% at Volkswagen Group and 8.2% for both Mercedes parent Daimler and FranceÂ’s PSA Group. The Peugeot makerÂ’s domestic rival Renault suffered less, posting a 3.9% decline. By the Numbers BMW Chrysler Fiat Nissan Volkswagen Volvo Peugeot Renault