2008 Chrysler Town & Country on 2040-cars

Auto blog

Pontiac Aztek enjoys rebirth thanks to Millennials

Apparently, Millennials – those between 18 and 34 – aren't afraid to look different on the road, and they like performance, too. A new study by Edmunds is discovering some surprising vehicle choices by this group. Among them, the long-derided Pontiac Aztek is getting a new day in the sun with 25.5 percent its buyers coming from this generation in the first half of 2015. For comparison, Millennials represent an average of 16.8 percent of used car purchases. The Aztek is slowly shaking its reputation as a styling abomination, which seems tied to its appearance on Breaking Bad. The show premiered in 2008, and the Pontiac has been on this list for four of the past five years, according to Edmunds. It even led the pack in 2010. A recent Retro Review from MotorWeek also showed that the crossover wasn't always so hated. While it's still a shock to see the Aztek on any popularity list, the awkward-looking crossover only ranks sixth among Millennials. The vehicle with the biggest portion of buyers from the generation is the Dodge Magnum with 27.6 percent. According to Edmunds, the bluntly styled wagon is especially popular in Detroit and Chicago. The Chrysler Pacifica comes in a close second at 27.3 percent. When it comes to used cars, value and utility appear to trump just about anything else for many Millennial buyers," Edmunds analyst Jeremy Acevedo said in the report. Young buyers aren't afraid of sporty rides, either. The Subaru WRX has 26.4 percent Millennial buyers to rank third place on the list, and the Volkswagen R32 takes fifth at 25.7 percent. Just a few points lower in seventh place is the Nissan GT-R at 25.4 percent, and the final performance machine in 10th place is the Lexus IS-F with 24.7 percent. Related Video:

FCA may sell off Magneti Marelli

FCA is reportedly just days away from filing the official prospectus for the Ferrari initial public offering, and it could put the Italian sportscar maker's value at $11 billion. Although, Sergio Marchionne always seems to have another iron in the fire, and his next big deal could shed the automotive giant's Magneti Marelli parts business to the tune of $3.3 billion. According to Reuters citing anonymous insider sources, at least two private equity firms are considering joint submitting bids with firms already in the industry. This deal has reportedly been in the works for at least the last few weeks. According to Reuters, FCA already rejected a roughly $2.7-billion offer in June. Marchionne apparently wants at least the equivalent of $3.3 billion for the company. Publicly, FCA isn't talking, though. Company spokesperson Gualberto Ranieri told Reuters and reiterated to Autoblog simply that Magneti Marelli wasn't for sale. However, a move to get rid of the parts company has been discussed in the past. In 2013, the business was rumored to be part of a purported arrangement to sell Alfa Romeo to Audi. While there's no final decision yet, according to Reuters, if the Magneti Marelli sale does move forward the decision would likely come sometime after the Ferrari IPO. The company would likely be split up among the various divisions. "Everyone will take a fair share of it," one of the anonymous sources to Reuters. News Source: ReutersImage Credit: Jeff Kowalsky / Bloomberg via Getty Images Earnings/Financials Chrysler Fiat Sergio Marchionne FCA fca us magneti marelli

FCA's Pentastar V6 gets more power, efficiency for 2016

Already a vital member of FCA's powertrain lineup, the 3.6-liter Pentastar V6 is receiving major efficiency improvements for 2016. Thanks to a massive amount of new tech attached to the mill, fuel economy is up six percent, and torque below 3,000 rpm jumps nearly 15 percent. The updates arrive first in the 2016 Jeep Grand Cherokee, but they should proliferate to other models eventually. At least in the Grand Cherokee, the tweaks push power up five horsepower to 295 ponies. FCA's engineers went through the Pentastar from top to bottom to eke out as much efficiency as possible. For example, there's now a two-speed variable-valve lift system that can run in low- or high-lift modes. This upgrade is responsible for 2.7-percent better economy, the company claims. A new intake manifold with longer runners and updated variable-valve times also helps boost the torque output. Further improvements come from pushing the compression ratio to 11.3:1, from 10.2:1 before. Perhaps most impressive is that despite all of the innovations, the latest Pentastar actually weighs four pounds less than the current version. Beyond the Pentastar improvements, all of the FCA US gasoline engines, except for the Viper's 8.4-liter V10, will be E15-compatible for 2016. The company says that it wants to be ready for the higher ethanol content fuel's greater use in the near future.