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Has Dodge stepped in it again with Scat Pack lawsuit?

Lawsuits are an unfortunate part of doing business in just about any industry, so the latest complaint filed by a California-based aftermarket firm against Chrysler would seem to be nothing more than business as usual. But this isn't the first time the two companies have sparred over this particular issue.
According to a report from Automotive News, the dispute revolves around the Scat Pack name that Chrysler first offered on the Charger, Coronet, Dart and Super Bee starting in 1968. Scat Enterprises, a manufacturer of crankshafts and other components for Dodges and other vehicles, sued Chrysler for using its name. A few years later the Scat Pack disappeared from the Dodge catalog.
Fast forward to August 2013 when Chrysler applied to register the Scat Pack name anew. The US Patent and Trademark Office turned down Chrysler's application, but the automaker proceeded anyway, unveiling new Scat Packs for the Challenger, Charger and Dart at last year's SEMA show.

Long winter means most automakers won't curb summer shutdown

A lot more happened during this latest brutal winter than days of snow and Netflix binges. Automotive sales took a battering. After all, going out car shopping when it's eleventy-billion degrees below zero isn't a good time.
Because of this Old Man Winter-induced sales slump, inventories are abnormally high as we head into the summer car buying season. That's led some analysts to predict that automakers will be more inclined to idle factories this summer, in a bid to trim some of the built-up inventory. Traditionally, American manufacturers offer up a two-week break in the middle of summer, although the burgeoning sales of the past few years have seen this practice become less popular.
"We're likely not going to see an acceleration this year," Jeff Schuster, a senior vice president at LMC Automotive, told The Detroit News. "We'll see production increases in 'pockets' but I don't know if it will be as widespread as in recent years."

2017 Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid electrifies the family hauler

The 2017 Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid is the first-ever hybrid minivan – why didn't anyone think of this before? The extra jolt of electric propulsion lets Chrysler estimate this hauler can get a very green 80 miles per gallon equivalent, with 30 miles of full electric range. To make those amazing numbers possible, the Pacifica Hybrid uses a version of the 3.6-liter Pentastar V6 that runs on the Atkinson cycle for improved efficiency, matched with an electric motor. A 16-kWh lithium-ion battery sits underneath the second-row floor to supply the energy. The PHEV doesn't launch until the latter half of 2016, but Chrysler currently estimates the powertrain's output at 248 horsepower, versus 287 hp from the non-hybrid Pacifica. Charging the system to full takes just two hours from a 240-volt outlet. Other than the charging port just head of the driver's door and different wheel designs, the Pacifica Hybrid looks the same as the other model. The nearly identical styling isn't a bad thing because this is one of the most attractive minivans ever. The aesthetics are similar inside, too, but the battery removes the ability to stow the second row of seats. However, the third row can still fold flat. First hybrid powertrain in minivan segment "Due to its large footprint and multiple daily trip patterns, the minivan is ideally suited for electrification technology," said Bob Lee, Vice President and Head of Engine, Powertrain and Electrified Propulsion Systems Engineering, FCA – North America. "The all-new 2017 Chrysler Pacifica lives up to this promise and then some, with efficiency, power and refinement." Launching in second half of 2016, the Pacifica Hybrid is the industry's first electrified minivan. With an estimated 248 horsepower, the vehicle will deliver an estimated range of 30 miles solely on zero-emissions electric power from a 16-kWh lithium-ion (Li-ion) battery. In city driving, it is expected to achieve an efficiency rating of 80 miles per gallon equivalent (MPGe), based on U.S. Environmental Protection Agency standards. When the battery's energy is depleted to a certain threshold, the Pacifica Hybrid becomes a part-time electric vehicle, like a conventional hybrid. Power to the wheels is supplied by the electric drive system or supplemented by a specially adapted new version of the award-winning FCA US Pentastar 3.6-liter V-6 engine.