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Jeep and Ram could be spun off from FCA, says Marchionne

Jeep is surely the biggest single feather left in the cap of the Fiat Chrysler Automobiles portfolio. Under Sergio Marchionne's leadership, Jeep went from fewer than 500,000 annual sales in 2008 to 1.4 million in 2016, and is on track for 2 million by 2018. Add in the brand's legacy, status as one of the most recognizable nameplates in the world, and rabid fan base, and Jeep has extraordinary monetary value to its parent company. Investors and analysts have certainly noticed Jeep's inherent value. According to The Detroit Free Press, Morgan Stanley's Adam Jonas asked FCA chief Sergio Marchionne if he would ever consider spinning Jeep and Ram, FCA's dedicated truck brand, into a separate corporate entity, and he responded with a simple "Yes." Jonas estimated Jeep's worth in January of this year at $22 billion. Ram was valued at $11.2 billion. Marchionne has a history of spinning off brands while keeping them part of FCA's corporate umbrella. The most noteworthy example of this value maximization was with Ferrari, which now trades on the New York Stock Exchange and rakes in $3.4 billion in annual revenue and close to $435 million in net income, reports the Free Press. Marchionne still serves as chairman and CEO of Ferrari, and Fiat heir John Elkann owns 22 percent of the Italian marque's shares. Even if the offloading of Jeep and Ram into a separate entity would amount to little more than a profit-driven ownership change on paper, it would be huge news to the brands' loyal fanbases. In any case, such a move would likely take years to actually happen and probably wouldn't mean much at all to the products that Jeep and Ram produce. In other words, Jeep fans can keep the pitchforks in the shed ... for now. Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.

2014 Fiat 500L Trekking takes the hatchback into the big leagues

Didn't think it was possible to pull and pry at the diminutive Fiat 500 with enough gumption to make the Italian hatchback qualify as a large car (according to the EPA, at least)? Witness the Fiat 500L Trekking, seen above. It's a full 26-inches longer than the regular 500, and it's grown six-inches taller and wider.
All that stretching means there is 42 percent more interior room in the 500L than the standard car, which means it's a good thing the only engine available is Fiat's 1.4-liter MultiAir turbo four-cylinder engine, as seen in the Abarth, with 160-horsepower and 184 pound-feet of torque. A manual gearbox is standard, and a dual-clutch automatic is optional, each with six gears.
The Trekking model features unique front and rear fascias and 17-inch alloy wheels to set it apart from the base 500L, and the black wheel arch and body-side sill moldings make it look more aggressive. Want to know more? Check out the high-res gallery above and scroll down below for the press release.

Watch these dudes pull off amazing stunts with some Fiat 500C Abarths

These dudes are perfect, which, we surmise, is why their YouTube channel is called Dude Perfect. But we digress. In their latest video, Dude Perfect performs some amazing trick shots with footballs, basketballs and baseballs, along with a trio of Fiat 500C Abarth convertibles. It's perfect, dude.
Joining the dudes this week are stunt drivers Roger Richman and Samuel Hubinette from LA Motorsports, and some of their coolest tricks wouldn't be possible without some equally precise driving. Looks like they had a total blast, but remember, these guys are professionals and performed their tricks on a closed course. In other words... do not try this at home.
Dude. Scroll down below to watch the video.