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FCA to recall nearly 900,000 vehicles that don't meet emissions standards

WASHINGTON — Fiat Chrysler Automobiles will recall 862,520 gasoline-powered vehicles in the United States that do not meet U.S. emissions standards, the Environmental Protection Agency said on Wednesday. The recall was prompted by in-use emissions investigations conducted by the EPA and in-use testing conducted by Fiat Chrysler as required by U.S. regulations, the agency said. EPA said it will continue to investigate other Fiat Chrysler vehicles that are potentially noncompliant and may become the subject of future recalls. The recall includes 2011-2016 Dodge Journeys, 2011-2014 Chrysler 200s and Dodge Avengers, 2011-2012 Dodge Calibers and 2011-2016 Jeep Compass/Patriots. Fiat Chrysler said in a statement the EPA announcement "has no safety implications. Nor are there any associated fines." "The issue was discovered by FCA during routine in-use emissions testing and reported to the agency," the company said. "We began contacting affected customers last month to advise them of the needed repairs, which will be provided at no charge." Its U.S.-traded shares were down 1 percent. "EPA welcomes the action by Fiat Chrysler to voluntarily recall its vehicles that do not meet U.S. emissions standards," EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler said in a statement. "We will provide assistance to consumers navigating the recall and continue to ensure that auto manufacturers abide by our nation's laws designed to protect human health and the environment." Fiat Chrysler owners can continue to drive their vehicles, the government said. Due to the "large number of vehicles involved and the need to supply replacement components — specifically to the vehicle's catalytic converter — this recall will be implemented in phases during the 2019," the EPA said In January, Fiat Chrysler agreed to a settlement worth about $800 million to resolve claims by the U.S. Justice Department and state of California that it used illegal software to produce false results on Ran and Jeep vehicles. But that incident involved diesel engines. It is awaiting the outcome of a criminal probe. The hefty penalty was the latest fallout from the U.S. government's stepped-up enforcement of vehicle emissions rules after Volkswagen AG admitted in September 2015 to intentionally evading emissions rules.

Playboy's Playmate of the Year gets a Fiat 124 Spider

As Playboy's latest – and possibly last – Playmate of the Year, we have little doubt that Eugena Washington can get a ride in just about any car she wants. But for the next two years she'll be driving herself around in a 2017 Fiat 124 Spider – the model that FCA has fittingly positioned as the automotive equivalent of Viagra. A two-year lease on the Japanese-made, Italian-styled roadster is part of Washington's prize package for winning the magazine's top honor, along with $100,000 in cash. The actress and model has already made it to the top three in the seventh season of Tyra Banks' show America's Next Top Model and has appeared in advertising campaigns for Lexus, Target, and an array of cosmetics brands. Eugena is the publication's 57th Playmate of the Year, and the third black woman to receive the title (following 1990's Renee Tenison and Ida Ljungqvist in 2009). But she may also be the last as the magazine, in an historic move, transitions away from nudity in print and into the mainstream to compete with publications like GQ and Vanity Fair. Related Video: Eugena Washington, Playboy's 2016 Playmate of the Year, With All-new 2017 Fiat 124 Spider May 12, 2016 , Auburn Hills, Mich. - Eugena Washington, an accomplished model and actress from Palmdale, California, has been named Playboy's 2016 Playmate of the Year. Along with her title, Washington receives $100,000 in prize money and a two-year lease on the all-new 2017 Fiat 124 Spider. Reviving the storied nameplate, the all-new 2017 Fiat 124 Spider brings its classic Italian styling and performance to a new generation. Paying homage to the original 124 Spider nearly 50 years after its introduction, the 2017 Fiat 124 Spider delivers the ultimate Italian roadster experience with driving excitement, technology and safety combined with iconic Italian design. Washington is featured on the cover and a 10-page pictorial inside Playboy's June 2016 issue. Click here for more from the May 11 announcement. ### Playboy Names Eugena Washington Its 2016 Playmate Of The Year LOS ANGELES, May 11, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Eugena Washington, an accomplished model and actress from Palmdale, California, has been named Playboy's 2016 Playmate of the Year and will be formally introduced to press today at the Playboy Mansion in Holmby Hills, California.

Will the Fiat 124 Spider get an Abarth model?

Fiat is finally back in the sports-car business, as evidenced by the reveal of the 2017 124 Spider at the Los Angeles Auto Show. Naturally, the next question becomes: Will Fiat do an Abarth version? "We might look at doing a tuned version, said Olivier Francois, global head of the Fiat brand. "Maybe yes, maybe no." Francois was coy as he spoke to a group of reporters minutes after the 124 debuted in LA, but performance is a part of Fiat's genetics. While Francois wasn't telling, we think those bloodlines will translate into a higher-powered Abarth version. The 2017 Spider launches next summer, so an Abarth variant could arrive about a year later as a 2018 model. We would expect it to feature a stiffer suspension, performance wheels, Abarth badging, and enhanced aerodynamics. Some carbon-fiber pieces (perhaps the hood) would complement Fiat's always interesting palette of color choices, though a rosso corsa, like the one chosen by our illustrator, would be timeless. The engine's output would be the big question mark. The likely plan would be to tune up the 124's 1.4-liter four-cylinder MultiAir turbo rated at 160 horsepower and 184 pound-feet of torque in the base model. It's the same engine used in the Fiat 500 Abarth model, though the Spider has more torque. Fiat could further goose this mill, perhaps to around 190 to 200 horses, or pluck another mill from Fiat Chrysler's vast powertrain bins. The Alfa Romeo 4C's turbo 237-hp four-cylinder might also be a candidate. Like the MX-5 Miata with which it shares a platform (albeit modified), the Spider is more about driving dynamics and style than raw power. For Fiat, the 124 will offer the allure of an Italian car to the wide range of enthusiasts who can't afford Ferraris, Alfa Romeos, or Lamborghinis. "We think we can appeal to the huge number of people who aspire to a car like this," Francois said. Obviously, an Abarth price point is far in the future, but the Fiat chief said the base 124 "will be very much in line with the segment." The 2016 Miata begins at $25,735, including destination. We estimate 124 Abarth pricing could start around $32,000. The Spider will serve as Fiat's halo. It's a true sports car with a legitimate history. "This is the quintessential Italian car," Francois said. That means it won't be a volume play. The Spider might add a modest 6,000 units per year to Fiat's sales tally in the United States and perhaps 12,000 globally, said IHS Automotive senior analyst Stephanie Brinley.