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Mercedes-AMG GT 63 S 4-Door and Fiat 124 Spider Abarth | Autoblog Podcast #596

In this week's Autoblog Podcast, Editor-in-Chief Greg Migliore is joined by Senior Editor, Green, John Beltz Snyder and Associate Editor Joel Stocksdale. This week, they focus on the cars they're driving, starting with the hardcore, four-door Mercedes-AMG GT 63 S. Then they move on to the aging Lexus GX 460 and the plucky Fiat 124 Spider Abarth. They discuss the practical-yet-luxurious Lincoln Nautilus, as well as the state of Lincoln as a whole (did you hear it just got a new design boss?). Finally, they help pick a modern vehicle for someone with a hankering for the look of the classic Ford Bronco. Autoblog Podcast #596 Get The Podcast iTunes – Subscribe to the Autoblog Podcast in iTunes RSS – Add the Autoblog Podcast feed to your RSS aggregator MP3 – Download the MP3 directly Rundown 2019 Mercedes-AMG Four-Door GT 63 S 2019 Lexus GX 460 2019 Fiat 124 Spider Abarth 2019 Lincoln Nautilus Spend My Money Feedback Email – Podcast@Autoblog.com Review the show on iTunes Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.

Proposed deal averts strike between FCA and UAW

With the deadline rapidly approaching for a strike, FCA US and the United Auto Workers were able to hammer out a potential agreement late last night to avoid picket lines, at least for now. While the UAW said in a statement that it "secured significant gains," the actual contents of the deal haven't been published yet. Before going public, the offer still needs the consent of the UAW National Chrysler Committee, and that body has a meeting on 11:00 AM Eastern on Friday, October 9, to make a decision. If the Chrysler committee signs off on the deal, it would then go to the union's 40,000 FCA US workers for a vote, according to The Detroit News. "We have made real gains and I look forward to a full discussion of the terms with our membership," President Dennis Williams said in the UAW's statement. FCA US isn't providing any answers about the proposed contract either. In a release about the negotiations, the automaker said: "FCA US confirms that it has reached a new tentative agreement with the UAW. Because the agreement is subject to UAW member ratification, the Company cannot discuss the specifics of the agreement pending a vote by UAW members." The original tentative contract with FCA US promised raises and the creation of a healthcare co-op. However, 65 percent of union members rejected the deal, The Detroit News reports. Workers didn't like that the offer kept a two-tier wage system between veterans and more recent employees. The details of the health plan also weren't explained well, and there wasn't much info on possible production changes. UAW-FCA NATIONAL BARGAINING COMMITTEE VOTES ON PROPOSED TENTATIVE AGREEMENT Featured / News / October 8, 2015 UAW National Chrysler Council Leaders to Convene for Vote on Friday, Oct. 9 — Terms to be announced following Friday vote Detroit, Mich. – After a lengthy bargaining process, the UAW FCA National Bargaining Committee has secured significant gains in a proposed Tentative Agreement with FCA US announced today. The bargaining committee unanimously voted to send the proposed Tentative Agreement to local union leaders who make up the union's UAW National Chrysler Council. The UAW Chrysler Council will meet in Detroit at 11 am on Friday to discuss and vote on the agreement. "We heard from our members, and went back to FCA to strengthen their contract," said UAW President Dennis Williams.

Maserati confirms Levante SUV for 2015, Alfieri for 2016

The Maserati share of the big Fiat Chrysler event today was expected to be something of a snooze, at least relative to the very busy Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep and Alfa Romeo portions. But the truth is there was plenty to pay attention to where the premium Italian brand was concerned. After all, moving from its 15,400 unit sales in 2013 to a target of 75,000 global sales in 2018 is going to take some doing.
One piece of big news is a shakeup in the existing ranks. 2014 will mark the final year of production for the GranTurismo (and its soft-top counterpart), meaning Maserati will be limited to just its Quattroporte and Ghibli sedans until the Levante SUV arrives in 2015, confirming previous reports. The first SUV to wear the trident, the Levante will only be available with all-wheel drive, but it will boast a Porsche Macan-smiting pair of V6s, with 350 and 425 horsepower, respectively.
Things get back to normal in 2016, as Maserati resumes sports car production with a road-going version of the Alfieri Concept from the 2014 Geneva Motor Show. Again, this is confirmation of a previous report. That car will be joined by a convertible variant in 2017. It seems like Maser is taking aim at, well, everything with the Alfieri, offering a 410-hp, V6-powered variant that dispatches its power to the rear wheels, to go along with 450- and 520-hp versions of the Alfieri's V6 that will only get their power to the road through an all-wheel-drive system.