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Maserati planning second smaller SUV?

Maserati's product plans have taken a few wild turns, but as we get closer to production dates for the long-awaited offerings things are getting a wee bit clearer. The the sixth-generation Maserati Quattroporte is here, and a quick recap according to a report in Car and Driver has the smaller Ghibli sedan on Chrysler's LX/LY platform next, then the next-generation GranTurismo coupe and cabrio on a Maserati platform, then the Kubang SUV concept (pictured) that, for production, will become the larger Jeep-Cherokee-based Levante SUV.
All of which gets us to 2015. That same year, according to the report, the Levante will get a brother: a smaller SUV or crossover, perhaps sized like the Kubang concept, to challenge the Audi Q5 and the Porsche Macan. It is predicted to use the Compact US Wide platform, built for front-wheel and all-wheel-drive vehicles, that supports the Dodge Dart and 2014 Alfa Romeo Giulia. In addition to giving the premium brand a competitor in what is a very popular segment, a Maserati move slightly downmarket can help fill a gap while Fiat brass figures out what to do with Lancia.

FCA-Renault merger faces tall odds delivering on cost-cutting promises

FRANKFURT/DETROIT — Fiat Chrysler Automobiles and Renault promise huge savings from a mega-merger, but such combinations face tall odds because of the industry's long product cycles and problems translating deal blueprints into real world success, industry veterans told Reuters. BMW's 1994 purchase of Rover, and Daimler's 1998 merger with Chrysler both made sense on paper. The companies promised to hike profits by combining vehicle platforms and engine families. Both combinations proved unworkable in reality, and were unwound. Renault and Nissan, which have been in an alliance since 1999 designed to share vehicle components, have only managed to use common vehicle platforms in 35% of Nissan's products despite an original target of 70%, according to Morgan Stanley. FCA and Renault have raised the stakes for themselves by ruling out plant closures. That increases the pressure to achieve more than $5 billion in promised annual savings from pooling procurement and research investments. The two companies have yet to fill in many of the blanks in the merger plan put forward by Fiat Chrysler. Renault's board is expected to act soon to accept the proposal, but that would lead only to a memorandum of understanding to pursue detailed operational and financial plans. A final deal and the legal combination of the two companies could take months to complete if all goes well. Pressure to cut automotive pollution is driving the latest round of consolidation. Automakers are looking at multibillion-dollar bills to develop electric and hybrid cars and cleaner internal combustion engines. Fiat Chrysler and Renault are betting they can design common electric vehicle systems, then sell more of them through their respective brands and dealer networks, cutting the cost per car. Developing all-new electric vehicles can bring more opportunities to share costs from the outset, industry experts said. "With the emergence of connected, autonomous, electric and shared vehicles, carmakers face immediate investments, so new opportunities for sharing costs have emerged," said Elmar Kades, managing director at Alix Partners. However, most electric vehicles lose money. This is a challenge for city car brands in Europe in particular. Both Renault and Fiat rely heavily on this segment for sales.

FCA's new Heritage HUB showcases 250 rare Fiats, Lancias and Alfa Romeos

Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) has opened a new facility near Turin, Italy, dedicated to preserving and celebrating the company's Italian brands, as well as the historic cars each has created. It's bigger than the average Costco, and it houses more than 250 pieces of automotive art, some of which have never been publicly displayed. It's called the FCA Heritage HUB. The HUB building is itself a piece of history. FCA restored the old Officina 81 in Via Plava of the historic Mirafiori industrial district on the south side of Turin. At 161,459 sqare feet (the average Costco is 145,000 sq ft), it's a massive open space that allows for both business and pleasure. In the rafters, photos and text tell the timeline of Mirafiori, but the floor focuses on Fiat, Lancia, Abarth, and Alfa Romeo. Although part of the space is dedicated to the "Reloaded by Creators" vintage restoration sales department, the portion we're interested in is shown in the massive gallery above. FCA says it has more than 250 vehicles on display, and some have never been shown. The "central area," which explores cars from 1908 to 2008, is separated into eight themes, each of which has eight cars. The eight areas include Archistars, Concept and Personalized Cars, Eco and Sustainable, Epic Journeys, Records and Races, Small and Safe, Style Marks, and The Rally Era. Some of the cars featured at the new shop include the Lancia Lambda, the Fiat 500 Topolino A, the Fiat 130 Familiar, the Fiat X1/23, the Fiat Ecobasic, the Fiat Campagnola AR 51, the Fiat 1100 E, the Fiat 124S, the Lancia Delta HF Integral Group A, the Fiat S61, the Lancia Alfa Sport, the Lancia D50, the Lancia Beta Montecarlo Turbo, the Lancia LC2, the Lancia Augusta, the Lancia Ardea, the Fiat ESV 1500 and 2000, the Fiat Barchetta, the Lancia Aurelia B20, the Lancia Fulvia HF 1600, and the Lancia Stratos HF. Check out the gallery and below videos to see the full extent of what the HUB has to offer. Featured Gallery FCA Heritage Hub View 47 Photos News Source: FCA Alfa Romeo Fiat Lancia Automotive History Classics FCA fiat chrysler automobiles