2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo Sport Utility 4-door 3.6l on 2040-cars

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Stellantis wants to trim 3,500 hourly U.S. jobs, UAW says

WASHINGTON — Chrysler-parent Stellantis NV wants to cut approximately 3,500 hourly U.S. jobs and is offering voluntary exit packages, according to a United Auto Workers union letter made public Tuesday. The automaker is looking to reduce its hourly workforce offering incentive packages that include $50,000 payments for workers hired before 2007, UAW Local 1264 said in a letter dated Monday posted on its Facebook page. Stellantis spokeswoman Jodi Tinson declined to comment. A person briefed on the matter said the figure might be lower than the figure cited in the UAW letter. In late February, Stellantis indefinitely halted operations at an assembly plant in Illinois, citing rising costs of electric vehicle production. The action impacted about 1,350 workers at the Belvidere, Illinois, plant that built the Jeep Cherokee SUV and resulted in indefinite layoffs. The automaker has warned it may not resume operations as it considers other options. The UAW letter said openings created by workers leaving would be filled by workers on indefinite layoff. Stellantis said in February that about 40,000 U.S. hourly workers were eligible for profit sharing. Last week, UAW President Shawn Fain said Stellantis' decision to idle the Illinois plant was "a flat-out violation" of the union's contract with the UAW and is unacceptable. The UAW will enter talks with the Detroit Three before labor contracts expire in mid-September. Earlier this month, General Motors said about 5,000 salaried workers accepted buyouts to leave the automaker. GM CEO Mary Barra said February job cuts of a few hundred jobs and the 5,000 buyouts "provided approximately $1 billion towards" a $2 billion cost cutting target. Ford Motor Co recently announced significant job cuts in Spain, Germany and other parts of Europe and in August said it would cut a total of 3,000 salaried and contract jobs, mostly in North America and India. Hirings/Firings/Layoffs UAW/Unions Chrysler Dodge Fiat Jeep Maserati RAM Stellantis

Jeep Wrangler-based Scrambler pickup will have open tops, longer frame

We'll probably have to wait until 2019 to see the Wrangler pickup fully revealed and on dealer lots, but it seems that the truck is already showing up in FCA's computer systems. Someone at Jeep Scrambler Forum did a little digging and found the truck's chassis code, "JT," listed with a number of parts. Among those parts were different tops, seemingly confirming that the Wrangler pickup will have a soft folding top and removable hardtops available, just like a normal Wrangler. These include the plain black soft top, a black hard top, or a body-color hard top. The hard tops are also listed as three-piece units like on a conventional Wrangler, so parts can be removed, or the entire top. The forum quotes sources as saying the pickup will be called the Jeep Scrambler. The company renewed the trademark on that model name in 2015. The forum discovered a few other mechanical details, too. The truck's code is listed under the diesel engine option, confirming that powertrain for the pickup, though no other engine or transmission info was found. The forum also found CAD models of the frame and axles. Jeep Scrambler Forum estimates the frame is about 33 inches longer than the upcoming Wrangler Unlimited four-door SUV. This isn't entirely surprising, as photos show that the Wrangler pickup prototypes are substantially longer than the four-door Unlimited models. And even AEV had to lengthen the Wrangler's frame to turn it into the Brute pickup. Finally, the forum noted that the axles are different from the current generation of Wrangler, and could possibly be stronger than normal for improved towing and payload. Related Video: Related Gallery 2019 Jeep Wrangler Pickup Spy Shots View 14 Photos News Source: Jeep Scrambler ForumImage Credit: Jeep Scrambler Forum Rumormill Jeep Truck Off-Road Vehicles jeep wrangler pickup

Consumer Reports digs Mazda3, disses Jeep Cherokee

Consumer Reports has just rendered its verdict on two of the more important cars to launch this year - the Mazda3 and the Jeep Cherokee. Considering the value a "Recommended" rating carries with the public and the viciously competitive markets these two cars compete in, Consumer Reports' view could have some impact on their initial success.
For Mazda, that's a good thing. CR spoke quite highly of the Zoom-Zoom brand's compact sedan and hatch, testing both models, and citing the excellent fuel economy and snickety-snack manual shifter as high points. Downsides to the 3 included a ride that is agile but "nervous," a bit too much noise and a cramped back seat. Still, the 3 was good enough to earn its place in the ranks of the "Recommended."
The Jeep didn't fare quite so well, with CR calling the polarizing CUV "half-baked." Although both engines were tested, the magazine called the 2.4-liter four-pot underpowered and its nine-speed automatic unrefined and unresponsive. That's particularly damning, considering the 9AT's role in future Chrysler products, including the extremely important 200. Overall, the Cherokee missed out on the coveted "Recommended" rating.