2014 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Sport on 2040-cars

Auto blog

Marchionne defends FCA recalls, says Wrangler won't be all-aluminum

FCA CEO Sergio Marchionne recently received the 2015 Industry Leadership Award from the SAE Foundation. While speaking with the press after the event, the boss discussed his thoughts about some key issues regarding the company's future. One of the big regulatory issues facing FCA at the moment is the upcoming public hearing by the National Highway Traffic Safety into the automaker's handling of 20 recalls. Marchionne has no intention of testifying there, according to The Detroit News. The CEO also thinks that the government regulator is becoming much more aggressive in how it handles safety campaigns, but the Feds aren't necessarily doing a very good job of communicating that. "We need to work with the agency in a very cooperative and open way to make sure that we can meet their requirements for their new stance," he said, according to the newspaper. "We have no option but to comply with their requirements and we will. I have nothing to hide in this process. I just want clear rules." Marchionne also dropped the news that the company has changed its mind about making the next Jeep Wrangler totally from aluminum. "Because of the difference in cost, not just the new material but the actual assembly process, I think we can do almost as well without doing it all-aluminum," he said to The Detroit News. This seemingly opens the door for the model to remain in production in Toledo, OH, but only just a crack. Marchionne says that the new Wrangler would still use a large amount of aluminum, and there are "at least" two sites in contention for the assembly. The company doesn't have too long to make a decision because the model reportedly launches in 2017.

Here's our first look at the next-gen Jeep Wrangler interior

After 10 years on the road, the current Jeep Wrangler JK is finally being put out to pasture. As expected, the new Wrangler is going to look a hell of a lot like the current model. Surprise, surprise. Until now, all we've been able to do is glimpse the occasional spy shot or well-done rendering. Our spy photographers finally managed to capture photos of the much-needed update to the interior. Like the exterior, the new interior isn't a huge departure. The overall design, unsurprisingly, is a mix of Jeep Renegade and outgoing Wrangler. All the switches and knobs are still on the center stack, necessary when the doors aren't permanently attached. There are four auxiliary buttons in the bottom-right corner and what looks like electronic controls for the four-wheel-drive system and detachable sway bar on the left. The materials look to be a higher quality than the one in the current model, but a full judgment will have to wait until we literally get our hands on it. A presumably body-colored panel runs the width of the dash, with big, round vents flanking the latest version of FCA's wonderful UConnect infotainment system. The steering wheel appears to be an even newer design than what's currently inside Jeep products, with a large, thick rim and the usual smattering of buttons. A tight close-up shot gives us a glimpse of the removable roof, though it's not enough to show how it works. There isn't much new to see on the exterior. The Wrangler's front and rear are still heavily camouflaged, and the entire body is covered in a detail-hiding wrap. The debut is drawing ever closer, so look for a full debut sometime in the next few months. Related Video: Featured Gallery 2018 Jeep Wrangler interior View 13 Photos Image Credit: Spied Bilde Spy Photos Jeep SUV Off-Road Vehicles

Canadian union Unifor ends strike after tentative deal with Stellantis

Canadian labor union Unifor called off a brief strike that began early on Monday after reaching a tentative agreement with Stellantis over a new labor contract covering more than 8,200 workers. The union had commenced strikes at all Stellantis facilities in the country as talks over a new deal hit a roadblock despite the expiration of a strike deadline on Sunday midnight. A prolonged strike would have hit the production of some of the popular vehicles such as the Dodge Charger and Challenger, which are manufactured in its Brampton assembly plant. North American union workers are seeking higher wages, better work-life balance and job upgrades. Unifor's bargaining team had prioritized discussions around support for its workers in the electric vehicle transition at the plant in Brampton. "A tentative agreement has been reached with Stellantis ending strike action at all Unifor facilities," Unifor said in an email statement, without disclosing any more details. Stellantis was not immediately available for a comment. Unifor's talks in Canada are separate from the United Auto Workers (UAW) union's negotiations in the United States. The UAW and Stellantis reached a tentative agreement on a new labor contract on Saturday. Unifor used the "pattern bargaining" approach in its talks with the automakers in Canada and reached ratified deals first with Ford and then General Motors. The deal with GM was reached shortly after 4,300 workers went on strike at three GM facilities in Canada, while the deal with Ford came ahead of a threatened strike. The Canadian operations of the "Detroit Three" are much smaller than their U.S. setups, but all have critical factories in Canada. (Reporting by Abinaya Vijayaraghavan and Shivansh Tiwary in Bengaluru; Editing by Jacqueline Wong, Edwina Gibbs and Arun Koyyur)