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Fiat Chrysler wins top Total Quality Award for first time

The Strategic Vision Total Quality Awards are 20 years old in 2015, and Chrysler has never topped the awards before. Until now, that is. Fiat Chrysler takes the overall award on the corporate level with six segment leaders from Fiat, Dodge, Jeep, and Ram. The Fiat 500 won Small Multi-Function Car, the 500e won Small Alternative Powertrain, the Dodge Challenger tied at the top in the Specialty Coupe category alongside the very un-coupe Mini Cooper Countryman, the Jeep Wrangler Unlimited took the Entry SUV category, the Dodge Durango won in Mid-Size SUV, and Ram took the overall in Best Non-Luxury Brand. The accolade means FCA has gone from one segment winner in 2010 to overall victory in five years. Cars have gotten so good, says Strategic Vision, that it is harder than ever to win. In fact, says the group, 18 years ago 85 percent of all vehicle brands had more than half a problem per vehicle. This year, no brand has more than half a problem per vehicle. The organization measures "over 155 specific aspects of the customer's experience," and scores are based on input from more than 46,000 customers. Other notables in and near the winner's circle include Volkswagen and General Motors, who tied for second place on the corporate scale, one point behind FCA. The Mini Cooper Roadster scored the highest of any model, the Corvette Stingray Convertible and Coupe scored the second- and third-highest. The Chevrolet Colorado is the first domestic Standard Pickup winner in more than ten years, and the Nissan Titan carried the Full-Size Pickup category. The press release below has all the details on how winners and losers are selected, and the full list of automakers and how they finished. "The Customer's 'Total' Experience Defines Quality, Fiat Chrysler Scores Highest in Total Quality," says Strategic Vision The 2015 Total Quality Awards® SAN DIEGO, Friday, July 17, 2015 — Unknown to many, when some consumer research firms rank a car company's quality performance they often do so by simply "counting problems." In the past, this may have been acceptable, but in today's modern and efficient manufacturing world the difference between the worst brand and best brand is LESS than half-a-problem per vehicle. Thus, any "quality ranking" based on this method is severely lacking in the complete picture of the "Total" Quality experience that customers actually use to judge their product ownership.

Stellantis will give its brands 10 years to prove they deserve to live

Formed by the merger of PSA Peugeot-Citroen and Fiat-Chrysler Automobiles, Stellantis has 14 brands under its roof, a number that makes it one of the largest groups in the industry. Rumors claimed not every brand would survive, with Chrysler often earmarked to get axed, but the firm said it will give them all a chance to shine. "We're giving each (brand) a chance, giving each a time window of 10 years and giving funding for 10 years to do a core model strategy. The CEOs need to be clear in brand promise, customers, targets, and brand communications," announced Stellantis boss Carlos Tavares during the Financial Times' Future of the Car event. His comments confirm Chrysler fans and dealers don't need to worry about the future — at least not yet. And, against all odds, Lancia enthusiasts can breathe a sigh of relief, too. Former FCA head Sergio Marchionne warned of the brand's demise on several occasions. Alfa Romeo is safe for now, too, as is Vauxhall, which are basically just Opels sold in the United Kingdom with a different badge. The engagement made by Tavares also means Stellantis won't divest any of its brands to raise capital until at least 2031. It's now up to each executive team to make a case for the brand they run, an unusual survival-of-the-fittest strategy in an era when cutting costs is more common than spending cash. Diving into the vast Stellantis parts bin should help even the most troubled brands turn their fortunes around on a relatively tight budget. It seems likely that survive Chrysler will need to look beyond the 300 and the Pacifica/Voyager, the only models in its range, and completely reinvent its image, which is currently nebulous at best. Lancia, once the champion of luxury, performance, and innovation, faces the same challenge. It's not starting quite from scratch, it's relatively popular in its home country of Italy, but it will need to think globally and expand outside of the city car segment to survive. Featured Gallery 2020 Chrysler 300 View 24 Photos Chrysler Dodge Fiat Jeep RAM Citroen Lancia Opel Peugeot Vauxhall

2017 Ram Power Wagon starts at $53,015

Ram has finally released pricing for the new 2017 2500 Power Wagon, and it won't come cheap, starting at $53,015. The good news is that you still get plenty of hardware and appearance upgrades. The better news is that there's also a way to get the same capability for a discount. Every Power Wagon model still gets a bevy of off-roading features, including Bilstein shocks, 33-inch tires, locking front and rear differentials, electronically disconnecting sway bars, chassis armor, and a 12,000-pound Warn winch. Each one also comes with the Ram 2500's 410-horsepower V8. This year, the standard grade Power Wagon also gets a much more aggressive exterior thanks to the Ram Rebel-style black front grille and trim. The black trim is complemented by a retro Power Wagon stripe just behind the rear doors, as seen on late '70s Power Wagons and the recent Macho Power Wagon SEMA concept. Inside, the Power Wagon also gets seats with embossed tire tread patterns, like the Ram Rebel. Buyers who want to be coddled on the trail can then upgrade their Power Wagons with the Leather and Luxury package for $4,495, which adds satellite radio, UConnect, heated leather seats and steering wheel, and voice control, among other things. With the introduction of the Leather and Luxury package, Ram will also phase out the fancy, $59,465 Laramie Power Wagon trim. However, if you don't need the extra style of the Ram Power Wagon, there's a cheaper way to get the substance. The way to do this is to order a Ram 2500 Tradesman in crew cab, four-wheel-drive configuration, and then choose the $8,450 Power Wagon package. When added to the Tradesman's $39,865 starting price, you'll have a Power Wagon for $46,995 provided you don't add anymore options. That's a substantial savings of just over $6,000. Now you won't get the fancy interior or the Rebel-style exterior appointments, but all of the important mechanical bits are the same. In a way, it's the off-road version of a " sleeper." So whether you want style or savings, there's a Power Wagon for you. Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. Featured Gallery 2017 Ram 2500 Power Wagon: Chicago 2016 View 18 Photos Image Credit: Ram RAM Truck power wagon ram 2500 power wagon