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Ralph Gilles talks minivans, Millennials, mobility, and kissing Alfa Romeos

We sat down with Ralph Gilles, the global head of design for Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, at the 2017 Detroit Auto Show. The veteran stylist has worked for the company for 25 years, and oversees the design of all of the products in the FCA portfolio – everything from mobility pods to Maseratis. This serves Gilles just fine, as his personal automotive interests are exceedingly diverse. The FCA stand was unusually quiet (until Vice President Joe Biden stopped by at the end of our time there) and Gilles was willing to weigh in on a wide range of subjects. Autoblog: We're seeing all of these autonomous mobility pods like Portal being presented at auto shows like CES or NAIAS, but we're not seeing any adoption of this kind of small vehicle in the market. What's your perspective on our pod-like autonomous future versus our truck-centric present? Ralph Gilles: Obviously I pay attention to the industry as much as your readers and yourself, and everyone has a take on the future. We had a debate, we could have done a supercar or something for pure sex appeal [ apparently that's also in the works], but we chose something practical, to really look at the future in a different perspective. We have these Millennials, a huge swath of people born between 1982 and 2004, and the oldest ones are turning 35 right about now, and a lot of them are having families later in life but when they have them they have a little more buying power, so it makes for an interesting cocktail. The one stipulation we had on the Portal project was that everyone had to be a Millennial to be on the team. So that excluded me, I had more of a coach role on the team. And to your point, the Portal in its current state as you see it is not going to be on the road tomorrow. But there's a lot of ideas, a lot of connectivity ideas, a lot of styling ideas, even lighting and technologies that will absolutely find their way into vehicles in the next few years. AB: Being a Detroiter, all of this attention we've had recently in Vegas, CES – I heard that they're maybe going to be running the show at the same time next year. Do you feel a little protective of the Detroit Show? RG: Yeah, it's something to watch. I hope it's not an aggressive thing on their part, by moving the shows on top of each other. They're both important shows. CES, I've been going to for the last five years, and it's changing. There's a lot more automotive content, but there are a lot more start-ups too, and it's interesting to watch.

78k Chrysler 200 sedans recalled for stalling

Chrysler has been at the top of our list of recalls lately, and is showing little sign of dropping down. The latest campaign announced from Auburn Hills affects nearly 80,000 units over a problem that could see the vehicle suddenly stall or shift into neutral unexpectedly. According to the automaker's statement below, the issue primarily affects the 2015 Chrysler 200. However it indicates that unspecified "additional vehicles are also included in the campaign." Of the 77,834 units affected by the recall, the vast majority – nearly 70k – are in the United States. Another 7,115 are located in Canada, 848 in Mexico, and another 19 outside of North America. The problem stems from some electrical connectors that may have been damaged by the supplier during post-production validation tests. FCA stresses, however, that it is "unaware of any related injuries or accidents" resulting from this issue, and that the glitch may or may not be "accompanied by a dashboard warning-light illumination." Airbag function is reportedly unaffected. Related Video: Statement: Electrical Connectors August 14, 2015 , Auburn Hills, Mich. - FCA US LLC is conducting a voluntary safety recall to correct a condition in an estimated 77,834 U.S.-market sedans that may lead to engine stall or gearshift to neutral. The Company is unaware of any related injuries or accidents. The condition, which may be accompanied by a dashboard warning-light illumination, does not affect air-bag function. An investigation by FCA US revealed some electrical connectors were damaged when the supplier conducted post-production validation tests. Affected are certain 2015 Chrysler 200 midsize sedans. Additional vehicles also are included in campaign. Of these, approximately 7,115 are in Canada; 848 are in Mexico; and 19 are outside the NAFTA region Affected customers will be advised when they may schedule service, which will be performed free of charge. Customers with questions or concerns may call the FCA US Customer Care Center at 1-800-853-1403.

FCA to pay buyers $1,700 to swap out of scandal-mired VWs

FCA is trying to gain some sales from arch-rival VW in the competitive European market by offering potential buyers in Italy up to $1,700 to swap into an FCA group car. While the promotion isn't specifically targeted at TDI owners affected by the emissions scandal, it is clearly intended to turn dissatisfaction with VW's defeat device cheat into additional sales, Bloomberg reports. The 500-1,500 euro incentive (roughly $560-1,700, depending on vehicle) stacks on top of any other rebates or deals applicable, and applies if a buyer brings in any of Volkswagen Group's cars – including Audi, Skoda, and SEAT, among (many) others. As Bloomberg notes, it's normal for automakers to offer "conquest" deals – giving a buyer cash for trading in a competitor's vehicle. Those deals aren't usually limited to one company's products, however; FCA's program looks specifically to take advantage of VW's legal and public relations nightmare. FCA isn't the only automaker trying this trick in Italy. Automotive News Europe also reported that Ford is offering approximately $840 in incentives across its entire range to owners of VW vehicles seeking to trade in for a Ford. No word of yet as to whether these incentives will spread beyond Italy or to other automakers.Related Video: