2012 Chrysler 300 Base on 2040-cars

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Marchionne's pay as Fiat CEO falls to $5M

Sergio Marchionne will be buying fewer of his iconic sweaters, as his 2013 pay from Fiat took a dip from $6.24 million to an even $5 million. Marchionne, who was also CEO of Chrysler, made $307,989 thanks to some stocks and benefits from the American company, although he didn't take a salary. Of that $5 million paid by Fiat, $3.19 million came from Marchionne's fixed salary while the remaining $1.8 million was paid for hitting unspecified performance targets.
The news comes from Fiat's compensation reports, which also showed that the 61-year-old, who already owned three million shares in Fiat at the end of 2013, was able to receive an additional 2.3 million shares through a stock incentive program. According to Automotive News Europe, the additional shares would be worth about $25 million at today's prices, although so far, Marchionne has declined to claim the extra shares.
According to ANE, Fiat reported a 2013 trading profit of $4.7 billion.

Dodge to resurrect Scat Pack?

Before social media ever existed, if automotive enthusiasts wanted to be noticed or recognize other fans, they joined a car club. For Dodge muscle car lovers from 1968 through 1971, that group was known as the Scat Pack. Just like the Charger, Challenger and Dart nameplates, it looks like the Scat Pack could be getting a resurrection by Chrysler.
Automotive News is reporting that Chrysler recently renewed its trademark on the Scat Pack name, and while this is in no way a guarantee that the name will return, AN talked to Tim Kuniskis, Dodge President and CEO, who stoked the fire a little more. In the article, Kuniskis said that the name is "a very important part of our history" and added that "we like the whole idea of having a Scat Pack of cars." Scat Pack models were identified by their bumblebee stripes and helmet-wearing bumblebee logo, and the idea of a modern Scat Pack doesn't seem all that outlandish in light of recent vehicles like the Charger SRT Super Bee and the Ram 1500 Rumble Bee Concept.
What do you think, is this a cool idea, or is it just an unwelcome bit of nostalgia? Have you say in Comments.

2015 Chrysler 200 earns Top Safety Pick+ [w/video]

If safety is a priority in your next car purchase, the 2015 Chrysler 200 looks like a pretty good bet, according to a recent evaluation from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. The new sedan scored top marks in all of the agency's crash tests and a "Superior" score from its optional front crash prevention system to earn it a Top Safety Pick+ rating. In the latest small overlap front crash test (video below), the new Chrysler nabbed a score of "Good," the IIHS's top rating. In the 40-miles-per-hour evaluation of the front 25 percent of the vehicle, the agency found that there was a low risk of serious injuries. The safety systems kept the dummy's head in position, and the side airbags protected it well. It also beat out the previous generation 200 that only had an "Acceptable" in that test. As part of its "Superior" score, the front crash prevention system was able to completely stop the 200 in the IIHS 12-mph test and significantly slowed it down from 25 mph. Scroll down to watch the carnage unfold as the sedan gets put through the small-overlap crash and read the official IIHS announcement of its results. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. All-new Chrysler 200 aces small overlap front crash test, earns TOP SAFETY PICK+ ARLINGTON, Va. - The redesigned 2015 Chrysler 200, a midsize moderately priced car, earns the top rating of good in the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety's small overlap front crash test, a step up from the previous generation's rating of acceptable. With good ratings in all five of the Institute's crashworthiness evaluations, plus an available front crash prevention system that earns a superior rating, the 200 qualifies for the IIHS TOP SAFETY PICK+ award. In the small overlap test, the driver's space was maintained well, and injury measures recorded on the dummy indicated a low risk of any significant injuries in a real-world crash of this severity. The dummy's head was well controlled by the frontal airbag, which stayed in position during the crash. The side curtain airbag deployed and had sufficient forward coverage to protect the head from contact with side structures. The 200 earns a good rating in every measurement category for small overlap protection including structure, restraints and dummy kinematics, and injury measures for the head and neck, chest, pelvis, and legs and feet.