Chrysler Pt Cruiser Base Wagon 4-door on 2040-cars

Auto blog

Stellantis reports surprising 2020 results, is 'off to a flying start'

MILAN — Low global car inventories and cost cuts should boost Stellantis's profit margins this year, though a shortage of semiconductors and investments in electric vehicles could weigh on results, the newly-formed automaker said on Wednesday. The forecast came as Stellantis, created by the January merger of Peugeot-maker PSA and Fiat Chrysler (FCA), reported better-than-expected results for 2020 that sent its shares up around 3% in morning trading. "Stellantis gets off to a flying start and is fully focused on achieving the full promised synergies (from the merger)," Chief Executive Carlos Tavares said in a statement. Stellantis is the world's fourth largest carmaker, with 14 brands including Fiat, Peugeot, Opel, Jeep, Ram and Maserati. It said 2021 results should be helped by three new high-margin Jeep vehicles in North America and a strong pricing environment there. The U.S. market has driven profits for years at FCA and starts off as the strongest part of Stellantis. The group's guidance assumes no more significant lockdowns caused by the global COVID-19 pandemic, which shuttered auto plants around the world last spring. Stellantis should also get a lift as its starts to implement a plan aimed at delivering over 5 billion euros a year in savings, without closing any plants. Tavares has also pledged not to cut jobs. But a pandemic-related global shortage of semiconductors, used for everything from maximizing engine fuel economy to driver-assistance features, could hurt business. Auto industry executives have said the shortage should ease by the second half of 2021. Stellantis said its "electrification offensive" could also weigh on results this year. Automakers are racing to develop electric vehicles to meet tighter CO2 emissions targets in Europe and this week Volvo joined a growing number of carmakers aiming for a fully-electric line-up by 2030. Stellantis plans to have fully-electric or hybrid versions of all of its vehicles available in Europe by 2025, broadly in line with plans at top rivals such as Volkswagen and Renault-Nissan, although Stellantis has further to go to meet that goal. The carmaker is targeting an adjusted operating profit margin of 5.5%-7.5% this year. That compares with a 5.3% aggregated margin last year: 4.3% at FCA and 7.1% at PSA excluding a controlling stake in parts maker Faurecia, which is set to be spun-off from Stellantis shortly.

Chrysler 200 configurator already online

A preliminary configurator for the 2015 Chrysler 200 is already up and greeting Internet visitors. The totally re-envisioned sedan that we got to know in our Deep Dive starts with an LX base trim for $22,695, which comes out to an MSRP of $21,700 plus $995 for destination. That number will get you entry to a party that comes with keyless entry, ambient LED lighting inside, a five-inch Uconnect touschcreen system with Bluetooth, a six-speaker stereo, eight-way power driver's seat, safety features like brake assist and an electronic parking brake and eighteen-inch wheels on all-season tires.
The features list isn't yet broken down by model, but including destination, the other three trims retail for $24,250 for the Limited, $25,990 for the S and $26,990 for the C. All-wheel drive adds $4,200 on the S and the C.
You can build an LX pretty quickly because there aren't many options. There are two interior choices, black or black/linen, five exterior color options, and just two choices after that: you can opt for the $495 five-inch Uconnect system that adds features like voice command and a rearview mirror with a microphone, and an engine block heater for $95.

PSA unions vote in favor of merger with Fiat Chrysler

PARIS — The majority of unions representing workers at Peugeot maker PSA are in favor of a planned $50 billion merger with Fiat Chrysler, PSA executives and union representatives said. However, the unions said that once the merger deal was signed, they would be seeking detailed information about the plans for the combined company. At a PSA works council meeting, all trade union representatives on the council voted to give a favorable opinion on the merger. "We will remain vigilant about the social impact and await a clearer and more detailed picture of the plan's implications for plants, volume, and how much work will be given to the foundries," said Franck Don, representative of the CFTC union. "But the project in the form it's been presented makes sense because the two groups complement each other, are in good financial health, and thanks to the new format will attain a critical size which is vital in the auto business today." The merger would help the firms pool resources to meet tough new emissions rules and investments in electric and self-driving vehicles, as well as counter a broader downturn in car markets. Securing support from Europe's powerful trade unions will be critical for the merged company, which will employ more than 400,000 staff and operate hundreds of factories worldwide. The deal has stirred concerns in Germany and Britain where plants making Opel and Vauxhall cars have seen jobs cut in recent year as part of a cost-cutting drive. UAW/Unions Chrysler Fiat Citroen Peugeot PSA