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FCA profits surge in second quarter

Fiat Chrysler Automobiles gave the cash register a beating in the second quarter, improving its net profit to 333 million euros ($364M US), which is a 263-percent jump over its reported Q1 profit of 92 million euros ($108M US). At the same time, FCA improved its global profit margin to 7.7 percent. Compared year-over-year, in Q2 2014 FCA reported net profit of 197 million euros making this year's Q2 a 69-percent increase, and profit margins a year ago were 4.9 percent. The two big factors for this increase are strong NAFTA sales and Jeep. In the US alone, Jeep sold 222,940 units in Q2 this year, a jump of almost 20 percent over the same period last year. Revenue in the NAFTA region totaled $18.8 billion, adjusted earnings before interest and taxes were $1.45 billion, both of those numbers more than doubling compared to 2014. The vastly better numbers come on marginally more global sales, 1,181,000 units sold in Q2 2014, 1,193,000 units sold in the same span this year. In the US, FCA began charging dealers one-percent more for vehicles to up the margins, a move that helped boost its US margin from 4.1 percent a year ago to 5.8 percent the first half of this year. The company is holding steady on its guidance of global deliveries at 4.8 million and its net profit guidance at $1.1 to $1.3 billion. It has increased its adjusted outlook for the year to $120.5 billion in revenue, and EBIT to "over $4.93 billion." News Source: Automotive News - sub. req.Image Credit: AP Photo/Carlos Osorio Earnings/Financials Chrysler Fiat Jeep FCA

Apple picks up former FCA quality boss Doug Betts

Apple made a significant personnel move that further signals its entry into the automotive world, hiring former Fiat Chrysler executive Doug Betts for an unspecified role. The information was obtained by The Wall Street Journal, which cites Betts' LinkedIn page. His career included stints at Toyota and Nissan before joining Chrysler Group (now FCA US LLC) in 2007, although his time there didn't end well. He left FCA, where he served as the automaker's head of quality, after the company's dismal showing in Consumer Reports' 2014 Annual Auto Reliability Survey. According to Betts' LinkedIn profile, which has since been pulled down, his job title reads "Operations – Apple Inc" in the San Francisco Bay area. Apple, meanwhile, was unwilling to divulge anything to the WSJ, although there's plenty to infer based on the hire. Betts wasn't the only big auto-related hire. According to the WSJ, Cupertino also lured an unnamed but "leading" autonomous vehicle researcher from Europe, who will be part of a team being setup to study driverless systems. Related Video:

FCA adds Apple CarPlay and Android Auto to Uconnect

Fiat Chrysler Automobiles has three showcases ready for this week's Consumer Electronics Show. The spotlight reveal is a "glimpse" of the fourth-generation Uconnect system, which now gets Apple CarPlay and Google's Android Auto. They lead the advances due to be rolled out this year, which include beefier internals for faster startup and processing, the next evolution of the Uconnect navigation system, capacitive touchscreens, and higher resolution screens. Going beyond the vehicle, a concept display will present solutions to help drivers achieve "Car. Life. Balance." That means, as we've heard before, a car that knows what you want before you realized you wanted it via monitoring your driving habits, communicating with other vehicles and traffic infrastructure, and prioritizing information in certain situations to keep the driver from being overwhelmed. A Waze-like community of road knowledge is also on the menu, and it allows for tagging of tag street conditions to inform other vehicles, and a follow-me mode where people can "request to follow other vehicles." Government types will want to scope out the 2016 Dodge Charger Pursuit with an exclusive Uconnect system boasting a 12.1-inch screen and enhanced resolution that can speak to the officer's mobile computer. Have a read of the press release below for more details. FCA Announces New Fourth-Generation Uconnect® Systems at 2016 Consumer Electronics Show in Las VegasLatest technology advancements help provide Car. Life. Balance.• Uconnect team announces fourth-generation Uconnect systems featuring improved performance; Apple CarPlay and Android Auto™ will be available globally in select models during 2016• CES attendees will experience a digital technology concept display that explores future intelligent transportation• FCA exhibit to feature concept brought to reality, the Uconnect 12.1-inch built-in touchscreen that enables integration of law enforcement computer systems with the industry standard Uconnect touchscreen systemJanuary 4, 2016 - Fiat Chrysler Automobiles N.V. and its subsidiary FCA US LLC are heading to the 2016 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas with a display featuring the latest technology advancements in FCA vehicles and will provide a glimpse of the new fourth-generation Uconnect system featuring Apple CarPlay and Android Auto."The Uconnect team is evolving Uconnect and making it even better," said Joni Christensen, Head of Uconnect Marketing, FCA US LLC.