Chrysler T&c Awd Conversion Camper Van on 2040-cars

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Detroit Three autoworkers could get huge bonuses

For a long time, being a line worker for one of the Detroit Three has meant living with an uncertain future. With the health of American automakers on the rise, though, things are also starting to look up for the men and women building the cars. The latest sign that things aren't bad? Big profit-sharing checks.
According to The Detroit News, Ford, General Motors and Chrysler could end up paying over $800 million to 130,000 workers as part of a profit-sharing plan. According to The News, the economic impact of these profits in Michigan alone could exceed $400 million, besting the NFL's Super Bowl, MLB's All-Star Game and the NHL's Winter Classic for their economic impact.
This is the third straight year the Detroit Three have issued profit-sharing checks to UAW employees, and for many workers, the checks are as close as they'll get to a raise, due to the most recent contract between the union and the manufacturers. On average, employees at GM and Ford receive $1 for every $1 million in North American (not just the US) pre-tax profits. Chrysler, meanwhile, gets a similar deal, although the Auburn Hills-based company calculates profit sharing using 85 percent of the brand's global profits.

NHTSA investigating Harman Kardon for software vulnerabilities

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is investigating infotainment units from Harman Kardon, which produces FCA's Uconnect, to determine if Harman Kardon systems used by other companies are also vulnerable to hackings. Researchers discovered a hole in the cellular connection to the Uconnect infotainment in a Jeep Cherokee. They were able to exploit it to gain access to the vehicle's brakes, radio, and other systems. In the wake of the hack, FCA pledged to send out 1.4 million USB drives to update the software. Politicians also attacked the automaker for not reporting the problem sooner, and NHTSA opened an investigation to find whether the fix worked. INVESTIGATION Subject : Software security vulnerability Date Investigation Opened: JUL 29, 2015 Date Investigation Closed: Open NHTSA Action Number: EQ15005 Component(s): EQUIPMENT All Products Associated with this Investigation Equipment Brand Name Part No. or Model No.Production Dates HARMAN KARDON R3R4 - Details Manufacturer: HARMAN INTERNATIONAL SUMMARY: On July 23, 2015, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) submitted a safety recall report to NHTSA concerning a software security defect condition in approximately 1.4 million model year (MY) 2013 through 2015 vehicles equipped with Uconnect 8.4A (RA3) and 8.4AN (RA4) radios manufactured by Harman Kardon (Recall 15V-461). According to FCA, software security vulnerabilities in the recalled vehicles could allow unauthorized third-party access to, and manipulation of, networked vehicle control systems. Unauthorized access or manipulation of the vehicle control systems could reduce the driver?s control of the vehicle increasing the risk of a crash with an attendant increased risk of injury to the driver, other vehicle occupants, and other vehicles and their occupants within proximity to the affected vehicle. This EQ is being opened to obtain information from the supplier of Chrysler Uconnect units to determine the nature and extent of similarities in other infotainment products provided to other vehicle manufacturers. If sufficient similarities exist, the investigation will examine if there is cause for concern that security issues exist in other Harman Kardon products. Related Video:

2013 Chrysler 300C John Varvatos Limited Edition

Who is John Varvatos? If you're like me, that's the question you were asking after seeing commercials that advertised a limited-edition model of the Chrysler 300 with this mystery man's name attached. If you're not like me and consider yourself a fashionista even in the slightest, then you probably already know that John Varvatos is a successful menswear designer who cut his teeth in the fashion houses of Ralph Lauren's Polo and Calvin Klein. He's also a native of Detroit, which makes the joining of his brand and that of Chrysler's more intelligible, what with the Auburn Hills-based automaker still eking efficacy from its nearly three-year-old "Imported from Detroit" tagline.
Whenever one of these co-branded vehicles crosses my path, I try to judge them according to some simple questions. The first is, does the co-branding make sense for the target audience? And the second is, do the changes improve or diminish the experience of the standard vehicle? With this partnership, both brands are clearly aiming at the same target, or perhaps Chrysler hopes its aim will improve by partnering with the JV set, bringing it closer to that bullseye of style-conscious trendsetters.
The second question, meanwhile, can be answered with your eyes alone, as no mechanical changes are included among the Varvatos upgrades. Despite that, the 300C John Varvatos Edition is priced above - well above - all other 300 sedans save the 300 SRT8, suggesting that cool is not sold by the barrel (was it ever?) and Mr. Varvatos is a dealer in the stuff. Yet while I couldn't actually tell you if John Varvatos was a designer or a ditch digger before Chrysler introduced us, I do like his style, and the man knows how to dress a car.