1966 Chrysler New Yorker Base 7.2l on 2040-cars

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Next Chrysler Town & Country will have foot-operated rear doors

Families are still months away from actually seeing the next-gen Chrysler Town & Country debut at the 2016 Detroit Auto Show, but details are continuing to trickle out about the upcoming minivan. Among several features rumored in the latest leak, the sliding doors and rear hatch are reportedly optional with foot activation, according to Automotive News. It should make loading the van easier for owners with their hands full. The T&C's powertrain sees some efficiency improvements, too. Under the hood, expect an upgraded version of the 3.6-liter Pentastar V6 and the already rumored nine-speed automatic, according to Automotive News. For the all-wheel-drive version of the minivan, an electric motor would provide the propulsion at the rear axle. Inside, all of the passengers can arrive with their devices fully charged thanks to USB ports for each of the three rows. Plus, for owners who need to make room to haul, the Stow 'N Go seating is now easier to use, too. Like the latest Honda Odyssey, fastidious buyers might even spec an optional vacuum. Earlier spy shots of the van indicate the switch to a rotary gearshift and upgraded infotainment, as well. Following the Detroit debut, the T&C goes into production in Windsor, Ontario, in late February 2016, Automotive News reports. The plug-in hybrid version would come towards the end of the year possibly capable of 75 mpge.

Huge Canadian sinkhole destroys four-lane road, swallows car

A major thoroughfare in the Canadian capital city of Ottawa was closed after a huge sinkhole opened beneath it. According to the CBC, the sinkhole appeared around mid-morning on Wednesday on Rideau Street near its intersection with Sussex Drive. The sinkhole, which initially formed over an unstable vein of sand, silt, and fractured rock, quickly spread across all four lanes of Rideau Street. A high-pressure natural gas line and a water main were shattered by the road collapse, filling the deep hole with water, gas, and fumes and forcing the evacuation of numerous surrounding buildings. All traffic save for buses and taxis had already been banned from the area due to excavation for a light rail station, but a Chrysler minivan parked along Rideau street fell into the hole as it expanded. Construction workers working in the light rail site evacuated safely once the road began collapsing, and no injuries were reported. Ottawa mayor Jim Watson told The Guardian that there was no sure way to tell how long repairs to Rideau Street would take. "It's a significant sinkhole in the downtown core. It has a major impact on our largest retail shopping center, one of our major hotels as well as one of the busiest intersections and bus routes." This is the second sinkhole to appear in downtown Ottawa in recent years. In 2014, a nearly thirty-foot wide sinkhole caused by excavation for the light rail system opened just a few blocks away from Rideau and Sussex. Watson stated that it is too soon to say whether or not Wednesday's sink hole was related to light rail construction. "We can't confirm whether the tunnel had any impact on the sinkhole or whether it was a water main break or whether it was a leak of some type that destabilized the soil." Watson went on to say that he hoped that city officials would be able to pinpoint the exact cause of the collapse soon. Related Video: News Source: The Guardian, CBC News Auto News Weird Car News Chrysler Minivan/Van sinkhole road

Weekly Recap: Marchionne's Manifesto again calls for industry consolidation

Sergio Marchionne isn't taking no for an answer. Despite public rebuffs from General Motors and Ford, the leader of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles continues to push for consolidation within the auto industry. His latest assertion came Wednesday when he said a combination of FCA with another automaker could net savings of $5 billion or more annually. No, this isn't about selling his company, he claimed, it's about cutting costs. Put simply, the auto industry wastes money, Marchionne said during FCA's earnings conference call. Companies invest billions to develop basic components that all cars use, but many consumers don't care how they work or recognize the differences. "About half of this is really relevant in terms of positioning the car in the marketplace," he said. "The other half, in our view, is stuff which is neither visible to the consumer nor is it relevant to the consumer." In 2014, top automakers spent more than $100 million on product development, FCA estimated. Marchionne said consolidation could save up to $1 billion on powertrains alone, noting that almost every automaker offers four- and six-cylinder engines. Not everyone has to make their own, he contended. "The consumer could not give a flying leap whose engines we are using because they are irrelevant to the buying decision." That's pretty provocative for enthusiasts, but less so for average consumers. Still, there are major differences in power and efficiency ratings, even among similar engines. Skeptics could argue consolidation would also weaken competition and reduce choices for car buyers. Marchionne stressed his presentation, curiously entitled Confessions of a Capital Junkie, wouldn't require closing factories or dealerships. It's not his final "big deal" as CEO, intent to sell FCA, or a way to elevate his company up the automotive food chain. He claims he wants to fundamentally change the industry and its habit for burning cash. "The horrible part about this, and the thing that I find most offensive, is that the capital consumption rate is duplicative," he said. "It doesn't deliver real value to the consumer and it is in its purest form, economic waste." Other News & Notes Ford Profits dip in first quarter Ford profits fell $65 million to $924 million in the first quarter, hampered by slight dips in revenue and sales.