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Poor Chrysler 200 sales blamed for 1,420 layoffs in Sterling Heights

FCA will indefinitely lay off a total of 1,420 workers from its Sterling Heights Assembly and Stamping plants on July 5, according to The Detroit News. This decision will cut a 1,300-person shift that builds the Chrysler 200, and it will also affect 120 people who stamp the sedan's components. The company's statement said the decision would "better align production with demand." FCA plans to give these folks open full-time positions as they become available. Chrysler 200 sales are down 63 percent to just under 18,000 units so far in 2016. After the cuts, there will still be one shift to build the 200, but even then the model won't have much of a future. In January, CEO Sergio Marchionne announced that FCA would discontinue production of the 200 and Dodge Dart because customers were no longer interested in small sedans. All of the roughly 3,000 hourly workers at Sterling Heights have been on a temporary layoff since February 1, according to The Detroit News. They don't go back to work until next week. United Auto Workers Vice President Norwood Jewell released a statement saying that while the "shift reduction at Sterling Heights Assembly is unfortunate, it is not unexpected." However, he was fairly upbeat about the cuts because FCA plans to increase production capacity for trucks and SUVs. "I believe that in the long term this move will be a positive one for our members and the company," he said. During last year's labor negotiations, the UAW's deal reportedly included an agreement for FCA to move 200 and Dodge Dart production to Toluca, Mexico, but the company promised to build the Ram 1500 at Sterling Heights Assembly. FCA spokesperson Jodi Tinson gave no comment about future vehicles at the factory when asked by Autoblog. Related Video: Statement Regarding Indefinite Layoffs at SHAP In order to better align production with demand at its Sterling Heights Assembly Plant, FCA US notified the State of Michigan, the City of Sterling Heights and the UAW today that it intends to return the plant to a one shift operation, beginning July 5. The Company will place indefinitely laid off employees in open full-time positions as they become available within the Detroit labor market based on seniority. A Statement from UAW Vice President Norwood Jewell on FCA Announcement about Sterling Heights Assembly: While today's announcement of a shift reduction at Sterling Heights Assembly is unfortunate, it is not unexpected.

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.

Jeep Wrangler diesel likely after 2015 model refresh

We automotive journalists aren't always the right people to ask about whether a US-spec vehicle should or should not be offered with a diesel powertrain (hint: the answer is usually "YES"). But when it comes to the iconic, off-road-ready Jeep Wrangler, we aren't the only ones who have been clamoring for an oil-burning engine behind that famous seven-slat grille. To that end, it appears there's good news on the horizon, as Jeep CEO Mike Manley recently told Ward's Auto that the "Wrangler is on the radar to get (a) diesel."
"I'm confident that the Grand Cherokee will show just how large a demand there is for diesel, and I think what that will do is reinforce the need for us to target Wrangler as a vehicle that can take a diesel," Manley told Ward's. The most rugged of Jeeps is scheduled to get an overhaul around 2015-16, and the diesel powertrain will likely be introduced around that time.
This year alone, Chrysler will be adding a diesel engine to the Grand Cherokee SUV, as well as the Ram 1500 pickup and Promaster utility van.