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Chrysler 'at war' with world's largest Viper club?

The situation was bound to boil over at some point. Grumblings from former and current members of the Viper Club of America, and letters sent from Chrysler to VCA president Lee Stubberfield, allege that the non-profit club is being run illegally as a for-profit business, Jalopnik reports.
The trouble reportedly started in 2007, when VCA member and former club national president Chris Marshall is alleged to have taken a paid position at the club courtesy of the acting board members at the time. By 2010, with the demise of the Dodge Viper looming, the VCA reportedly made a deal with Chrysler to to acquire a stash of old parts and tooling for the Viper. The stash would then be sold by the newly formed Viper Parts of America, a company that was supposed to be run by Marshall, Jalopnik reports.
This sounds like shady business to us - at the very least a conflict of interest. And it's said that the VCA will not hesitate to suspend - for a year or more - the memberships of those who oppose it.

Marchionne open to combination with Ford or GM

At the depths of the auto industry implosion, there was widely reported talk that General Motors and Chrysler would be merged into a mighty import-beating behemoth. While such notions clearly never materialized, that doesn't mean the idea is dead. In fact, FCA boss Sergio Marchionne still welcomes the idea of a partnership with either GM or Ford. He responded positively to the idea, calling it "technically feasible," when asked about it at the 2015 Geneva Motor Show, Automotive News reports. "There's bantering that goes on all the time," Marchionne told AN, before quashing suspicions that a plan was in the works by adding that "nothing substantive" was going on. Our favorite black sweater enthusiast isn't quite as interested in the idea of teaming with a foreign manufacturer like PSA Peugeot Citroen, or in the rumored tie-up with Volkswagen, though. That is a shame, particularly in regards to Marchionne's shut down of a partnership with the French, although it isn't necessarily surprising – FCA already consists of eight automakers, and as Sergio told AN, there's really nothing at PSA that could help the company out. What are your thoughts? Is there an obvious project or segment that would benefit from an FCA partnership with Ford or GM? Have your say in Comments. News Source: Automotive News - sub. req.Image Credit: Marco Bertorello / AFP / Getty Images Chrysler Fiat Ford GM Sergio Marchionne FCA merger

eBay Find of the Day: 1979 Chrysler ETV-1 electric car prototype

Electric cars may be reaching their time in the sun with successes like the Tesla Model S, but the basic concept goes back to practically beginning of motoring. EVs also saw a brief renaissance in the 1970s when automakers were trying find a way around rising fuel prices. This 1979 Chrysler ETV-1 concept for sale on eBay Motors is a great example from that era.
Built in 1979, designers hoped the ETV-1 would preview what an electric car would look like in 1985. The base price was slated to start at $6,400, or the rough equivalent of $20,536, which seems like an optimistic price. General Electric created the ETV-1's powertrain, and Chrysler was in charge of styling. At the time, the Department of Energy called it "the first advanced four-passenger subcompact experimental electric car."
While it seems ancient compared to today's EVs, the ETV-1 featured regenerative braking and a computer-controlled electric motor. Chrysler reported a 100-mile range at 45 miles per hour with two passengers in the car. The range fell to 75 miles with four passengers. Acceleration was not brisk with Chrysler claiming the run to 30 mph in 9 seconds. Power was stored in 18 lead-acid batteries, and a full charge took 10 hours from a home outlet.