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Marchionne on Alfa's US return, Dodge Dart's powertrain weakness and minivan plans

As a reporter covering an auto show, the one opportunity you never want to miss is going to the Sergio Marchionne press briefing.
"This undertaking to bring Alfa back is a one-shot deal... We are not going to do this twice."
There just aren't that many real characters left in the auto industry. Marchionne, who sits atop both Chrysler and Fiat, is not only one of the smartest execs in the business, but also the most frank. Herein, a sample of the quotable always-sweatered executive:

Jeep Grand Cherokee, Dodge Durango still catching fire after recall

Automakers issue recalls all the time. It's part of the cost of doing business. We just assume that once the recall has been carried out, the problem in question has been fixed. But that's not always the case, as this latest investigation being undertaken by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration goes to show. The problem stems back to a recall issued by Chrysler last summer. It revolved rather the sun visor in the SUVs it makes at its Jefferson North Assembly Plant – specifically, the screw affixing the sun visor could end up rubbing against the wiring for the lamp in the vanity mirror, potentially causing an electrical short and even a fire. 62 such short circuits, 38 fires and three injuries reported, prompting Chrysler to recall nearly 900,000 units of the 2011-2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee and Dodge Durango (over 650,000 of them in the United States). The plastic spacers they installed to rectify the problem, however, may not have done the trick. Eight reports (but none involving injuries) have been filed with the NHTSA regarding the same issue recurring, spurring the government agency to open a new investigation into the matter. If deemed necessary, the NHTSA could ask FCA to issue another recall to fix the issue again, which we may necessitate the installation of a fuze to prevent any such the electric short. Related Video: INVESTIGATION Subject : Headliner Fires Date Investigation Opened: MAY 01, 2015 Date Investigation Closed: Open NHTSA Action Number: RQ15003 Component(s): ELECTRICAL SYSTEM , INTERIOR LIGHTING Manufacturer: Chrysler (FCA US LLC) SUMMARY: On July 1st, 2014 Chrysler (FCA US LLC) issued safety recall 14V-391 to remedy a wiring-related fire hazard on the headliner of approximately 661,888 model year (MY) 2011-2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee and Dodge Durango vehicles manufactured between January 5, 2010 and December 11, 2013. The recall was in response to the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) investigation EA14-001 during which data provided by Chrysler indicates that the fire is caused by an electrical short in the vanity lamp wiring for either one of the sun visors mounted on the vehicle. The sun visors are mounted to the roof of the vehicle through the headliner with three metal screws.

Dodge recalling 2k SRT Hellcat Challengers and Chargers for fuel leak

Bad news for fans of the obscene output of the Dodge Hellcat twins, as FCA has announced a voluntary recall of both 707-horsepower variants of the 2015-model-year Charger sedan and Challenger coupe. According to FCA, a total of 2,211 cars are being recalled after a dealer discovered a "possible fuel leak" during a pre-delivery inspection. Despite getting cleared by suppliers, FCA claims its engineers found "improperly installed" hose seals. Owners of affected vehicles will receive notification and be asked to report in for repairs. Of the vehicles affected, the overwhelming majority, 2,012, were sold in the US market. The remainder were sold in Canada (148), Mexico (30) and just 21 outside of North America. Scroll down for the official release from FCA. Related Video: Statement: Hose Seals March 1, 2015 , Auburn Hills, Mich. - FCA US LLC is voluntarily recalling an estimated 2,211 cars globally to replace fuel-delivery components that may leak. An FCA US dealer alerted the Company to a possible fuel leak following a pre-delivery vehicle inspection. These components had passed the supplier's leak-testing, but FCA US engineers launched an investigation and discovered certain hose seals may have been improperly installed. The Company is unaware of any related injuries, accidents or customer complaints. Affected are model-year 2015 Dodge Challenger SRT coupes and Dodge Charger SRT sedans equipped with 6.2-liter V-8 engines. There are an estimated 2,012 in the U.S.; 148 in Canada; 30 in Mexico and 21 outside the NAFTA region. Affected customers will be notified and advised when they may schedule service. Customers with questions or concerns may call the FCA US Customer Information Center at 1-800-853-1403.