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Mahindra vs. FCA case rages on amid confusion from false reports

The Mahindra vs. FCA case is trucking on despite some reports from India that say otherwise. It was widely reported over the weekend that Mahindra had come out on the winning side of the U.S. International Trade Commission's investigation. However, that's not the case, and FCA says it expects a final decision to be made this month. Apparently, the reports used a brief filed by Mahindra that doesn't actually have any bearing on what the final decision in court is. The briefing was rather explicit in its language, but FCA released a similar brief following hearings. We'll list them both for you below. Mahindra: "FCA is contractually barred from pursuing this investigation if Mahindra's vehicles contain or use the approved grille design. The evidence shows that Mahindra's Roxor uses the approved grille design. Thus, the record supports a finding that Mahindra met its burden of proving by a preponderance of the evidence that FCA is contractually barred from pursuing this investigation." FCA: "Mahindra has failed to carry its burden in showing that all of FCA's claims fall under the narrow scope of the 2009 Agreement. The Investigation against Respondents should therefore proceed." These statements represent opinions of both companies, but not actual decisions made by the U.S. ITC. In case you were still wondering, this whole battle is about the Mahindra Roxor's front grille design. FCA says is looks too much like a Jeep, and is worried the Roxor will cut into Wrangler sales. The Mahindra Roxor isn't road-legal, which would make it difficult to steal actual Jeep sales from FCA, and there was also an agreement signed in 2009 between the two companies related to this issue. FCA agreed then not to bring about infringement claims against Mahindra as long as it used a grille design that differs from the classic Jeep trademark grille FCA approved of. One could argue Mahindra's grille is different than Jeep's design because it only has five slats instead of seven, but it sure does look a lot like an old Willys. It will be another month before official word is out on this case, and we'll be following to see whether Mahindra will be allowed to sell its fun, diesel off-roader in the U.S. Related video:

FCA's Pentastar V6 gets more power, efficiency for 2016

Already a vital member of FCA's powertrain lineup, the 3.6-liter Pentastar V6 is receiving major efficiency improvements for 2016. Thanks to a massive amount of new tech attached to the mill, fuel economy is up six percent, and torque below 3,000 rpm jumps nearly 15 percent. The updates arrive first in the 2016 Jeep Grand Cherokee, but they should proliferate to other models eventually. At least in the Grand Cherokee, the tweaks push power up five horsepower to 295 ponies. FCA's engineers went through the Pentastar from top to bottom to eke out as much efficiency as possible. For example, there's now a two-speed variable-valve lift system that can run in low- or high-lift modes. This upgrade is responsible for 2.7-percent better economy, the company claims. A new intake manifold with longer runners and updated variable-valve times also helps boost the torque output. Further improvements come from pushing the compression ratio to 11.3:1, from 10.2:1 before. Perhaps most impressive is that despite all of the innovations, the latest Pentastar actually weighs four pounds less than the current version. Beyond the Pentastar improvements, all of the FCA US gasoline engines, except for the Viper's 8.4-liter V10, will be E15-compatible for 2016. The company says that it wants to be ready for the higher ethanol content fuel's greater use in the near future.

Bronco Scout, Ford and Rivian, and next-gen Land Cruiser | Autoblog Podcast #578

In this week's Autoblog Podcast, Editor-in-Chief Greg Migliore is joined by Road Test Editor Reese Counts and Assistant Editor Zac Palmer. First, they dicuss recent news, including the upcoming next-gen Toyota Land Cruiser, Ford's trademarking of "Scout" and "Bronco Scout," and Ford's $500 million investment in EV startup Rivian. After that, they talk about the cars they've been driving, including the Jeep Wrangler, Cadillac XT4 and Buick Regal GS. Last but not least, they help a listener choose a new car in our "Spend My Money" segment. Autoblog Podcast #578 Get The Podcast iTunes – Subscribe to the Autoblog Podcast in iTunes RSS – Add the Autoblog Podcast feed to your RSS aggregator MP3 – Download the MP3 directly Rundown Toyota promises a next-generation Land Cruiser Ford trademarks "Scout" and "Bronco Scout" Ford invests $500 million in Rivian Cars we're driving: 2019 Jeep Wrangler 2019 Cadillac XT4 2019 Buick Regal GS Spend My Money Feedback Email – Podcast@Autoblog.com Review the show on iTunes Related Video: