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Fiat Chrysler's profit boosted by Ram and Jeep in North America

MILAN/DETROIT — Fiat Chrysler took the market by surprise by sticking to its full-year profit guidance on Wednesday after a strong performance from its Ram pickup truck in North America helped it defy an industry slowdown. Chief Executive Mike Manley, in FCA's first earnings release since a failed attempt to merge with France's Renault, also left the door open to that or other deals. "We are open to opportunity," Manley said on a call with analysts. "I have no doubt why there still would be interest in it," he added, when pressed on what it would take to revive talks with Renault. Manley declined to comment further. FCA last month abandoned its $35 billion merger offer for Renault, blaming French politics for scuttling what would have been a landmark deal to create the world's third-biggest automaker. Manley said a merger was not a must-have and Fiat Chrysler's business plan was strong. The company said it remained confident its adjusted earnings before interest and tax (EBIT) would top last year's 6.7 billion euros ($7.5 billion). Given disappointing forecasts from other automakers this earnings season, FCA's confirmation of the outlook sent Milan-listed shares in the Italian-American automaker, whose other brands include Jeep, up over 4%. A broad-based auto sales downturn has rattled the sector, forcing FCA's competitors — including Renault, Daimler and Aston Martin — to cut their sales forecasts after second-quarter results, while U.S. carmaker Ford gave a weaker-than-expected 2019 profit outlook. Japan's Nissan, a long-term partner of Renault, said it would cut 12,500 jobs by 2023 after its earnings collapsed. In the second quarter FCA's adjusted EBIT totaled 1.52 billion euros, versus analysts' expectations of 1.43 billion euros, according to a Reuters poll. FCA's U.S. shipments were down 12% in the second quarter but the group said that the successful performance of its Ram brand resulted in an enhanced share of the large pickup truck market of 27.9%, up 7 percentage points from last year. Adjusted EBIT margin in North America rose to 8.9% from 6.5% in the first quarter, thanks to strong demand for the heavy-duty Ram and the new Jeep Gladiator pickup. Chief Financial Officer Richard Palmer also said FCA expected to report up to 10% margins in the region in both the third and fourth quarters.

It's a V8 party! Lexus IS 500, Cadillac Escalade and more | Autoblog Podcast #667

In this week's Autoblog Podcast, Editor-in-Chief Greg Migliore is joined by Road Test Editor Zac Palmer. It's all V8s all the time this week, starting with the Land Rover Defender V8 unveiling, Lexus IS 500 F Sport Performance debut and pricing announcement on the Jeep Wrangler 392. Next, they move on to what they've been driving. Spoiler alert: That means more V8 talk. Zac has been driving the Cadillac Escalade with the 6.2-liter V8 and BMW M550i with its 4.4-liter twin-turbo V8. Greg and Zac take a pause from the V8 theme by discussing their shared time in our long-term Acura TLX. From this, they segue into a "Spend My Money" feature about garage lifts to finish the show. Autoblog Podcast #667 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 News 2021 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon 392 priced at nearly $75,000 2022 Land Rover Defender bulks up with a 518-hp V8 2022 Lexus IS 500 F Sport Performance brings back the V8 What we're driving BMW M550i Cadillac Escalade Acura TLX Spend my money Feedback Email – Podcast@Autoblog.com Review the show on iTunes Autoblog is now live on your smart speakers and voice assistants with the audio Autoblog Daily Digest. Say “Hey Google, play the news from Autoblog” or "Alexa, open Autoblog" to get your favorite car website in audio form every day. A narrator will take you through the biggest stories or break down one of our comprehensive test drives. Related Video:

Jeep Wrangler Red Rock concept brings Moab to SEMA

Among the concepts that FCA is showcasing at SEMA this year, the Jeep Wrangler Red Rock concept has been decked out with accessories from both the Mopar and Jeep catalogs. The concept is based on the existing Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon Hard Rock edition, but has been taken even further in for this show truck. It pays tribute to the Red Rock 4-Wheelers club and the Easter Jeep Safari it hosts every year in Moab, UT. The Red Rock concept rides on a 2-inch lift kit with 17-inch beadlock wheels shod with 35-inch all-terrain tires. It also has differential covers, a reinforced swing gate and wheel mount, a power winch, LED headlamps and fog lights, and an onboard CB radio. To help it crawl those rocks, it boasts electronic locking differentials, a Rock-Trac transfer case, and Dana 44 solid axles front and rear. Visually setting this concept apart are such special touches as a power-dome hood, red tow hooks front and rear, new rock rails, a color-keyed grille with low-gloss inserts, low-gloss bumpers, and of course the requisite special badging. Inside it's been done up in brown leather with silver accents and a special grab-handle plaque. This particular version will remain a showpiece only. So if you want to see it, you'll have to head to the show floor in Vegas this week. However Jeep is committed to undertaking a production run of 50 examples with many of the same special touches to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Easter Jeep Safari next year. Related Video: Jeep® and Mopar Introduce Wrangler Red Rock Concept at SEMA Show - New Wrangler Concept features array of Mopar and Jeep® Performance Parts - A serialized 50-unit special-edition production Wrangler – inspired by the Red Rock Concept – will be built as a tribute to the upcoming 50th Moab Easter Jeep Safari - Based on Wrangler Rubicon Hard Rock edition - Wrangler Red Rock Concept features Amaretto Brown Katzkin leather seats with silver accent stitching and a "Red Rock" embroidered seat back logo - Aftermarket Jeep Performance Parts two-inch lift, 35-inch BFG K02 all-terrain tires, commemorative Red Rock appearance package give Jeep Wrangler Red Rock Concept a unique and rugged presence November 3, 2015 , Auburn Hills, Mich. - Jeep® and Mopar have teamed up to create the Wrangler Red Rock Concept vehicle that will be showcased at this year's Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) trade show in Las Vegas.