USA sales: who is the minivan king? … and Mopar vs GM/Ford and trucks and muscle cars

2022 Chevrolet Silverado

Stellantis had a very bad quarter in the United States, but how did it compare to other automakers in sales of key vehicles? Chrysler Corporation invented the minivan in both the USA and France, starting American development in 1972 and French development before selling SIMCA to Peugeot. While the Chrysler marque did not have a … Read more

Flexcare pushes out Mopar Vehicle Protection

Mopar World 2016

Stellantis is renaming Mopar Vehicle Protection to Flexcare. The new name will be coupled with each of the company’s brands, e.g. Dodge Flexcare, replacing Mopar’s service contracts, maintenance plans, and packages. Mopar Service Contracts are becoming Flexcare Extended Care; Maximum becomes Premium, Added Care and Added Care Plus become Extended Care Plus, and Powertrain Care … Read more

Jeep shows drawing of the next Compass

2025 Jeep Compass

Jeep, or as Stellantis oddly refers to it “The Jeep® brand,” showed a basic drawing of the next-generation Compass today. This is a to be made on the STLA Medium platform/architecture. The Compass will reportedly have both gasoline-hybrid and electric versions, possibly with a pure gasoline version as well. It will debut in Europe in … Read more

Stellantis hits union with more lawsuits

uaw vs stla

After filing a lawsuit last week against the UAW and UAW Local 230 representing the Los Angeles Parts Distribution Center on Oct. 3, Stellantis filed eight additional lawsuits against the UAW and 23 Local unions on October 4. The UAW met with Stellantis afterwards to ask about bringing back the Job Bank, which keeps laid-off … Read more

FCA US sales plummeted in Q3 (corrected)

FCA US sales

General Motors announced a 2% drop in U.S. sales for the third quarter of 2024, compared to the third quarter of 2023; but that was entirely due to cutbacks in fleet sales. The former Chrysler with Fiat and Alfa Romeo posted a stunning 20% fall, due mainly to July and August sales, but on the … Read more

Recalls from Ford, Mercedes, BMW, and others

Fiat 124 Spider “Fiata”

Yesterday, Stellantis issued a cautionary notice on its 4xe Jeeps, which overshadowed a hefty number of recalls from other automakers. Ford, for example, had two recalls, one on 2024 Explorers whose battery cable may short-circuit, and one on 2024 Bronco Sports which can stall. The widest recall may have been on BMW/Mini/Rolls-Royce, with a panoply … Read more

UAW officially protests possible plant closure, lack of new pickup

uaw vs stla

As Stellantis prepares to lay off thousands of plant workers as they have already paid off many non-union engineers and support staff, the United Auto Workers union (UAW) filed federal charges with the National Labor Relations Board to protest the company’s failure to honor its 2023 contract commitments. Stellantis has already notified the union and … Read more

Mercedes dominating recalls; Jeep has just one

recalls

Mercedes is dominating the recall list this week, starting with bad welds on the engine carrier on the 2024 GLC 300 and AMG GLC43. The 2019-22 AMG G63 and G550 may have bad rear door latches which let the doors swing open while driving, too. Numerous Daimler trucks may lose their brake lights, a warning … Read more

STLA may be working on a successor for Carlos Tavares

Carlos Tavares (left) and Mike Koval

Stellantis, which owns the former Chrysler as well as Fiat and Peugeot, is reportedly planning to find a successor to Carlos Tavares for his contract expiration in 2026—according to the respected industry weekly Automotive News. While many liked Tavares’ pledge to give each marque ten years to turn itself around, including Chrysler, Dodge, and Alfa … Read more