The Trenton Engine plant has two sections, North and South, sharing a parking lot and location near I-75 and MI-85, close to the Detroit River. Since the complex only makes engines and parts which are expected to be phased out, some believed the historic plant’s days were numbered. Instead, Stellantis is planning to spend $25 … Read more
Today, Jeep announced a number of changes to the Grand Cherokee lineup, which is now entirely on the WL platform. The heftiest change is making the 4xe plugin hybrid setup standard on the Grand Cherokee Trailhawk, a decision many probably did not see coming. The 4xe provides the power of a V8 (375 hp, 470 … Read more
In the past, former Chrysler brands have tended to be either in the top or the bottom of the J.D. Power listings, but for 2022, they are literally all over it. Dodge was just below Buick as the second most reliable car; Chrysler was below even Tesla at the other end of the scale. Indeed, … Read more
When Chrysler was having its renaissance in the 1990s, breaking stereotypes and barriers, Tom Gale was trying to find a flagship car to represent each of the brands. Dodge had the Viper; Jeep already had the Wrangler; and Plymouth would have the Prowler. Chrysler was his one failure; he never nailed down the brand that … Read more
A €50 million equity purchase in Vulcan Energy Resources, making Stellantis its second largest shareholder, will help the Australian mining company expand operations in Germany. The money will be spent on expanding Vulcan’s Upper Rhine Valley Brine Field project, which produces geothermal energy and lithium brine. Moving forward, Vulcan will produce lithium hydroxide without using fossil … Read more
Some time ago, we posted a story on Stellantis’ hydrogen fuel-cell electric vehicles (FCEVs). That is one path forward for areas where battery-electric vehicles aren’t practical, but it’s likely Ram heavy duty pickups will have another option: Cummins 6.7 liter B-type diesels hydrogen engines. Cummins, a pioneer in diesel engines (having run them at the Indy 500), … Read more
FCA US was planning to let buyers “drive on sunshine,” according to a trademark filed last year. The company applied for the “drive on sunshine” trademark for “Charging stations for electric vehicles” on March 31, 2021. On May 11, 2022, a bit more than a year later, they abandoned the trademark after the U.S. Patent … Read more
Creating a new hybrid-electric transmission (with integrated electric motors) brings up some problems and opportunities; one of the more prosaic ones is the humble parking pawl, that little bit of metal that keeps the car or truck from moving when the transmission is in Park. Typically, a notched wheel on the output shaft locks up … Read more
Stellantis is investing around €33 million in upgrades to the Auburn Hills and Orbassano test centers. In Auburn Hills, a wind tunnel is being upgraded to have a moving ground plane. The successful Dodge Truck NASCAR effort involved, among other things, renting a moving ground plane wind tunnel. This project will cost nearly €30 million, … Read more
The NHTSA announced three new Ram and Jeep recalls today. None have caused crashes to date, but all have the potential to do so. The numbers reported below are all for United States sales only, but recalls are generally global. Recall 22V407 affects around 120,000 Ram 1500 and 2500 pickups and Ram 3500 chassis cabs … Read more
Sterling Stamping, which is next to the Sterling Heights Assembly truck factory but supports other plants as well, has around 2,000 hourly workers and 200 salaried workers—but that is apparently going to change. Stellantis confirmed to WXYZ of Detroit that “there will be indefinite layoffs” effective June 20. The goal is to “operate the plant … Read more
The 2022 Jeep Compass has been named a Top Safety Pick by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) for 2022. There is only one rating above that, Top Safety Pick Plus. There is one caveat: the rating is only for models with LED projector or reflector headlamps when paired with high-beam assist. The Compass had the … Read more
Stellantis announced today, as part of an unrelated press release, that it was dropping out of the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association “by the end of this year.” Most of the press release concerned a “freedom of mobility forum” planned for 2023 to “bring together a diverse pool of experts” to work on “clean, safe, and … Read more
Hurricane engines, following a trend set by European designs, do not have a dipstick. Instead, an electronic sensing system warns drivers when the oil level falls. The change was likely made for three reasons: most drivers no longer check their own oil anyway, given the lack of leaks and burning in most modern cars, and … Read more
From his prison cell, where he resides after a conviction for sexual assault and rape, former producer Harvey Weinstein is suing FCA US for $5 million because, three years ago, his Jeep flipped over. He claims he has been “catastrophically injured and rendered paralyzed” and remains in pain due to the event. Weinstein claims he … Read more
In March, Carlos Tavares showed renderings of a new Jeep battery-electric (the color photo) which was to be sold in Europe, built in Poland, and measure around 16 inches less bumper-to-bumper than the Renegade which it closely resembles. Next, a spy shot, which appears to be an insider photo (the scan looks as though it’s … Read more
