A new generation of engines has bolstered power across the entire former-Chrysler lineup, with the possible exception of the four-cylinder realm—where output is higher, but reviewers have gotten slower acceleration.The across-the-board increase was highlighted by comments from “vbondjr1”: New / Old Old HP Old Torque New HP New Torque 1.3T / 2.4 184 177 177 … Read more
The Windsor plant will be making cars built on STLA Large, presumably sending minivan assembly elsewhere.Production of the cars at Brampton will continue into 2024, later than previously thought (2023 had been forecast). At that point, Brampton will begin retooling, with production to resume in 2025 on an “all-new, flexible architecture to support the company’s … Read more
Rumor has pegged the Saltillo plant’s Hurricane twin-turbo-straight-six output at 200,000 or more engines per year—but is that enough? It depends on whether the Hurricane engine series will replace the Hemi V8.The Hurricane beats the Hemi in peak power and torque, low-end torque, and fuel economy. Its 10% boost in fuel economy is a big … Read more
Stellantis has signed a deal to get battery-grade lithium hydroxide from Controlled Thermal Resources (CTR)’s Hells Kitchen project in California. The deal is good for up to 25,000 metric tons of lithium hydroxide per year, for ten years.CTR’s process produces battery-grade lithium products without evaporation brine ponds, open pit mines, or fossil fuels.CTR will have … Read more
Detroit News wrote that Jeep is dropping its pure-gasoline and diesel options in “major European countries” at the end of this year. The only Jeeps will be hybrids until Jeep’s first all-electric, which appears to be a Renegade-sized two-door crossover, debuts. That will just be the first Jeep battery-electric (BEV) in Europe; it should have … Read more
FCA US, the American arm of Stellantis, recently applied for a trademark on the name Road Tripper (two words), for “passenger automobiles and structural parts therefor.”The filing was made on May 23, 2022—just one week ago.While we don’t know whether Road Tripper will be a trim package, option group, or an actual car model, Stellantis … Read more
Just three years ago, Fiat Chrysler sold Fiat’s parts group, Magneti Marelli, to KKR-owned Calsonic Kansei Corporation’s CK Holdings. Fiat Chrysler—now Stellantis—remains a primary customer of (as it was now called) Marelli; as in the past, Marelli also sells to numerous other automakers.Today, Bloomberg announced that Marelli has chosen a group to restructure its debt … Read more
Jeep had less than a 1% market share in India in 2020. It’s a tough market, partly because a former Willys licensee, Mahindra & Mahindra, makes inexpensive vehicles that look just like today’s (and yesterday’s Jeeps)—and they have every legal right to do so.Some believe that Jeep’s drive to increase sales is also not helped … Read more
Last year, social media was filled with the news that the Dodge Dakota project had been cancelled. Less visible at the time was the note that this only applied to a Dodge version of the Jeep Gladiator—which was perhaps not a superb idea to begin with.The Dakota is generally remembered as a midsize pickup with … Read more
According to the Detroit News (subscription required), Stellantis is planning to move to direct sales rather than going through dealers, possibly during the shift into battery-electric cars. Tesla, the American electric car maker, has avoided using franchises, resulting in state-by-state legal battles.Stellantis CEO Carlos Tavares claimed that distribution is about a third of a new … Read more
When Jeep and Ram were tuning VM diesels for use in Ram 1500s and Jeeps, it turned to a Volkswagen-owned contractor and VM employees for help with fine tuning the controls. Not long afterwards, it turned out that Volkswagen had been faking its emissions tests, and then researchers and reporters turned their attention to just … Read more
It seems like just yesterday Stellantis was rated as the worst automaker to work with by suppliers, in a Plante Moran survey which has been run since 2013. Almost at the same time, Stellantis’ global head of purchasing was replaced; and today, Automotive News reported that the North American head of supply chain, Martin Hornbeck, … Read more
Ford is paying $91 million to 40 states and the District of Columbia for deceptions about fuel economy and payload on the 2013-14 C-Max and 2011-14 Super Duty, respectively.In 2013, Ford dropped its official C-Max gas mileage by 7 mpg and sent $550 to owners to compensate them for the extra fuel use. They do … Read more
Jeep announced two exceedingly small recalls for lighting issues.Around two dozen 2022 Grand Cherokee/Grand Cherokee Ls were recalled due to a body computer which may flash the hazard lights when braking, which violates federal rules. All affected vehicles were made on January 26; the total was five Grand Cherokees and 15 Grand Cherokee Ls, not … Read more
Automotive News reported this morning that the new Stellantis-Samsung SDI joint-venture battery plant will likely be sited in Indiana, near existing Kokomo-area plants. It should be producing batteries in 2025, with a starting capacity of 23 gigawatt-hours. Company representatives said it would provide an update on Kokomo’s future operations later today.A Canadian facility has already … Read more
In the 1990s, Chrysler Corporation, though much smaller than GM, Ford, or Toyota, soared ahead with innovative cars and trucks. The company single-handedly re-created the moribund large car market with the LH series of cars, made the first profitable American compact car in years with the Neon, which outperformed every competitor by a wide margin … Read more
