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 … 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, … 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 … 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
Today, Stellantis announced renewed investment in India, with four Jeeps to be made there—the Wrangler, Compass, Grand Cherokee, and … Meridian. What on earth is a Jeep Meridian, you may ask? This is a Jeep Meridian. The Meridian is a seven-seat version of the Jeep Compass, complete with front wheel drive origins and similar front styling, … Read more
Volkswagen sales might have dropped by 28% in April and 18% for the year to date, but they remain the kings of European sales with a 24% market share in 2022 so far (down from 27% in Jan-April 2021). Stellantis came in second with a 19% market share (down from 22%), with sales in April … Read more
Last week, Stellantis announced that Maxime Picat (prior head of STLA’s Enlarged Europe organization) had been promoted to head of global purchasing and supply chain management. The prior head of purchasing, Michelle Wen, had enforced a new policy which demanded that suppliers pass along any of their own cost savings on work done for Stellantis. … Read more
Back in October 2020, FCA US applied for a trademark on the word Cuda, in the category of “Land vehicles, namely, passenger automobiles.” The trademark was published for opposition on February 23, 2021. It seems there wasn’t any. What happened? As far as we can tell, there was no opposition to FCA US (a division … Read more
Bob Hubbach, Chrysler’s design manager from 1967 to 2001, passed away on the night of May 14 while in hospice. Hubbach was a co-designer of the highly successful Valiant Charger, Australia’s famed “Hemi Six” powered successor to the Valiant Pacer. This car set a long-standing Australian speed record with its 265 cubic inch inline six, … Read more
When Dodge started selling rear wheel drive cars with 485 horsepower, then 707, then 840 horsepower, traction at the rear wheels became a major issue. One answer was Launch Control, which limited tire slip so you could get fairly consistent results every time—even if they weren’t quite what a professional driver could do. Launch Control … Read more
Two days ago, a group of FCA US gained a patent on their fuel-saving alternator system. Some have wondered, while struggling for every last erg of power from their engine, if there was a way to automatically cut power-sucking devices just for those few seconds. Chrysler had already set up a clever system to cut … Read more
Even as the Stellantis CEO argues against battery-electric vehicles in global media, Stellantis is doubling down on its plan to make money from recycling batteries and other car components by creating a new position: Senior Vice President of Circular Economy. The first SVP in this role will be Alison Jones, who is currently in charge … Read more
Volkswagen did not make many waves when it purchased Navistar, the truck and diesel engine maker created from the ashes of Harvester International. Then, though, Volkswagen watched Ford’s success in reviving two dead nameplates—Ranger and Bronco—making a sub-brand of the Bronco; and they watched Rivian introduce a new SUV, the R1S, which awed reviewers with its … Read more
The Jeep Wagoneer with rear wheel drive and the base 5.7 Hemi engine is rated at 16 mpg city, 22 highway. Going to four wheel drive drops those numbers to 15 city, 20 highway—which, incidentally, is roughly the same as a 1990 Wagoneer with the four-liter six cylinder pushing out roughly half the power. Move … Read more
The 2022 Grand Wagoneer was unanimously voted a winner in the 2022 Wards 10 Best Interiors & UX awards. Editor Drew Winter wrote, “The sheer artistry of the Jeep® brand’s lavish new interiors is breathtaking. The Grand Wagoneer easily earns its way into the six-figure SUV club on the power of its interior design.” Editor Christie … Read more
Last week, we posted a story on Stellantis’ hydrogen fuel-cell electric vehicles (FCEVs), which are mainly being developed in Europe; but reader RustyDodge reminded us that heavy duty Rams have another path they can follow. Cummins, maker of Ram heavy duty pickups’ acclaimed diesel engines, has for years been working on hydrogen, natural gas, and electric … Read more