The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is, according to the Washington Post, thinking about reducing its emissions rules for cars and trucks. The EPA had been pushing for 50% of new-car sales to be BEVs with the 2030 model-year, but slower growth in EV sales and battery production are making that seem impractical.Changes to the rule … Read more
2024 Jeep Gladiators are hitting dealers; so today seems like a good day for Jeep to reveal the prices. The new 2024 Jeep Gladiator, the world’s most off-road capable midsize truck, will start in the United States at $37,895 plus $1,895 destination). That’s a $1,725 price cut, according to Jeep. Those who visit the Build & Price section of Jeep’s site or Kelley’s Blue Book are in for some confusion, since they list different prices. At Jeep.com, the 2023 Gladiator Sport comes to $38,990…
The 2022-24 Jeep Grand Cherokee and 2021-24 Jeep Wrangler are being recalled for broken defrosters/defoggers. Around 200,000 vehicles sold in the US, and others sold elsewhere, have software errors which can prevent the defroster/defogger from running, in recall 24V111000. The software upgrade has to be done by the dealer.Software updates were also the subject of … Read more
While truck stops continue to install hydrogen facilities for future fuel-cell and adapted-Cummins-diesel big rigs, regular hydrogen cars in the US were dealt a heavy blow as Shell stopped selling the gas in its California stations. Only seven stations were affected, but these are seven out of a mere 59 stations in the entire country.Ram … Read more
Earlier this week, I traveled to Austin, Texas to drive the 2025 Ram 1500 lineup. We cannot share any driving impressions until next week, but we can share images. We saw the 2025 Ram 1500 in a wide variety of trim levels—the Tradesman, Big Horn/Long Horn, Laramie, Limited Longhorn, Limited, Tungsten, and Rebel, with differing options among the trim levels. One of the trucks was a Limited with the Night Edition package, the first time we have seen this on the 2025 model year trucks.
For three decades—since the Viper—Dodge has increasingly conjured images of fire-breathing Hellcats, tire-shredding Demons, and rumbling Hemi V8s that could soundtrack an earthquake. It’s a brand built on brawn—on excess, not dependability (a word Dodge invented), safety, value, or efficiency. Yet, data shows time after time that dependability, safety, value, and efficiency are the biggest … Read more
Recently, another site came out with criticism that the 2025 Ram 1500’s high output Hurricane six will require premium fuel. This was their second headline; originally they didn’t mention that it was only the high output engine requiring premium. This was followed by predictable comments from readers of gloom, doom, and the inferiority of new engines.There … Read more
Stellantis, parent company of the former Chrysler, is adding to its production of electric drive modules (EDMs) due to increasing in battery-electric vehicle (BEV) sales.The expansion will be in Szentgotthard, Hungary, with production starting in late 2026. The drive modules are also being made in Kokomo, Indiana, and Tremery-Metz, France while Mirafiori, Italy will be increasing production … Read more
A century ago, Chrysler officially launched its first car, the Model B-70. It had an advanced, high-compression straight six engine boasting 68-70 horsepower, depending on the source; only one American car had a higher top speed than the Chrysler B-70’s 70 mph, and that was a luxurious straight-eight Packard. … There are still nearly eleven months for Stellantis to acknowledge the centennial of Chrysler as a marque, but it’s too late to celebrate its actual production start date on time.
Chrysler posted a hint as to their next concept car, due to be revealed on February 13, 2024, with one cryptic word barely visible—indeed, not recognizable as lettering until the image is lightened considerably and blown up. Chrysler, which currently has just one vehicle, a minivan, on sale, will be revealing two more teaser images before showing the full concept car, as well.
McDonald’s made a brave choice when they adopted a Plymouth Barracuda, rather than the default choice of a Mustang, for the Hamburglar to drive across America.
The relatively rare Barracuda, with a Shaker hood and cheeseburger-themed spare tire, was worked over by Sean Smith Designs much more tastefully than most custom jobs. As a getaway car, it’s probably not quite as useful as a Plymouth Road Runner would have been, but it’s also far more muscular-looking than a Mustang.
The National Chrysler Products Club (NCPC), created in 1979, is closing down in 2024, on its 45th anniversary. The club was reportedly split from the Walter. P. Chrysler Club, which continues to be active.Despite its name, the NCPC was mainly active in three states—Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware, rotating its annual shows mainly between New … Read more
The old “KL” body Jeep Cherokee, based on the CUSW platform (sharing with the Dart, 200, and Pacifica), has been out of production for quite some time now. Its replacement, a new Jeep Cherokee, has mostly been the subject of rumors, but its basic body shape has been seen—no, not in that rendering (though that is the basic idea, as it was imagined in 2021).
While some secondary indicators and a good deal of complaining suggest that Americans aren’t buying into EVs at the rate automakers and regulators would prefer, Europeans seem to be transitioning over relatively quickly. EV sales went from 14% in 2022 to 18% in 2023, passing diesel’s share, according to the European automakers’ association. [Article continues with discussion of events in Europe and contrasts in North America, and things buyers need to watch for.]
FCA US’ Andrew Morris and Craig DeYoung created a system to reduce the compression ratio while you’re starting your car, to cut back on the starter’s workload. The system uses the engine’s cam phaser system to increase valve lift to the point that compression falls to 5:1-6:1 from the usual roughly-10:1.
Lately, the performance of EVs in extreme cold has been popping up in social media. Studies do show that, like gasoline-powered cars, BEVs have poor efficiency in the cold, but once warmed up, they do much better. Numerous short trips will drain the BEV’s battery relatively quickly—as they will a gas tank.Four FCA US employees … Read more
