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
Two sets of cars sold by FCA US have been recalled; hundreds of thousands of cars are affected, mostly (based on sales over the last years) Jeep Renegades. First, 332,000 Italy-made cars had a seat belt buckle sensor which may be badly connected so that the front airbag will not work; the airbag is programmed … Read more
Fiat’s Tychy plant in Poland has started to make Leapmotor cars under a joint venture which will ease the Chinese company’s entrance into Europe, according to Reuters. Stellantis’ leader warned about the impact of inexpensive Chinese electric cars on Europe, as had Fiat’s leader, before forming a joint venture with a Chinese company to bring … Read more
The insurance industry’s safety testing group, IIHS, reported that the Jeep Wagoneer had the highest possible rating (“good”) in their program, earning it a Top Safety Pick rating. Their tests take into account standard camera-and-radar pedestrian crash-avoidance technology, as well as both daytime and nighttime performance. In other news, Fiat announced a new special edition … Read more
Stellantis did wel lin Europe in the first quarter of 2024, with a 5.4% sales increase and market share rising from 18.3% to 19.2% for the quarter. Stellantis also has a 30% total share on commercial vans, and 14% on battery-electrics—despite its CEO’s frequent litany of complaints about electric cars. Electric car sales rose by … Read more
The former Fiat, now FCA Italy, confirmed a hefty number of layoffs, blaming electrification—which is appropriate for around 100 jobs at the Pratola Serra engine plant, but unlikely to be the root cause for laying off 850 people from the Cassino engine plant or 300 at Mirafiori. The news comes via Reuters days after rumors … Read more
Former tuner brand Abarth will be turning 75 years old soon, and Stellantis is celebrating the anniversary with a special exhibit within its Heritage Hub in Turin. The exhibit will have 38 vehicles including the first 500 tuned by Carlo Abarth, which set six records at Monza. (No Abarth vehicles are currently sold in the … Read more
As Dodge prepares to launch its new Challengers and Chrysler continues to figure out its mission, Fiat has announced the launch of a new vehicle every year until 2027. Fiat and Dodge owner Stellantis announced that the new product was made possible by Stellantis’ new global platform, presumably meaning STLA Small, which is based on … Read more
Did electric cars (EVs) gain or lose market share in Europe in January? It depends what you compare them to. Compared with the final quarter of European sales in 2023, EVs definitely lost ground. But compared with January 2024, they garnered a higher share. 11% of the passenger vehicles registered in the EU during January … 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 … Read more
Stellantis may have had sales problems in the United States and Canada last year, but in Europe, they had a decent amount of good news. Across 29 EU countries, Stellantis claimed an 18.4% overall market share, 30% cargo van share, and 14% BEV share. Sales grew by around 6% overall, with a 14% gain in … Read more
Alfa Romeo Brand is bringing back the Milano in April 2024, as an electric vehicle. The Milano was, for many in the 1980s and 1990s, the face of the Alfa Romeo brand in the United States—with its oddly slanted badges and tendency to appear in highway shoulders. This will be Alfa brand’s first BEV and … Read more
Stellantis and Ample have signed a binding agreement to set up a pilot battery-swap station which can replace a Fiat 500e’s discharged battery with a freshly charged one in less than five minutes. Stellantis and Ample Partnership for Modular Battery Swapping Technology Watch this video on YouTube. The companies are discussing using modular battery swapping … Read more
Europe—defined operationally as the EU, EFTA, and UK—is a car market on par with that of the United States, but it tends to be neglected in the North American media. For Mopar people, that made sense for many years, as Chrysler had minimal sales in Europe for the postwar years, until taking over SIMCA; and … Read more
The Fiat 500e, sold in Europe for some time now, is being reintroduced to the United States and Canada. The new Fiat 500e is a bit larger than the old Fiat 500 sold in North America; it provides 162 lb-ft of torque and 118 hp for a 3,000 lb (1361 kg) weight. 0-60 takes around … Read more
Stellantis is the #2 automaker in Europe, and the #1 in commercial vehicles. Globally, its commercial vehicle range, now dubbed Pro One, includes six brands including Ram, ten pick-ups, and a hydrogen solution. The company plans for light commercial vehicles to account for a third of Stellantis profits, including aftersale services. The new Fiat E-Ducato, … Read more