Dodge Challenger Dominates the Factory Classes at the NHRA Midwest Nationals

NHRA Midwest Nationals FSS and FX Winners

This past weekend, the NHRA headed to World Wide Technology Raceway for the Midwest Nationals and among the 13 classes competing were two factory-based classes – Factory Stock Showdown (FSS) and Factory X (FX). Both of these factory-based classes were won by Dodge Challenger entries, with Mark Pawuk winning in Factory Stock Showdown while Allen … Read more

Correction: UAW targeting Mopar, GM parts distribution centers

B-parts / SUSTAINable

The UAW has stepped up its strikes by targeting Stellantis and GM parts distribution centers (PDCs), while leaving its initial Ford strike in place. The move reinforces the idea that the UAW is making more progress with Ford than with GM or Stellantis.Image of parts warehouse from the company’s remanufactured parts group. 38 GM and Stellantis … Read more

Team Dodge Drivers Hagan, Pruett Poised for the NHRA Championship Run

Team Dodge Drivers

Matt Hagan and his Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat funny car are currently in the second spot in the battle for the 2023 NHRA Camping World Funny Car Championship while Leah Pruett and her Dodge//SRT Direct Connection Top Fuel dragster are in the fourth spot in their championship race. There are really only two points in … Read more

Mopars flunked Mozilla’s car privacy test (and so did others): Here’s the down-and-dirty and what it all means

UConnect 12 screen

Automakers including Stellantis have been rebuilding their in-car platforms using Google software. That might be one reason why so many are flunking Mozilla’s privacy test; indeed, nobody passed it.

Automakers “can collect deeply personal data such as sexual activity, immigration status, race, facial expressions, weight, health and genetic information, and where you drive,” with microphones, cameras, phones, and sensors in the car, as well as their car apps, web sites, and dealership systems. They combine the data to make inferences about buyer traits. None appear to use encryption in the car to keep this data safe.

Electrification, hybrid-electric, and the future of Mopar performance

Ram 1500 REV frunk open

Analysis. The industry is steadily moving towards electrification and full electric (via batteries or hydrogen fuel cells) to help with emissions and fuel economy. While there are many advantages, many in the buying public have vociferously objected—and do so again whenever any article so much as mentions electric cars or, in some cases, hybrids…

UConnect adding new functions for ’24

UConnect 12 screen

UConnect (or “Maserati Intelligent Assistant”) is adding some new features in the 2024s.Hybrid-electric (and future battery-electric) vehicles have dynamic range mapping which, when the navigation system is used, can predict range on particular roads with existing traffic. It provides alerts if recharging will be needed and shows available stations. Charging schedules can be managed in-car … Read more

Not spotty cars: SPOTiCAR to sell used cars at US dealers

spoticar not spottycar

Stellantis’ “pre-owned” vehicle program for all FCA US brands but Maserati is launching in the United States. It’s a European import, created in 2019, and now available in eleven countries.Of note, the marques included are “Alfa Romeo, Chrysler, Dodge, FIAT, Jeep®, Ram,” and—“Wagoneer by Jeep.”SPOTiCAR “brings together the approved used vehicles of official retailers.” It … Read more

STLA Medium’s role in North America

2022 Jeep Compass

Speculation. Recently, I argued that the North American arm of Stellantis could be successful using STLA Large and Frame for just about all its vehicles; and we know that most of STLA Small is destined for lands outside of North America. That still leaves us with the STLA Medium platform/architecture, which is likely to spawn the next-generation Compass. …

Used, rebuilt parts coming to USA Mopar dealers (updated)

Dodge Upgraded Driveline

Part of Stellantis’ vision for the future is to make more money from the entire lifecycle of a car, which includes older cars whose owners do not want to pay for expensive new OEM parts. The solution, announced last year as part of the “circular economy,” is both environmentally friendly and economical for owners: selling used and rebuilt parts under the B-Parts Reuse brand…

Canada, USA: two very different union negotiations

Windsor plant

Stellantis just released a joint statement with the Canadian union Unifor which focused on how the two are working together to negotiate a mutually acceptable agreement, using creative solutions. Earlier this week, UAW leaders expressed a more confrontational approach, and notably did not publicly shake hands with Stellantis leaders. …

Answered questions about bproauto (updated)

bproauto

Earlier today, Mopar announced a new line of auto parts for a wide variety of cars and trucks, including those not made by Dodge, Chrysler, Jeep, or Ram. 

Within a minute of posting the story, we had an inquiry from reader Geoff, who asked, quite reasonably, if these were only available via dealerships. Since some dealers have been borderline-rapacious with their pricing, in some cases charging multiples of the list price, while others offer 25% off list, selling only through dealers would have interesting results. What’s more, most owners of, say, Chevrolets or Toyotas would be rather unlikely to go to a Ram dealership to get replacement parts….

bproauto aims at more than STLA cars and trucks

bproauto

Years ago, Mopar announced that it would be selling parts for other companies’ cars. The idea made sense but perhaps didn’t go as far as it could, because many people associate Mopar exclusively with the former Chrysler Corporation.

The result is likely today’s announcement of a new bproauto® aftermarket parts brand for  high-quality replacement parts at a competitive price. The brand has apparently already been used for decades in Europe, the Middle East, and South America.

Francois Castaing’s passing closes an era more firmly

Francois Castaing

ne of the men most responsible for the turnaround was Francois Castaing, head of engineering at AMC, who after 1989 quickly became head of engineering at Chrysler. He had led pioneering work at the “always #4” automaker, surpassing bigger companies in innovation with a comparatively tiny team. He was inducted into the Automotive Hall of Fame in 2010. 

Castaing was one of the driving forces behind the Dodge Viper, and then behind the new engineering methods which resulted in far lower development costs, far faster concept-to-market times, and far higher critical acclaim for every car in every class. He kept pushing for new innovations in every arena, while remaining largely unheralded by the outside world. His alleged imaginative ways of dealing with budgetary restrictions, which took away obstacles from his engineers, were reportedly not appreciated by German executives, though.