Giorgio is being converted to STLA Large

Several publications recently ran stories on the death of the sort-of-new Giorgio platform, designed to support medium-sized and large cars and crossovers for Alfa Romeo, Dodge, Jeep, and possibly Chrysler. The reality appears to be different: Giorgio has simply been brought into a new naming system, which simply calls its platforms Small, Medium, Large, and … Read more

Inside a fake Stellantis memo from Facebook

fake stellantis letter

How fake is this letter posted to Facebook, “from a Stellantis employee,” which came with a possibly-real Stellantis letterhead? Pretty fake. Let’s look at the issues. First, while there is a semiconductor shortage, it’s not only China that’s the problem; the sudden Texas shutdown meant hundreds of thousands (if not millions) of semiconductors in-process were … Read more

Wrangler Rubicon 4xe First Drive: All-Electric Meets Trail Rated

Jeep Wrangler Rubicon 4xe

Many Jeep vehicles have changed their shape a great deal during their existence, but the Wrangler has always a boxy, go-anywhere SUV. When Jeep picked the Wrangler to be the brand’s first vehicle sold in the U.S. with the new 4xe electrified drivetrain, there were two key questions from critics. Can the Wrangler really serve … Read more

Grand Cherokee plant chip shortage turns into layoffs

Jefferson North (2017)

Several sources, including Detroit News, Automotive News, and our own trusted source, have stated that the Jefferson Avenue plant which makes the Grand Cherokee will slow down due to a chip shortage. The root cause is the Texas grid’s lack of preparation for freezing weather, which caused power outages across the state, knocking a semiconductor … Read more

The changed future of Alfa Romeo

Under Sergio Marchionne, projects changed and shifted constantly in response to CEO whims and market research; and platform names could be confusing and inconsistent (Giorgio, for example, being named largely to give the impression it was created solely by and for Alfa Romeo). FCA was also prone to rushing cars out to market before they … Read more

Ordering is open for the 2021 Grand Cherokee L

All-new 2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee L Summit Reserve

When the 2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee L, the brand new three-row edition which is based on a new platform, was first launched, dealers could only buy high-end models—Limited and Summit. Now, according to Mopar Insiders, the Laredo, Altitude, and Overland are all also available. Even the Laredo is well equipped, with LED reflector headlamps, 18-inch … Read more

Hagan, Capps Charger Funny Cars Lose to Tasca in Four Wide Finals

Matt Hagan 2021 Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat Funny Car

This past weekend, the Team Mopar NHRA Dodge Charger funny car racers headed to Las Vegas for the Denso Spark Plugs Four Wide Nationals, looking for their first win of the young 2021 season. As the name of the event suggests, this stop in Vegas includes four-wide drag racing, with four cars competing side-by-side-by-side-by-side, creating … Read more

What is Chrysler?

Chrysler badge (on 300G)

What is Chrysler? What makes it unique? These are questions I have asked heads-of-the-Chrysler-brand, without getting particularly useful answers, much less consistent ones. They can hardly be blamed. Nobody seems to have known what Chrysler is, what makes it unique, perhaps since Walter P. Chrysler was in charge. After all, it was Walter—or WPC—who decided … Read more

Chip shortage might close Jeep plant in May

Jefferson North (2017)

Jefferson North is likely to shut down in early May until it gets a new supply of HVAC control chips, according to an article in Automotive News. Jeep supplier JVIS relies on chips from NXP, which makes them in Austin; while JVIS needs 70,000 chips for the plant for the quarter, only around 27,000 are … Read more

Win a free minivan book

jeep and minivan books

One of this site’s writers has written three books, covering the Dodge Viper, Mopar minivans, and four Jeeps (the Wagoneer, Gladiator, Scrambler, and Comanche). There are numerous positive reviews for the Viper book and the minivan book—but so far, nobody has posted a critical or customer review of the Jeep book, as far as we … Read more

Mopar ’21 Ram 1500

Mopar 21 Ram 1500

The Mopar ’21 Ram 1500 is an option pack for the Big Horn/Lone Star Crew Cab 4×4, limited to 250 units: 210 in the United States and 40 in Canada. Available colors are Billet Silver, Bright White, Flame Red, and Hydro Blue. The new 2021 Ram 1500 Big Horn/Lone Star Crew Cab 4×4 is well-equipped … Read more

Is this Wrangler fire-ute a hint?

wrangler firefighter

Is Dodge Law Enforcement giving us a hint about a future new vehicle, by featuring a brushfire-fighting Wrangler conversion from Reiselt’s Machine Works? The idea of a customized law enforcement or fire-fighting Wrangler is perhaps long overdue. The old Dodge Power Wagon was often converted to firefighting duty, but not by Dodge itself. The company … Read more

Legmaker MSHS 2021 Opener Draws a Huge Crowd

Dodge Charger

Late last month, the Modern Street Hemi Shootout opened their 2021 season with the first event at Orlando Speedworld being sponsored by Legmaker Intakes. The season got off to a great start, with the event beating any past opener by more than a hundred registered race cars, with NHRA superstar Leah Pruett serving as the … Read more

New Texas-only Gladiator Texas Trail

jeep gladiator texas trail

Texas is the largest truck market in the country, and Jeep is celebrating it with the new 2021 Gladiator Texas Trail. Based on the Gladiator Sport S trim, the Texas Trail will only be sold in Texas. Jeep also added two Texas trails to the Jeep Badge of Honor program: Black Gap 4×4 in Big Bend … Read more