Christian Meunier, current head of Jeep, is being replaced by Antonio Filosa and Meunier is taking “a long break to focus on personal interests.”Also interested in personal matters is Carl Smiley, who is being replaced as COO of India/Asia-Pacific by Ashwani Muppasini.Emanuele Cappellano is replacing Antonio Filosa as COO of South America, as Filosa takes … Read more
The first Direct Connection stage kits to reach Power Broker dealerships earlier this year were strictly for the Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat Redeye (and closely related Super Stock). Due to issues with government regulations, the approval process took a whole lot longer than expected, so the first kits were shipped and delivered almost a year … Read more
A minor glitch in the programming of a Dodge Hornet feature has been confusing early customers of the small, sporty crossover. When the Hornet is getting a weak GPS (global positioning system) signal, it may show a red circle on the dashboard with an odd number there, which doesn’t seem to have anything to do with the actual speed.
The Jeep Avenger, currently sold only as a battery-electric, has reached 40,000 sales so far this year. These sales seem to be an addition to the Renegade, which has beaten its 31,705 January-through-August 2022 sales with over 32,000 Renegades changing hands so far this year (through the end of August).The new Avenger is, in short, … Read more
Only four recalls made it to the NHTSA mailing this week. Genesis had various 2021-2022 vehicles with fuel pump failures that could cause “loss of drive power” or, as old-timers say, stalling. Toyota had the wrong load-carrying capacity cards installed in 2023 Tundras. Kia had rear-view cameras which may not work in 2019 Sorentos, and … Read more
The minivan famously arrived in 1983, for the 1984 model year, starting with a Mitsubishi-engined Plymouth Voyager which was followed by a Dodge Caravan*. But it could have started by 1976 or 1977. According to artist Dennis Kline, minivan work started around 1972…
The Windsor minivan plant has cancelled all production for today without giving a reason. Skilled trades and employees engaged in launching new vehicles were called in for work.
The UAW has struck a number of Stellantis parts distribution centers, which will start to impact dealers trying to get service parts and may impact factories as well. However, the company has a large inventory of minivans at dealerships, so the production stoppage might not be related to the strike.
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
Jack Benny, a vaudeville master of ceremonies with a suave manner and self-deprecating jokes, went on the radio in 1932 radio show. He was to become a legend, inspiring Johnny Carson, other comedians, and at least one Shakespearean actor….
Automotive News recently published an overview of where each American automaker stands in labor negotiations. This is a summary of how Stellantis and the UAW agree and differ, starting with their analysis and continuing beyond it.Salaries. The most salient point is that Stellantis wants to give a 10% raise now, and 10% over the next … Read more
Yesterday, a rumor that Stellantis was planning to sell the Chrysler Technology Center, whose campus also houses the American headquarters, made the rounds—and turned out to be both accurate and possibly a little misleading.
The rumor was all the more credible after Ford chose to move its engineering headquarters from Dearborn to a brand new campus in Mexico, an oddly under-reported event which though covered by the Reuters news service didn’t make many front pages. Yesterday, in the absence of official comments
Three plants are listed in the 18 former Chrysler sites set for closure, and a recent, unconfirmed leak claims the state-of-the-art Chrysler Technology Center and headquarters campus may be listed as being for sale….
A new Dodge Challenger prototype has been spotted within the company, according to a stellpower source. Over a year ago, a different source said the “LB” body Challenger would boast a choice of Hurricane straight-six or full-electric power; a “4xe” style setup is also possible, and the Pentastar V6 could well make a comeback as a low-cost entry-level engine to keep the starting price low. Another low-end option would be the Hurricane Four.
There was a single Stellantis recall this past week, for loose battery cables which can cause fires in the 2023-24 Hornet and Tonale. Fewer than 5,000 vehicles were involved, all plug-in hybrids; the 12-volt battery positive cable and/or high voltage connector may be loose, causing fires while parked.In other recalls, 2024 BMW crossover knee airbags … Read more
As the clock on a strike wound down, the UAW dropped its 46% wage increase to 36% and Stellantis finally matched GM’s offer of a 20% increase. This would include a quick 10% raise to counter the inflation of the past year and four annual increases which would total around 10%. The result would be … Read more
The fight over Chrysler’s Trenton Engine plant continues.
In the early 1950s, needing a vast number of V8 engines, Chrysler built the Trenton Engine Plant. Over time the plant made 426 Hemis, 383s, and such, along with enormous numbers of slant sixes; then they moved to four-cylinders and finally V6 engines. Today,…
