Fiat Group Lowers 2012 Sales Estimate by Half a Million Units

A funny t-shirt slogan reads “aim low, achieve your targets, avoid disappointment”. But it would probably be best if you didn’t give it as a Christmas present to Fiat CEO Sergio Marchionne.

The reason is that the Italian group has lowered its 2012 sales forecast of 2.7 million units by a substantial amount; the new target for next year is 2.2 million, 500,000 units short of the original estimate presented in the group's 5-year plan.

The good news is that its partner, Chrysler, is expected to hit its 2.4-million sales target. Adding up the numbers brings the Fiat-Chrysler combined sales projection for 2012 to 4.6 million units.

Read more »

Stunning 1954 DeSoto Adventurer II Concept going under the Hammer

On display alongside hundreds of classic vehicles to be auctioned off at the 41st annual Barrett-Jackson event in Scottsdale, Arizona, in January, will be a 1954 DeSoto Adventurer II Coupe Concept.

The one-off study, which is generally touted as one of the greatest concept cars ever made, was designed by Ghia's Luigi Segre and Giovanni Savonuzzi with the Chrysler Group's head designer at the time, Virgil Exner, believed to have contributed to some extent.

Read more »

Will China’s New Tariffs Really Harm Foreign Manufacturers Like GM?

Yesterday, the Chinese Ministry of Commerce announced that a new tax is imposed on U.S.-made vehicles with a motor capacity of 2.5-liters and above, effective today, December 15.

The so-called “anti-dumping” duties imposed not just on U.S. carmakers, but all companies that manufacture cars in the United States, were imposed because the Chinese authorities felt that U.S. imports were “damaging the local car industry”.

Most analysts, on the other hand, agree that this is China’s response to the World Trade Organization rejecting its appeal on U.S. duties on imported tires three months earlier.

Read more »

China Slaps New Duties on U.S.-Made Cars because it’s Damaging its Domestic Industry!

Another chapter in the tense relationship between the world’s two biggest economies, those of the United States and China, has opened today with the announcement by Chinese authorities of new duties on U.S.-made cars that are imported into the country.

Reuters reported that the Commerce ministry of China said on its website that the measure, which imposes “anti-dumping” and “countervailing” duties on cars with an engine capacity of 2.5-liters and above, is effective tomorrow, December 15, and will last for two years.

Read more »

Chrysler Reopens Conner Plant to Produce All-New 2013 SRT Viper, Sales Start Next Year

It was July 2, 2010, when the last Dodge Viper SRT10 rolled off the assembly lines of the Chrysler Group's Conner Avenue Assembly Plant in Detroit. The end of production also meant that the facility was idled for the last 17 months.

But that's about to change as today, Chrysler announced that it will reopen the Conner plant for the production of the next generation SRT Viper, which will be unwrapped at the 2012 New York Auto Show in April before it goes on sale later in the year.

Read more »

2013 Dodge Dart Compact Sedan: First Official Shots of the Interior

Last week, the Chrysler Group gave us our first look at the exterior details of the brand-new 2013 Dodge Dart compact sedan with the promise of teasing the interior on December 13.

True to its word, the Detroit automaker published a fresh batch of photos today giving us a sneak peek into the interior of the new Dart saloon, which will officially break cover at the 2012 North American International Auto Show in the second week of January.

The futuristic looking instrument binnacle houses an available 7-inch Thin Film Transistor (TFT) customizable cluster display with a light surround between the analog tachometer and fuel gauge.

On the upper side of the center console, we find the Chrysler Group's UConnect multimedia system sporting an 8.4-inch touchscreen that Dodge says is the largest of its kind in the compact segment.

Read more »

Marchionne Says 2013 Dodge Dart will be Certified at 40mpg, will get 9-Speed Auto

The Chrysler Group gave us our first taste of its sporty looking all-new 2013 Dodge Dart compact sedan on Tuesday with the release of a teaser photo gallery and the initial data on the car's specifications.

The Dart may prove to be one of the most important models in Dodge's recent history not only because it is the first Chrysler product to be based upon a Fiat architecture and in particular, the Alfa Romeo Giulietta, but also because CEO Sergio Marchionne told Reuters that he believes its fuel efficiency will be certified at "40 mpg or more by the end of the month".

The reason why that matters is that, under the deal made with the U.S. government to allow Chrysler to emerge from bankruptcy protection in 2009, the Italian company will receive the final 5 percent of stock if it develops a Fiat-based car that will be built in the U.S. and can get at least 40 miles per gallon.

Read more »

Report: Will the Italian Debt Crisis Force Fiat Out of the Country?

The Fiat Group used to enjoy a strong presence in Europe, and especially in its home market of Italy, where it has traditionally been very strong. But that’s not the case anymore. The debt crisis that is threatening Europe and especially the northern countries has decreased demand significantly, with the Italian car market hitting its lowest point in the last 15 years.

Analysts estimate that Fiat, which in 2011 recorded its worst sales performance in 20 years and is losing nearly 1 billion euros annually, may do the unthinkable: either stop or significantly reduce its 100-year old local operations.

Read more »

New 2013 Dodge Dart Compact Sedan Based on the Alfa Romeo Giulietta

The Chrysler Group has resurrected the Dart nameplate from the 1960s for its new Dodge compact sedan model that will receive its world premiere at the 2012 North American International Auto Show in Detroit in the second week of January.

The new Dart is the first Chrysler Group vehicle to be based upon a Fiat architecture as it makes use of a modified version of the Alfa Romeo Giulietta hatchback's platform named Compact U.S. Wide (CUSW), which has been lengthened and widened to improve interior space.

The Detroit automaker says that 68 percent of the Dart's body is composed of high-strength steel, resulting in a "very strong and rigid structure".

Powering the 2013 Dodge Dart will be three four-cylinder gasoline powerplants including a new Tigershark 2.0-liter unit, a 1.4-liter MultiAir Intercooled Turbo engine that will most likely be shared with the Fiat Abarth 500 in the U.S., and a new Tigershark 2.4-liter MultiAir engine.

Read more »

European Manufacturers Association Elects Sergio Marchionne as its New President

Sergio Marchionne, the CEO of Fiat S.p.A., Chairman and CEO of Fiat Group Automobiles S.p.A., Chairman and CEO of Chrysler Group LLC, as well as Chairman of Fiat Industrial S.p.A. and CNH Global N.V., has just added another title to his lengthy resume.

This past weekend it was announced that Marchionne has been elected 2012 President of the European Automobile Manufacturers Association (ACEA) by the organization's board of directors.

Read more »

Dodge to Drop New Generation 2013 Viper at Next Year's New York Auto Show

The time for the return of the Dodge Viper after a two-year hiatus is almost up. In fact, we'll get our first look at the Chrysler Group's next halo car as early as next April at the 2012 New York International Auto Show.

Chrysler's SRT Brand President and CEO Ralph Gilles made the revelation in an interview with Viper magazine, while Automobile Magazine says that it has also confirmed the news with its sources at Dodge.

Read more »

Marchionne: Maserati will Launch Three New Models Very Soon, Doesn’t Rule Out Alfa Sale if the Price is Right

The Fiat Group may have its share of problems, especially in Europe, yet CEO Sergio Marchionne recently announced that its second most prestigious brand, Maserati, will soon launch no less than three new models.

“Maserati will increase its volumes by having three cars”, said Marchionne after the CBI conference in London last week. According to British publication Car Magazine, Marchionne said that these would be the Kubang SUV, the Quattroporte replacement and a smaller four-door sedanthat will compete in the E-segment against the likes of the Jaguar XF and BMW 5-Series.

Read more »

New Study Reveals the Most Profitable Vehicles in the USA

All carmakers want their vehicles to sell in big numbers. And they make a big fuss out of it when they succeed, especially when they top the sales charts in their respective segments. However, high sale numbers don’t necessarily translate to high profits, especially with the discounts that have become a common practice to draw customers to dealerships.

A recent study conducted by Max Warburton of Bernstein Research, a market trends and analysis firm, reveals which models sold in the U.S. are the most profitable for automakers.

Despite being blamed for almost anything, from the greenhouse effect to the costly bailout a couple of years ago, the study shows that Detroit’s Big Three light-truck models lead the list of the most profitable vehicles in the U.S.

Read more »

Next Chrysler Minivan to be Sold as a Rebadged Dodge Only in Canada

Lately, there has been an abundance of news regarding the Chrysler Group's future plans. About a month ago, the automaker's CEO Sergio Marchionne told reporters that the Chrysler Group would stop selling duplicate offerings to provide each of its brands a stronger and more unique lineup.

As part of the firm's revised plan, Marchionne said at the time that the company would only offer a replacement for the Chrysler Town & Country discarding the Grand Caravan from Dodge's range.

And while that may be true for the U.S. market, the Detroit News is reporting today that the Dodge Grand Caravan will most likely live on in Canada, which would not get the next Town & Country.

Read more »

Ferrari Designer Called Upon by Fiat to Create a Common Styling for Chrysler and Lancia

Platform sharing is nothing new in the automotive world. Everyone does it as it enables companies to reduce development costs across the board. For example, if it weren’t for the VW Touareg, Porsche probably wouldn’t have the means to develop the model that effectively made it a cash cow: the Cayenne.

And truth to be said, most of the times, your average buyer doesn't know what's hiding under the sheetmetal nor if the vehicle in question is identical in many ways to a model bearing a different badge, because what he or she sees and feels are indeed different.

The trouble starts when carmakers engage in blatant badge engineering, simply placing a different grille and a new logo on the steering wheel and calling it something else.

And that's where the problem lies for Fiat and Chrysler. The automotive alliance recently revealed a trio of Lancia models in Europe: the Thema sedan, Flavia Cabrio and the Voyager MPV, which are nothing more than rebadged versions of the Chrysler 300, 200 Convertible and Town & Country respectively.

Read more »

Dodge's Detroit Motor Show-Bound Sedan Model will Not be Called the Hornet

[2006 Dodge Hornet Concept pictured above]

We've known for a while now that Dodge plans to introduce a new compact sedan model based on a Fiat platform that will replace the Caliber at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit next January.

While the company is keeping most of its cards close to its chest, Reid Biglund, head of the Dodge brand told the Detroit News we'll find out more in the coming weeks including the car's name which he says won't be Hornet as some media outlets suggested. "Hornet will not be the name," said Biglund.

Read more »

“See it Through” with “Mannish Boy” in an “Imported from Detroit” Chrysler 300

We'll admit that the title may seem like yours truly forgot to take his meds today – but for better or for worse, that’s not the case. You see, all three quotes come from Chrysler's new 60-second ad that will air on Thanksgiving Day during the Lions-Packers football game.

“See it Through” is a 1917 poem by Michigan poet laureate, Edgar A. Guest. The carmaker says that it's appropriate since it exemplifies the comeback of Detroit and Chrysler.

Read more »

Fiat USA: Out Goes Laura Soave, in Comes Timothy Kuniskis

After a relatively short stint as the head of the Fiat brand in North America that lasted only 20 months, the Chrysler Group announced today that Laura Soave has left the company without giving a reason for her departure.

The Detroit-based automaker issued a statement saying, "Laura Soave has left the Company and will pursue other interests" adding that she will be replaced by Timothy Kuniskis, who recently served as Director for both the Chrysler Brand and Fiat Brand Product Marketing.

Read more »

It's a Detroit Thing: Chrysler 300S 426 HEMI V8 Concept Growls at the LA Auto Show [Video]

Once a staple motto of the American muscle car industry, the "there is no replacement for displacement" school of thought has become somewhat obsolete in today's high-tech world.

Of course this does not mean in any way that we don't appreciate some raw American V8 power, and there's a lot that going on with the conceptual Chrysler 300S 426 that is on display at the 2011 Los Angeles Auto Show.

The concept is a joint project between Chrysler and its Mopar brand, which basically dropped a 426 cubic-inch [equal to 7.0-liters] Hemi V8 crate engine under the hood of a Chrysler 300S.

The company didn't release any performance figures, but our guess is that it's either the all-aluminum 426 Generation III Hemi V8 that is rated at 540 horsepower and 530 lb-ft of torque, or the more recent 426 Gen III High Output HEMI V8 with a monstrous 590-horsepower on tap. Either way, that's a whole lot of ponies…

Read more »