Tag Archives: chrysler
Ex-Fiat Boss Sergio Marchionne Dies At 66
Tributes are pouring in for former Fiat Chrysler Automobiles CEO Sergio Marchionne who died on Wednesday after complications from a shoulder surgery. The former chief executive of FCA and architect of the brand’s dramatic turnaround was 66 when he died.
Marchionne died in a hospital in Zurich less than a week after he has been replaced as CEO of FCA. This report was confirmed through a statement from Exor NV, the holding company of Fiat’s founding Agnelli family. Marchionne’s health deteriorated following complications from a shoulder surgery done in late June.
In another statement, FCA chairman John Elkann, who was unaware of Marchionne’s deteriorating health prior to the surgery, said that him and his family “will be forever grateful for what he has done.”
His death left a wide gaping hole in the succession for FCA CEO because he and Elkann have not discussed a possible heir to the company. On July 21, during an emergency meeting of the FCA’s board of directors, Mike Manley, formerly of Jeep and Ram brands, succeeded Marchionne as CEO. Louis C. Camilleri will take over the operations of Ferrari while Suzanne Heywood will succeed Marchionne as chairman of truck and farm-equipment maker CNH Industrial NV.
Some Italian reports said Marchionne had been suffering from a rare form of cancer, but people close to the former FCA boss said he died of cardiac arrest and did not have cancer.
Marchionne was responsible for boosting the company’s value by more than 10-fold. When he first joined the company, he restructured the auto business and separated the assets. One of his major moves was the 2015 listing of supercar-maker Ferrari NV, where he was also CEO and chairman.
He had a no-nonsense attitude when it comes to his job but his partners and his employees have come to love that about the man who former Ford Motor Co. chairman Bill Ford called was “one of the most respected leaders in the industry.”
Marchionne and his estranged wife, Orlandina, had two children, Alessio and Tyler. His partner, Manuela Battezzato, works in Fiat Chrysler’s press office.
S Appearance Package Adds Oomph To The 2019 Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid
If you want to look cool while picking up your kids from soccer practice or hauling groceries to the trunk of your new minivan, then you should probably check out the 2019 Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid that just got the S Appearance Package treatment.
This July, the automaker will start offering the minivan in the S Appearance package. The success of that same package being offered in the gasoline combustion version of the auto last fall triggered the decision to introduce the upgrades also in the hybrid version of the Chrysler Pacifica.
The updates will mostly be the same as on the gas versions. Buyers of the S package will get the same exterior gloss black accents, including grille surrounds, eyebrow headlamp accents, and window and rear valance moldings. The Chrysler wing badges, placed on the front and rear, are done also in black for the hybrid version, it comes with a special teal insert to highlight the green accents. There’s also the “Black Noise” finish on the Pacifica, S, and eHybrid badges, and the black roof rack and 18-inch wheels will come as standard.
The interior of the S Appearance package has black seats with gray accents, as well as the S logo, light gray stitching, and black accents on the wheel. There are also light gray stitching and the Anodized Ice Cave bezels on the instrument panel and the door trim. If we didn’t mention what element of the cabin you are waiting for, know that it has been wrapped in black. Everything, except for the contrast stitching and badges, has been blacked out.
The S Appearance Package on the 2019 Pacifica Hybrid models can be had with any exterior paint color, not just black. Orders will start next month for $595. It will arrive in dealerships in the fall.
Jeep Wrangler To Arrive In Showrooms In April 2019
The new Jeep Wrangler will hit dealers’ showrooms in April 2019, that’s the only piece of information we got from the four-hour-long conference that Fiat-Chrysler dealers had last week. The production for the pickup will begin in the fourth quarter of this year, so it makes sense that availability in showrooms will only start April next year.
What we are waiting for, though, is a look at the bedded Jeep minus the camouflage that we have seen it is wrapped in less than eight weeks ago. There are rumors, and we’re pretty sure there’s a bit of truth to this, that the official introduction will happen at the LA Auto Show this November to December. If previous timelines are to be the basis, this makes sense since the standard Wrangler only broke cover a year ago (by November).
Though we’re anticipating for the November introduction, we don’t know exactly what to expect. We don’t even know under what name this new pickup will be released. Jeep has kept everything under wraps. But based on all the spy shots and leaks we have heard and seen, the Jeep will be a four-door Unlimited with a short bed. Though there are rumors that it will be a two-door Wrangler pickup, these remain mere speculations up to now.
The powertrain options might be the same as the others in the lineup: a 2.0-liter turbo four-cylinder that can deliver 268 horses, a 3.6-liter Pentastar V6 that produces 285 horsepower, and a 3.0-liter EcoDiesel V6 with 442 pound-feet of torque.
Sergio Marchionne, Fiat-Chrysler’s CEO, expects 100,000 Wrangler pickups to be sold each year starting April 2019. If reached, that would mean a 56-percent increase in Wrangler’s current US and European volume.
The last Wrangler pickup was the 1986 CJ-8 Scrambler but in April 2019, the Wrangler will join the likes of Chevrolet Colorado, Toyota Tacoma, Honda Ridgeline, Nissan Frontier, and the new Ford Ranger. The Wrangler, however, will still be the only one to offer a convertible top.
Here are the latest spy shots of the upcoming Jeep Wrangler from Autoblog:
Chrysler Has A New Pacifica-Based Crossover SUV Coming
It looks like Chrysler is adding up to its lineup with a crossover SUV based on the Pacifica minivan. That is quite ironic since the brand repurposed the old Chrysler Pacifica crossover’s name for a minivan and then later on, that very same van yielded another crossover.
The information that FCA CEO Sergio Marchionne revealed in his interview with MotorTrend is an exciting development from Chryler. That’s because nothing much is going on with the brand in the past months, except for the departure of the 200.
With only the 300 and the Pacifica currently in its lineup, Chrysler is looking to market its brand to another market—specifically, people who doesn’t want either a large sedan or a minivan. Both these segments are giving up their share of the market for the crossover, which will have three rows and will reportedly in 18 months.
This is the right step for Chrysler since companies like Subaru and Volkswagen have also expanded their market to that of the crossover segment. The decision, of course, to use a Pacifica-based crossover will be beneficial to the crossover’s market. After all, a Pacifica platform offers more advantages than spewing just another model.
There are some “unique opportunities” in store for the new crossover since it will be using the Pacifica platform. Finally, we could have a crossover that has a spacious cargo and passenger space. There is also the possibility of adapting the PHEV powertrain to the new crossover.
Plug-in crossovers haven’t been tried by “ordinary” brands, except for Mitsubishi, though the Japanese automaker only tried the plug-in variant with its luxurious Outlander PHEV. That being said, the Chrysler has a chance to offer a larger PHEV than the Outlander.
Chrysler 300 Cruises the Streets of Gotham City
If you’re a fan of the Batman franchise, you’re probably anxiously awaiting the arrival of the upcoming Batman film, The Dark Night Rises, but you may also be wondering what connection a Chrysler300 with the has movie. As it turns out, fictional characters in the film drive the stylish 2012 Chrysler 300.
In anticipation of the film’s premiere next month, Chrysler is asking fans to participate in a very special contest, which is spearheaded by its “Imported From Gotham City” television ads. A spin on the traditional “Imported from Detroit” ad tagline, the new slogan highlights the partnership between the luxury auto brand and the film, as well as a specially-modified 300.
As part of the contest, Chrysler has asked fans to use music from the movie’s trailer and Chrysler 300S footage to design their own T.V. ad spots. Chrysler will take submissions until June 29th for the unique contest. Once the submission process is over, Chrysler will instate a four-day voting period for the general public to pick three finalists. Then, Christopher Nolan, director of the film, will choose a winner based on the following qualities: creativity, memorability, originality, and effectiveness. The winner will then Work with a professional editor, then visit NYC for the red carpet premiere of the film. The winning ad will also be aired on national television the week of the film’s release: July 20, 2012.
The Chrysler 300S, as pictured in the film and ad spot, is blacked-out from the inside out and features several chrome elements. It packs missiles behind its grille and also sports a jet turbine at its rear and super sporty alloy wheels. And, though it’s been revealed that the vehicle plays an important role in the film, its official role/driver have yet to be disclosed.
Do you have plans to see the new film? If so, be sure to keep your eyes peeled for the modified 300! In the meantime, feel free to read our reviews about this impressive vehicle and to watch the spot at your leisure!