Motor Authority - blog Tag: Chrysler/Fiat

News emerging from Europe this week says new Chrysler corporate cousin Alfa Romeo won't be developing a V-8 engine anytime soon, though a quick read in between the lines may shed some light on the issue. Tapping into the corporate parts bin to bring Fiat Multiair technology to Chrysler engines, including the Pentastar V-6, may be a real possibility, as well.

According to the report, an Alfa source told Autocar that, "No front-wheel drive or four-wheel drive Alfa Romeo will use a engine larger than a V6." That is rather conclusive on the point, but it also infers two things: first, that there are more rear-wheel drive Alfa Romeos in the...

News emerging from Europe this week says new Chrysler corporate cousin Alfa Romeo won't be developing a V-8 engine anytime soon, though a quick read in between the lines may shed some light on the issue. Tapping into the corporate parts bin to bring Fiat Multiair technology to Chrysler engines, including the Pentastar V-6, may be a real possibility, as well. According to the report, an Alfa source told Autocar that, "No front-wheel drive or four-wheel drive Alfa Romeo will use a engine larger than a V6." That is rather conclusive on the point, but it also infers two things: first, that there are more rear-wheel drive Alfa Romeos in the works; and second, that V-8s might find homes under their hoods. The Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione, despite its extremely limited production, certainly counts as both rear-wheel drive and V-8-powered. But rumors of an Alfa based on the Chrysler LX platform have been stirring for some time now, opening the door to a more mass-market top-level sedan. Likewise, the limitation to the V-6 engine for the front- and all-wheel-drive models means that tapping into the Multiair variable intake valve programming system found on the MiTo hatchback's four-cylinder unit could improve efficiency and output to levels that would make a V-8 unnecessary in those applications. Expect to find out more details about these topics and other Fiat, Alfa Romeo and Chrysler product sharing plans during the upcoming Chrysler five-year business plan announcement on November 4. Point your browser to our homepage on that Wednesday to catch live coverage of all the important info. [Autocar] Read More

Many in the U.S. have been hoping to receive the wildly popular Fiat 500 minicar for the past couple of years but a lack of interest in small cars has largely held it back. Now, with Fiat's alliance with Chrysler in place the Italian auto giant has a gateway to the lucrative U.S. market and the first model to arrive under the new alliance will be the 500, though it’s launch is still more than a year away.

We can confirm today that the 500 will be sold in Chrysler dealerships and it will be the only Fiat-badged model in the U.S. market. It will come in four different versions, all of which will be manufactured at a Chrysler plant...

Many in the U.S. have been hoping to receive the wildly popular Fiat 500 minicar for the past couple of years but a lack of interest in small cars has largely held it back. Now, with Fiat's alliance with Chrysler in place the Italian auto giant has a gateway to the lucrative U.S. market and the first model to arrive under the new alliance will be the 500, though it’s launch is still more than a year away. We can confirm today that the 500 will be sold in Chrysler dealerships and it will be the only Fiat-badged model in the U.S. market. It will come in four different versions, all of which will be manufactured at a Chrysler plant either in the U.S. or in Toluca, Mexico in late 2010 or early 2011. Mexico is the preferred choice by Fiat because of a free-trade agreement with Brazil. Annual production is expected to top 100,000 units. The four models that will eventually make their way to the U.S., meanwhile, include the regular hatchback, the new 500C convertible, a ‘Giardinetta' wagon, and a high-performance model--possibly the Abarth version currently on sale in Europe. There is also a strong chance that a fifth, AWD SUV version will be launched further down the track. According to Chrysler brand CEO and head of sales for all Chrysler Group brands, Peter Fong, the 500 will likely have a dedicated corner in Chrysler-brand showrooms rather than its own retail network like Mini--the 500’s expected nearest rival. With news of Fiat bringing the 500 to U.S. shores, other automakers may feel compelled to compete with the little hatch. This could mean that we'll be seeing Ford's Ka coming to the States around the same time as the two cars share the same platform. [AutoNews, sub req'd] Read More

We've all been eagerly awaiting the change at Chrysler that's certain to come with Fiat taking the helm, and with a number of Alfa Romeo and Fiat models already in the pipeline, the company is now talking brand strategy. And that's what has Chrysler's Peter Fong talking about surpassing Lincoln and Cadillac.

Pushing the Chrysler brands farther apart, with larger price and feature gaps to distinguish the Dodge from Chrysler means Dodge will be eying sportier traits, while Chrysler vehicles will move further upscale in the luxury arena. But Chrysler isn't aiming just to take on Cadillac and Lincoln--it wants to beat them.

That means pushing...

We've all been eagerly awaiting the change at Chrysler that's certain to come with Fiat taking the helm, and with a number of Alfa Romeo and Fiat models already in the pipeline, the company is now talking brand strategy. And that's what has Chrysler's Peter Fong talking about surpassing Lincoln and Cadillac. Pushing the Chrysler brands farther apart, with larger price and feature gaps to distinguish the Dodge from Chrysler means Dodge will be eying sportier traits, while Chrysler vehicles will move further upscale in the luxury arena. But Chrysler isn't aiming just to take on Cadillac and Lincoln--it wants to beat them. That means pushing the Chrysler brand, "a notch above Lincoln, a notch above Cadillac," says Peter Fong, president and CEO of the brand. That will necessitate a big move up-market as Cadillac is already ahead and is progressing quickly to improve its own products and luxury status with cars like the SRX, CTS sedan, coupe and wagon and the upcoming XTS flagship. How, exactly, Chrysler plans to do that has not been revealed. The full product plan to back up this new strategy is scheduled for release in November. Though the 200C electric vehicle revealed at this year's Detroit Auto Show isn't headed to production, it is a preview of the upcoming design language for the brand revival, so expect any new products to share some hints borrowed from that vehicle, including possible Chrysler-branded Alfa and Fiat variants. Dodge will move further from Chrysler by focusing on offering sporty vehicles, emphasizing performance while balancing that against the new fuel economy and emissions mandates. Jeep will remain largely unchanged, though its recent focus on the more car-like smaller segments with vehicles like the Compass and Patriot will grow. [Auto News - sub. req.] Read More

Though Sergio Marchionne joined Jim Press at the top of the Chrysler executive food chain when Fiat made its investment in the company, the Deputy CEO position was thought to be a solid one until today. Reports claiming that Press will be leaving the company by the end of the year are spreading, and the company isn't denying it.

It does stand to reason that Press would like to move on with his career now that the transition from bankruptcy to Fiat-based management is effectively complete. Press, formerly vice-chairman and president at Chrysler, was the only top-tier Chrysler executive to survive that transition, and serving as advisor to...

Though Sergio Marchionne joined Jim Press at the top of the Chrysler executive food chain when Fiat made its investment in the company, the Deputy CEO position was thought to be a solid one until today. Reports claiming that Press will be leaving the company by the end of the year are spreading, and the company isn't denying it. It does stand to reason that Press would like to move on with his career now that the transition from bankruptcy to Fiat-based management is effectively complete. Press, formerly vice-chairman and president at Chrysler, was the only top-tier Chrysler executive to survive that transition, and serving as advisor to Marchionne is a job that can only go so far. During his time at Chrysler, Press fought hard, against the prevailing weight of the market and economy, to help change perceptions about Chrysler's brands, including Dodge, Jeep and Chrysler itself.Officials at Chrysler won't confirm or deny the reports of Press's impending departure, but the fact that they aren't being vehemently denied tends to speak for itself. Where Press might head next - either within the automotive industry or without - isn't yet clear. His entire career has been in the automotive sector, however, with his stint as Chrysler's co-chief preceded by a 37-year run at Toyota. The 62-year-old Press has not commented on the matter yet either. [The Wall Street Journal] Read More

The web is already buzzing with the snake-branded American supercar's potential benefit from Chrysler's new association with Ferrari parent company Fiat. The latest rumor? A Ferrari-derived V-10 powerplant in the works for the next-gen Dodge Viper.

Just a few months ago Chrysler was trying to sell off the Viper brand and its factory as the dark veil of bankruptcy descended. But now the future looks bright, with CEO Sergio Marchionne professing a desire to see the brand live on and now the latest talk of a Prancing Horse-inspired mill.

Originating with anonymous Fiat sources cited by Car and Driver, the reports are still anything but...

The web is already buzzing with the snake-branded American supercar's potential benefit from Chrysler's new association with Ferrari parent company Fiat. The latest rumor? A Ferrari-derived V-10 powerplant in the works for the next-gen Dodge Viper. Just a few months ago Chrysler was trying to sell off the Viper brand and its factory as the dark veil of bankruptcy descended. But now the future looks bright, with CEO Sergio Marchionne professing a desire to see the brand live on and now the latest talk of a Prancing Horse-inspired mill. Originating with anonymous Fiat sources cited by Car and Driver, the reports are still anything but official. Still, the talk of a turning the Viper from the little-known brute-force powerhouse it is now into the brand-defining halo car for Dodge is an attractive one for enthusiasts. The V10 engine at the heart of all this speculation would be a two-cylinder extension of the Fiat family V8. With 90-degree cylinder banks and pushrod-actuated valves, the Viper version would be a bit of a cross-breed, skipping the high-tech flat-plane crank found in the Ferrari version. Of course, the original Viper V-10 was born of collaboration with Lamborghini, so it's oddly appropriate another Italian supercar maker should help out this time around. The current 600-horsepower, 8.4-liter V-10 in the 2009 Viper SRT10 uses Mechadyne variable cam timing and pushrod valve actuation, so it's certainly not anything that would hold the car back. After all, the Dodge Viper SRT10 ACR is the current unofficial Nurburgring production car lap record holder with a time of 7:22.1 - over four seconds quicker than the 2009 Corvette ZR1 or 2010 Nissan GT-R. [Car and Driver] Read More

The Supreme Court has approved the sale of substantially all of Chrysler's assets to Fiat, helping to finalize their alliance as well as the American automaker’s bankruptcy proceedings. Approval was given for the $2 billion sale of the assets to a new company that will be 68% controlled by a healthcare trust aligned with the United Auto Workers (UAW) union. Fiat will control 20%, while the U.S. and Canadian governments will control the remaining 12%.

Objectors to the deal had included a group of Indiana pension funds holding secured debt, some of the 789 dealerships Chrysler plans to reject, and consumer groups. They had argued that... The Supreme Court has approved the sale of substantially all of Chrysler's assets to Fiat, helping to finalize their alliance as well as the American automaker’s bankruptcy proceedings. Approval was given for the $2 billion sale of the assets to a new company that will be 68% controlled by a healthcare trust aligned with the United Auto Workers (UAW) union. Fiat will control 20%, while the U.S. and Canadian governments will control the remaining 12%. Objectors to the deal had included a group of Indiana pension funds holding secured debt, some of the 789 dealerships Chrysler plans to reject, and consumer groups. They had argued that Chrysler was moving too quickly, that the sale violated bankruptcy principals and that the company was needlessly closing hundreds of its dealerships. The Supreme Court rejected their challenge, stating that the objectors "have not carried the burden" to justify such action and that the court's action was not a decision on the merits of the underlying legal issues alone. The only alternative to approving the sale would have been the immediate liquidation of the automaker, reports Automotive News. Chrysler, as well as the Obama administration, urged the Supreme Court to allow the sale to go forward and said a long delay could either kill the deal or worsen its chances of viability, potentially jeopardizing more than 38,000 jobs. In the lead up to its bankruptcy, Chrysler was forced to close all of its plants and leave thousands of vehicles, engines and components unfinished. This led to the fears that important model launches, like the redesigned Jeep Grand Cherokee and next-generation Chrysler 300, could be delayed. The sale of Chrysler’s assets to the newly established Chrysler Group is expected to take place by June 15, a date that couldn’t come sooner as it’s estimated that the delays are costing Chrysler upwards of $100 million a day. Read More