1983 Chrysler Lebaron Mark Cross Convertible 2-door 2.2l on 2040-cars

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Stellantis dealers plead that letting Chrysler die is not an option

Executives and dealers have recently cautioned that a dark cloud looms over Chrysler's horizon, and figuring out why doesn't require an MBA from Stanford. And yet, Stellantis dealers say bright days could be ahead, if only the company reinvigorates the Detroit-based brand with long-awaited and much-needed new products. "This whole thing started with Chrysler. I don't want to get emotional about a brand, that's not the case. But, I don't want to see a brand like that left at the sideline and just thrown out to pasture," said David Kelleher, the head of the Stellantis National Dealer Council, in an interview with industry trade journal Automotive News. Kelleher added he would feel "violated" if the 96-year-old carmaker shut down. Keeping it around is relatively easy, but transforming it into a thriving business is far more difficult. Years of underinvestment have crippled the brand. It's almost exclusively dependent on North America, where it sells two models: the 300 and the Pacifica/Voyager duo. Sales in the United States totaled 110,464 units in 2020, down from 126,971 in 2019. To add perspective, Ram, Jeep, and Dodge sold 624,642, 795,313 and 267,328 units, respectively, in 2020.  While enthusiasts and analysts understandably worried Chrysler would die under Stellantis, Kelleher opined that the merger between Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) and PSA Group can make the brand stronger. Products and technology from the French side of the partnership can be leveraged to help Chrysler expand its range and increase its sales while keeping development costs in check, he said. He stopped short of revealing which vehicles he has in mind, but his comments are interesting because PSA's lineup is almost entirely made of up small, European-flavored cars that are diametrically opposed to the models Chrysler's reputation is built on.  Hatchbacks are dropping like flies in the American market, so putting a Chrysler badge on, say, a Peugeot 208 and bringing it to America is out of the question. Wagons are unpopular, too, which leaves crossovers and SUVs. Oddly, the Chrysler brand is not represented in one of the most popular market segments in the United States. PSA doesn't dabble in burly SUVs, like the Jeep Grand Cherokee, but it does small crossovers reasonably well. Could Chrysler move into the space occupied by the Toyota C-HR and the Hyundai Kona, among others?

FCA adds Apple CarPlay and Android Auto to Uconnect

Fiat Chrysler Automobiles has three showcases ready for this week's Consumer Electronics Show. The spotlight reveal is a "glimpse" of the fourth-generation Uconnect system, which now gets Apple CarPlay and Google's Android Auto. They lead the advances due to be rolled out this year, which include beefier internals for faster startup and processing, the next evolution of the Uconnect navigation system, capacitive touchscreens, and higher resolution screens. Going beyond the vehicle, a concept display will present solutions to help drivers achieve "Car. Life. Balance." That means, as we've heard before, a car that knows what you want before you realized you wanted it via monitoring your driving habits, communicating with other vehicles and traffic infrastructure, and prioritizing information in certain situations to keep the driver from being overwhelmed. A Waze-like community of road knowledge is also on the menu, and it allows for tagging of tag street conditions to inform other vehicles, and a follow-me mode where people can "request to follow other vehicles." Government types will want to scope out the 2016 Dodge Charger Pursuit with an exclusive Uconnect system boasting a 12.1-inch screen and enhanced resolution that can speak to the officer's mobile computer. Have a read of the press release below for more details. FCA Announces New Fourth-Generation Uconnect® Systems at 2016 Consumer Electronics Show in Las VegasLatest technology advancements help provide Car. Life. Balance.• Uconnect team announces fourth-generation Uconnect systems featuring improved performance; Apple CarPlay and Android Auto™ will be available globally in select models during 2016• CES attendees will experience a digital technology concept display that explores future intelligent transportation• FCA exhibit to feature concept brought to reality, the Uconnect 12.1-inch built-in touchscreen that enables integration of law enforcement computer systems with the industry standard Uconnect touchscreen systemJanuary 4, 2016 - Fiat Chrysler Automobiles N.V. and its subsidiary FCA US LLC are heading to the 2016 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas with a display featuring the latest technology advancements in FCA vehicles and will provide a glimpse of the new fourth-generation Uconnect system featuring Apple CarPlay and Android Auto."The Uconnect team is evolving Uconnect and making it even better," said Joni Christensen, Head of Uconnect Marketing, FCA US LLC.

Jeep hiring 1,000 part-time workers in Toledo on Wrangler, Cherokee demand

The new Jeep Cherokee has been quite a success for Chrysler, but its factory workers are getting tired. The automaker has agreed to hire up to 1,000 part-time, temporary employees at its Toledo Assembly Complex where the CUV and Wrangler are built. It will allow the company to keep Jeep production moving, while giving laborers a break.
According to plant manager Chuck Padden in the Toledo Blade, full-time workers are regularly taking on 60 hours a week, and it's beginning to wear on them. "To get them more time off is important to us, to make sure they're refreshed, and can work safely," said Padden.
Chrysler has already hired 380 temporary, part-time workers for the plant, and 50 have been converted to full-time employees. The company is in the process of interviewing the rest of the new hires now and plans to have all 1,000 in place by the summer. They will work between 10 and 30 hours a week mostly on weekends for $15.78 per hour with limited benefits. The temporary positions will last "as long as demand continues for the Jeep Wrangler and the Jeep Cherokee," said Jodi Tinson, Chrysler spokesperson for manufacturing and labor communications, to Autoblog in an email.