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Feds investigating FCA sales fraud focusing on strange code word

The US government is currently investigating Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) over the possibility of sales fraud, and according to The Wall Street Journal, the investigation has revealed a strange phrase about a nonexistent "unnatural acts department." People knowledgeable about the term told The Wall Street Journal that this phrase was a "rallying cry." Basically, if it looked like the company, region, or dealer wasn't going to hit sales targets, this was a sign that some outside-the-box sales solutions were needed. People told the news outlet those solutions could include selling cars at a loss or having the dealer buy a fleet of customer test-drive cars. However, this could also be evidence of some less savory ways to boost sales. In addition to the investigation, the company is already facing at least one lawsuit from a dealer group that alleges it would bribe dealers to pad monthly sales figures. FCA had an incentive to maintain sales numbers as well, considering that it was claiming a long streak of increasing sales. Under scrutiny recently, the company changed its sales reporting practices and numbers for previous years. Under the old reporting methods, it was possible for dealers to sell cars, report the sales, and then cancel or "unwind" the sales later. This wouldn't count as a lost sale, but the car also couldn't be recorded as another sale later. As a result, an unscrupulous dealer could have hypothetically used it to "sell" a car one month and "unwind" it the next. If FCA knew about this, it's also possible the company could have pushed dealers to use the system for false sales, something the Feds theorize may be related to the "unnatural acts department" phrase. It's still entirely possible this "unnatural acts department" was just a corporate term for thinking of creative ways to meet sales goals. And selling cars at a loss is definitely unnatural for businesses that are trying to make money. Whatever the phrase truly meant to dealers, it certainly is bizarre. Related Video: News Source: The Wall Street JournalImage Credit: GIUSEPPE CACACE/AFP/Getty Images Government/Legal Chrysler Fiat FCA fiat chrysler automobiles fca us investigation

2020 Chrysler Pacifica Review & Buying Guide | A marvelous minivan

The 2020 Chrysler Pacifica is one of our favorite minivans, and the plug-in hybrid version, the Pacifica Hybrid, is even better. Roomy, comfortable and — dare we say — stylish, itÂ’s good enough to at least garner consideration from folks who would otherwise not be caught dead driving a minivan. It also offers a ton of standard and optional features to make life better for the driver up front all the way back to the kids seated in the comfy third row. While the well-mannered and techy Honda Odyssey is also worth cross shopping, we think the Pacifica is practical and enjoyable enough that weÂ’d even choose it over a lot of three-row crossovers. What's new for 2020? For the 2020 model year, Chrysler drops the L and LX trims, replacing them with a budget minivan that bears its own nameplate — the Chrysler Voyager — and starts at $28,480. That means the cheapest Pacifica you can get is the Limited trim, starting at $35,240. There are also a few extra features added here and there to the various trim levels, but nothing major apart from the flashy Red S Appearance Package available on the Limited versions of both the Pacifica and Pacifica Hybrid. This gets red and black Nappa leather upholstery, grey contrast stitching and piping, some red S emblems inside and out black 20-inch alloy wheels (18-inch on the Hybrid), Harman Kardon sound system and an advanced safety package. There are more significant changes in store of the Pacifica later this year when the 2021 model arrives, including some design tweaks and the addition of available all-wheel drive. What's the Pacifica interior and in-car technology like? The Pacifica interior is a lovely place to spend time. Up front, thereÂ’s plenty of room to stretch out, and lots of places to stash items within easy reach. WeÂ’re big fans of the huge cupholders, which are capacious enough to house two 32-ounce Nalgene water bottles side by side. The materials are nice, with good attention to detail. We were quite fond of the perforated leather seats, smooth leather steering wheel and attractive stitching in our long-term Pacifica Hybrid tester. As for tech, thereÂ’s plenty, and itÂ’s good. We like the big multimedia touchscreen in the center stack, and find this iteration of ChryslerÂ’s Uconnect multimedia system to be intuitive and responsive. The Pacifica offers a number of helpful driver aids, including adaptive cruise control and plenty of parking cameras.

Toledo continues fight for Jeep Wrangler production, despite mayor's death

Where will the next-generation Jeep Wrangler be built? That's an open question, but it's one that the city of Toledo, OH desperately wants to be the answer to. The city suffered a major blow, though, with the death of Mayor Michael Collins earlier this month. Collins had been the city's biggest champion during talks with Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, before suffering a fatal heart attack on Feb. 6. But Collins' tragic death isn't dampening the city's desire to carry on as the home of the Wrangler. "The mayor's passing is tragic. But on Monday, when I came to work, I knew exactly what I needed to do and exactly what needed to be done," the city's director of development, Matt Sapara, told the Detroit Free Press. According to the Freep, Sapara said Toledo and the state of Ohio have delivered an outline of a development plan that would give FCA the ability to buy an extra 100 acres to expand the factory. This is to help accommodate FCA's targeted output of 300,000 to 350,000 next-generation Wranglers, up from the 240,000 the factory can make now. "Our target in the proposal is to provide a way to increase the production capacity to a number that allows Fiat Chrysler to meet its business model," Sapara told the Freep, adding that the land could be available later this summer. FCA, meanwhile, has shown a somewhat ambivalent attitude towards Toledo production, with CEO Sergio Marchionne openly discussing the pros and cons of continuing to build the Wrangler south of the Michigan border. "We are going to take a very hard look at this without ignoring what these guys have done," Marchionne told the Free Press at last month's Detroit Auto Show, adding that he'd like to keep production there, provided the cost of retooling is comparable to relocating to another facility. Related Video: