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Ferrari, Fiat, McLaren, Nissan join coronavirus ventilator efforts

Siare Engineering, Italy's largest manufacturer of hospital ventilators, has turned to Italian automakers Ferrari and Fiat to investigate the possibility that the automakers might help produce more of the live-saving machines that are urgently needed to fight the coronavirus pandemic. The Italian government has asked Siare to increase ventilator production from 160 per month to 500 as the country's death toll has surpassed 3,400 and is climbing rapidly.  "We're talking to Fiat Chrysler, Ferrari and Marelli to try to understand if they can lend us a hand in this process for the electronics part," Gianluca Preziosa, Siare's chief executive said in an interview quoted by Reuters, adding that the car companies' expertise in electronics and pneumatics could make them ideal partners. Preziosa said that another advantage of partnering with carmakers was their purchasing power, making them more likely to obtain parts that his small firm was struggling to secure amid coronavirus-related disruption to global supply chains. A spokesman for Exor, parent of both FCA and Ferrari, said that meetings with Siare had taken place on Thursday to study the feasibility of the idea and that a decision was expected in the coming hours. Two main options were being considered: either to help Siare engineer a capacity increase at its plant, with the support of technicians provided by FCA and Ferrari, or outsource production of ventilator parts to the carmakers' facilities. A source familiar with the matter told Reuters that Ferrari would be ready to start manufacturing ventilator parts in its famous Maranello headquarters, which lies close to the Siare factory, but that the luxury carmaker had yet to make a final decision. Automakers worldwide are being drafted for ventilator duty. In addition to Ford and GM making plans with the U.S. government; British Prime Minister Boris Johnson reaching out to Ford, Honda and Rolls-Royce; and an Elon Musk tweeted offer to build ventilators "if there is a shortage," other automakers and aerospace companies are joining in. In Europe, three groups have formed. Meggitt, which builds components including oxygen systems for civil aerospace and military fighter programs, is leading one consortium alongside engineers GKN, Thales and Renishaw. The other two teams are being led by carmakers McLaren, which is looking at how to design a simple version of a ventilator, and Nissan, which is working with others to support existing ventilator producers.

Chrysler Airflow EV concept teased with new nose ahead of NY Auto Show

Chrysler is once again teasing its battery-electric Airflow concept. The company has issued a new image ahead of its official debut at the New York Auto Show later this week. The rendering, as well as language in the accompanying release, indicates that Chrysler may have redesigned the concept before a production version even hits the market. The latest image shows a long, thin light bar at the Airflow's nose, with acute angles just before the headlight to create a bit of a "lightning bolt" zig-zag. There's also a wide, U-shaped graphic below the bar, and a "grille" featuring a pattern of slits that surrounds the bar. Previous Airflow images from Chrysler — released as recently as January at CES — have shown a very different front end. There, a differently shaped bar was broken up by a stylized Chrysler logo, done up in an outline of the traditional wings. The ends of the bar extended to the edges of the headlights without any sharp angles. It also appeared to have a different grille texture above and below the bar. "Chrysler will unveil a new look for the brandÂ’s all-electric Chrysler Airflow Concept at the 2022 New York International Auto Show," the press release states. The same statement also refers to "a potential design path on the brandÂ’s journey to an all-electric future." The Airflow is the latest in a slew of luxury models promised by automakers trying to re-invent their brands by going electric. It is named after the revolutionary 1934 Airflow, the first automobile to employ aerodynamics in its design. Though not a commercial success, it is credited with forever changing automotive styling principles. Although EVs are no longer avant-garde, Chrysler seems to hope that the new Airflow will make as dramatic a change in the industry, or at least revive the brand.

FCA to idle Belvidere Jeep plant again for a week in February

Bloomberg reports that Fiat Chrysler will shut down the Belvidere, Ill., plant that assembles the Jeep Cherokee for a week this month, starting February 17. FCA has been tweaking the plant's headcount and production schedule for a while now, usually downward. The automaker laid off 1,371 workers last February and fired 32 more in May, the same month it eliminated the third production shift. In August, the automaker shut down the plant for one week, then did so again for two weeks last month. As in August and January, FCA explained this month's idling by saying it needs to get production in alignment with demand. Cherokee sales declined 20% in the U.S. last year, helping to account for Jeep's overall 5% domestic drop in 2019. On top of the shutdown, FCA is offering buyouts to certain plant workers among the 3,600 hourly and 300 salaried personnel. The choices are either taking a "separation package" that comes with a $60,000 lump sum payment, or accepting voluntary termination that pays a lump sum based on seniority. Employees that choose a buyout can't return to Chrysler, becoming no longer "eligible for recall, rehire or reemployment." Belvidere personnel have until March 11 to make their decisions. Bloomberg says the aim is to reduce the number of workers with more seniority and higher pay grades; a company spokesperson said the move would "create opportunities for those employees still on layoff," who were lesser-paid. Around 900 of those laid-off workers remain on standby for reassignment to another plant. Analysts predict a soft year for car sales, so FCA might not be the only automaker pruning the rolls. Early estimates have come in below 17 million, and if that comes true, 2020 will be the slowest year since 2014, when 16,531,070 units left lots. The new contract between FCA and the UAW made provisions for Belvidere, which has tempered talk of a total shutdown.The automaker will invest $55 million for "fresh models/features off of the current (KL) platform" that underpins the Cherokee as well as the Chinese-market Jeep Grand Commander (it was previously used for the Dodge Dart and Chrysler 200). Outside of that, some observers think the carmaker could be planning a three-row Chrysler crossover based on the KL platform, akin to the Grand Commander, for the United States. Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.