2014 Chrysler 300 Base on 2040-cars

Auto blog

1986 Chrysler LeBaron owned by Lee Iacocca to cross the auction block

Enthusiasts will have the opportunity to bid on an overlooked piece of Chrysler history during the huge Bonhams auction taking place in Scottsdale, Arizona, on January 16. Offered without reserve, this LeBaron Town & Country Convertible was first registered to former Chrysler boss Lee Iacocca, and it has covered only 20,500 miles since. The LeBaron Town & Country shares its K platform with numerous Chrysler, Dodge, and Plymouth models built between 1981 and 1989. Nearly every nameplate built on it was mass produced and mass destroyed, but this wood-sided droptop is a rare exception. It's one of 1,105 examples built, and its connection to the man who saved Chrysler (and helped create the original Ford Mustang, the infamous Pinto, and Chrysler's first minivans, among many others) likely helped it reach its 34th birthday in like-new condition, a fate a majority of Ks could only dream of from the wrong side of the Pick-N-Pull fence. Bonhams stated the Town & Country comes from Iacocca's personal collection. The auction house doesn't mention how long the influential executive owned it for, or how many miles he put on it. What's certain is that Iacocca undoubtedly knew there was nothing exhilarating about the 97-horsepower engine that came standard in the LeBaron, so he paid extra for a turbocharged version of the fuel-injected, 2.2-liter four-cylinder that put 146 horses under his right foot. It spun the front wheels via a three-speed automatic transmission.  Our archives indicate Chrysler charged $17,595 for the Town & Country Convertible in 1986, and priced the turbo four at $628, figures that represent about $42,300 and $1,500, respectively, in 2020. While Chrysler's K-based cars haven't set the collector world on fire yet, Bonhams expects this exceptionally clean example will sell for anywhere between $20,000 and $25,000 when it crosses the auction block in sunny Scottsdale. To quote Iacocca, "if you can find a better car, buy it." Or, if you're into faster Mopar products, his personal, 6,500-mile Dodge Viper — the very first regular-production example made — will also cross the block in Arizona. Featured Gallery Lee Iacocca's 1986 Chrysler LeBaron Town & Country Convertible (high-res) View 21 Photos Chrysler Auctions Convertible Classics

FCA goes all-in on Jeep and Ram brands on cheap gas bet

It's no surprise that as SUV and truck sales remain strong in the wake of unusually cheap gas, Jeep and Ram sales are taking off. What is a surprise is that FCA CEO Sergio Marchionne thinks that cheap gas will be a "permanent condition," and feels strongly enough about it to change up North American manufacturing plans. Jeep appears to be the biggest beneficiary of the product realignment. In addition to increasing the sales estimates for the brand worldwide upwards to 2 million units a year by 2018, the brand will get a flood of investment for new product and powertrains. Consider the Wrangler Pickup to be part of the salvo, as well as the Grand Wagoneer three-row announced in 2014 as part of the original five-year plan. The Wrangler four-door will get at least two new powertrains, a diesel and mild hybrid version, in its next generation. That mild hybrid powertrain may utilize a 48-volt electrical system like the one that's being developed by Delphi and Bosch – which the suppliers think will be worth a 10 to 15 percent fuel economy gain at a minimum. Down the road, in the 2020s, the Wrangler could adopt a full hybrid system. The diesel powertrain is planned for 2019 or 2020. The Ram 1500 is also pegged to receive a mild hybrid system, again potentially based on 48-volt architecture, sometime after 2020. Lastly, Jeep and Ram will take over some of the production capacity of existing plants. The Sterling Heights, MI, plant that builds the Chrysler 200 will now build the Ram 1500; the Belvidere, IL, facility that produces the Dodge Dart will take over Cherokee output; the big Jeep facility in Toledo, OH, will be used for increased Wrangler demand. In 2015, according to FCA's numbers, car and van demand went down by 10 percent, but SUV demand went up 8 percent and truck demand 2 percent. Considering that these are high-margin vehicles, FCA can't ignore the math. FCA also won't build any new factories to supplement production to meet demand, but instead are reshuffling production priorities. Think of it this way: FCA is gambling on cheap gas being a permanent part of our lives, at least into the 2020s. By doubling down on SUVs and trucks, the company stands to win big, unless a spike in gas prices changes the landscape. FCA isn't talking about a Plan B, so they're all in. It'll be interesting to see how this plays out.

Marchionne to take his sweater and go home after 2018

The end is in sight for Fiat Chrysler boss Sergio Marchionne, who confirmed in an interview with Bloomberg that once FCA's sweeping five-year plan is completed, he'd be stepping down from his post to "undoubtedly" do something else that didn't involve turning around global corporations. That would mean he should finish up after 2018 if all goes according to plan.
"It's as important to walk away from the table as it is to sit down," Marchionne told Bloomberg.
Marchionne has been at Fiat since June of 2004 and is one of the chief architects behind the Italian company's acquisition of Chrysler. Despite his successes, he does sound quite ready to move beyond the auto industry, rhetorically asking his Bloomberg interviewers if there "are other things I like to do apart from this?"