1967 Chrysler Newport Base Hardtop 4-door 6.3l on 2040-cars

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Samsung Galaxy Note 7 disaster endangers FCA's Magneti Marelli sale

Samsung's financial and public relations positions are going up faster than one of the company's Galaxy Note 7 smartphones, and that's bad news for Fiat Chrysler. FCA was in talks with the South Korean tech giant to sell all or a portion of Magneti Marelli, the enormous Italian parts supplier. The deal, estimated to be in the $3 billion range, was a big part of FCA CEO Sergio Marchionne's five-year plan to slash his company's ˆ5.5 billion ($6.07 billion at today's rates) debt. But Samsung's flaming phones may have stalled the deal, Automotive News reports. Samsung was hoping to acquire all or part of Magneti to gain access to its lighting, in-car entertainment, and telematics business, all in a bid to reduce its reliance on occasionally explosive consumer electronics, AN's sources report. This week alone, Samsung permanently ended production of the Note 7 and began recalling millions of devices, sending out flame-proof return boxes so owners can ship the device back in relative safety. The disaster has already caused Samsung to slash its third-quarter operating profit by $2.3 billion, and is leading the company to divert its attention away from big, blockbuster deals, people "who asked not to be identified because the negotiations are private" told AN. According to the same sources, the two sides haven't even agreed on a valuation for Magneti Marelli. Neither company was willing to comment on the potential sale. Related Video: News Source: Automotive News - sub. req.Image Credit: Andrew Zuis / AP Chrysler Fiat Technology Smartphone Sergio Marchionne FCA Samsung

Junkyard Gem: 1987 Chrysler Conquest TSi

If you feel like stumping your friends with a very trivial car-trivia question, try this one: What car model was sold in the United States with badging from Plymouth, Dodge, and Chrysler? They'll tell you it's the Neon, which was badged as a Chrysler outside of the USA, and you'll point out the "in the United States" qualification and feel smug in your superior automotive knowledge. The correct answer is, of course, the Conquest, which was a rebadged Mitsubishi Starion. Here's a Chrysler Conquest TSi, found in a Denver-area self-service wrecking yard. The TSi was the factory-hot-rod version of the Conquest, with intercooling for its 2.6-liter Mitsubishi Astron four-cylinder engine and 176 horsepower— pretty serious for 1987. For 1984 through 1986, the Conquest could be had with either Dodge or Plymouth branding; the 1987-1989 Conquests are all Chryslers. This one is rough, though the odometer shows that it never even reached 150,000 miles. Here's a Grateful Dead sticker, presumably bought on Shakedown Street at some point before Jerry Garcia's death in 1995. TURBO was a powerful word during the 1980s, so much so that the Starion/Conquest came with seat belts emblazoned with the sacred word. I still see the occasional Starion or Conquest during my junkyard travels, but the Chrysler Conquest is the rarest version these days. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.

Recharge Wrap-up: VW Caddy TGI BlueMotion, VR tour of Tesla Model X

Take a 360-degree virtual tour of the Tesla Model X. Best viewed in the YouTube app on your smartphone, the video above - courtesy of Canadian Press Video News – allows you to look around the inside of the Model X as though you were sitting inside it. While you're viewing it, keep in mind Tesla CEO Elon Musk's words about virtual reality: "It's quite transformative. You really feel like you're there." See the video above, and read more at Teslarati. LG Chem's batteries for the 2017 Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid minivan will be the Korean company's first time engineering and manufacturing a complete battery pack in Michigan for a volume production North American plug-in hybrid. The packs include lithium-ion cells, electronics and control units. The batteries were engineered at LG Chem's Troy, Michigan facility, and will be built at the company's Holland, Michigan plant. "Our experience with entire battery packs, including cell design and manufacturing capability, as well as our expertise in vehicle integration, makes us the ideal battery supplier for the Pacifica Hybrid," says LGCPI CEO Denise Gray. "We believe our technical strengths, engineering and manufacturing expertise, position us as a leading battery and control system provider for electric vehicles today and in the future." Read more at Green Car Congress. Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles will debut its Caddy TGI BlueMotion van at the Geneva Motor Show. The van, which is suited to family, taxi or city delivery use, can run on CNG or bio-natural gas in addition to gasoline. It also features a six-speed DSG dual-clutch transmission – a first in its class. The multiple high-pressure tanks for compressed gas are located under the floor, preserving all the Caddy's precious cargo space. A TGI version of the Caddy Alltrack will also be available, initially with a six-speed manual transmission, with the DSG option arriving in the middle of 2016. Read more at Green Car Congress, and in the press release below.