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FCA denies report it's pulling Chrysler brand from Japan

TOKYO - Fiat Chrysler Automobiles denied it had decided to pull the plug on the Chrysler brand in Japan, after local media reported it was planning to stop selling the US cars in the country as early as next year following years of poor sales. "Although FCA Japan has already announced its intention to concentrate its resources on the Jeep brand ahead, no decisions have been made regarding (the) Chrysler brand," the automaker said ion Monday. The Nikkei business daily reported that the European-US automaker, which also sells the Jeep, Fiat, Alfa Romeo, and Abarth brands in Japan, was close to deciding to throw in the towel on the Chrysler brand, which posted sales of less than 300 vehicles in 2016, having fallen steadily since around 2000 and are about a tenth of what they were a decade ago. FCA sells only one Chrysler model in Japan, the full-size 300s sedan, which is sold at the company's Jeep dealerships. FCA's Fiat brand, which includes smaller models, and its Jeep brand have been growing in the country. Last year they sold around 6,700 and 9,400 units, respectively, making them top 10-selling foreign branded vehicles in the Japanese market. However, foreign cars constitute a small portion of the total Japanese auto market, which is dominated by domestic brands. Last year, 295,000 foreign-branded new cars were sold in the country, roughly one-tenth of total new vehicle sales. Reporting by Naomi TajitsuRelated Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. Featured Gallery 2017 Chrysler 300S Sport Appearance Package: New York 2016 View 12 Photos Auto News Chrysler Fiat Jeep Sedan FCA

2021 Chrysler Pacifica Review | What's new, hybrid fuel economy, pictures

The 2021 Chrysler Pacifica offers something no other minivan can match: a plug-in hybrid model that can go 32 miles on electricity alone and therefore slash your annual fuel bill. It also costs less than the regular V6 version (and Toyota's traditional, non-plugged-in hybrid Sienna) when you factor in federal and state tax credits, and we even like driving it more. In other words, the Pacifica Hybrid is the one to get. But is that novel powertrain enough to make the Pacifica a better choice than the scarce number of other vans for your? Well, considering that the V6-powered version can hold its own against the Honda Odyssey, Toyota Sienna and Kia Sedona/Carnival (literally the only other options), it's a distinct possibility. The Pacifica Hybrid is basically tied with the Sienna has our top choice in the segment in our comparison test, but with so few other rivals, we still recommend checking out the full field. It's also worth noting that Honda, Toyota and Kia have stronger reliability ratings than Chrysler, while the Hybrid's higher monthly payments may not fit your budget despite the hefty one-time tax refund. In any event, no minivan search is complete without at least considering the Pacifica.     What's new for 2021? The Pacifica gets its first comprehensive set of upgrades since being relaunched as a minivan back in '17. The front end has been restyled and LED lighting applied as standard front and rear (the budget-oriented Chrysler Voyager maintains the Pacifica's old look). The Pacifica also now matches its rivals by including a full suite of driver assistance and safety technologies as standard equipment. Infotainment technologies have also been upgraded: Chrysler's latest UConnect interface is paired with a standard 10.1-inch touchscreen; standard Apple CarPlay and Android Auto have been upgraded to wireless connectivity, and Amazon Alexa has been added. New available equipment includes USB-C ports, wireless smartphone charging, the FamCAM rear interior camera, and new games for the rear seat entertainment system. Also new for 2021 is the option of all-wheel drive and the range-topping Pinnacle trim level. The Pacifica Hybrid has also been changed to a powertrain option for the Touring, Touring L, Limited and Pinnacle trim levels – it was technically a separate model before. This is simpler. What are the Pacifica interior and in-car technology like? The Pacifica interior is a lovely place to spend time.

FCA seeks partner to keep building Dodge Dart, Chrysler 200

Mere weeks after FCA announced it was shutting down production of the Dodge Dart and Chrysler 200, new hope emerges to give the sedans a stay of execution. Speaking at the Geneva Motor Show last week, Sergio Marchionne said that the company was looking for a partner "who is better at it than we are and who has got capacity available" in order to continue building the models on its behalf. "There are discussions going on now," said Marchionne, according to Motor Trend. "I think we will find a solution. We continue to talk. It's both a technical solution and an economic one. We need to find a solution that works economically." Contracting vehicles to be manufactured offsite is more common practice among European automakers than it is with American ones. Chrysler's former patron Mercedes, for example, has the G-Class built for it by Magna Steyr in Austria, the A-Class by Valmet in Finland, and the R-Class by AM General in Indiana (even though it's no longer sold in the US). This arrangement would, on the surface at least, appear more similar to the deal that Toyota struck with Mazda to build the Scion iA, drawing on the contractor's expertise and capacity to build the small sedan on the client company's behalf. Only rather than basing a new model on one of the partner's existing ones, this deal would ostensibly continue building FCA models on FCA platforms using FCA components. We'll have to wait to find out with whom FCA strikes up the manufacturing deal, but we wouldn't be surprised to see Marchionne turn to a partner he already knows. The company is, after all, at the center of an intricate web of joint ventures and manufacturing contracts. The Fiat 124 Spider, for example, is built by Mazda. The Fiat Sedici that preceded the 500X was built by Suzuki. Models like the Dodge Stealth and Eagle Talon were built in Illinois at the Diamond-Star Motors joint venture before Mitsubishi took it over altogether. And Dodge continued selling the Mercedes-made Sprinter long after DaimlerChrysler split. The Ram ProMaster, though built by FCA in Mexico for the North American market, stems from a partnership in France with PSA Peugeot Citroen. And the ProMaster City is built in a joint-venture plant in Turkey, from which it's also sold by GM as an Opel in Europe and a Vauxhall in the UK. With all those deals coming and going, after all, what would one more add to the complexity?