2003 Chrysler Sebring Lxi Convertible 2-door 2.7l on 2040-cars

Auto blog

FCA's puzzling trademark spree includes Apache and Orange Peelz

Here's one for the Mystery Machine. As noted by the WagoneerFans forum and picked up by Motor1, Fiat Chrysler recently went on a one-day trademark application spree at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. On March 6, the automaker applied for the names Apache, Farout, Orange Peelz, Shocker, Tomahawk, and Top Dog. All have been requested for "Land vehicles, namely, passenger automobiles," and the best guess so far has them being applied to concepts during next month's Easter Jeep Safari, which, assuming it goes ahead, will happen April 4-20. As for historical ties, one name has a connection to Dodge, another was a codename for a Dodge engine, and one was used on a previous Easter Jeep Safari concept. Tomahawk rings the loudest bell, that name applied to the four-wheeled, Viper-engined concept motorcycle that Dodge rolled out at the 2003 Detroit Auto Show. The company supposedly sold nine examples of the "rolling sculpture" through Neiman Marcus over a four-year period. It doesn't appear FCA has used the name since, internally or otherwise. There is, however, a Cherokee tomahawk — not referring to a Jeep, but the light, short-handled ax used by the Native American Cherokee tribe. This one seems made for Safari use. Apache has a Dodge and a Jeep tie-in. At one time, Apache was the codename for the 6.4-liter Hemi V8 marketed as the 392 V8 on the Charger and Challenger R/T Scat Pack trims. That engine makes 485 horsepower and 475 pound-feet of torque. But Jeep showed a Wrangler Apache concept (pictured) at the 2012 Easter Jeep Safari, built with a Mopar conversion kit for a 6.4-liter Hemi making 470 hp and 470 lb-ft. Mopar sold the V8 swap kits at least through 2016, but they appear to have fallen off the Mopar menu. At one time there were rumors of a supercharged Apache with more than 600 horsepower, and wouldn't that be a welcome surprise in Moab. The Farout could be a more or less extreme overlanding take on last year's Easter Jeep Safari Wayout concept, depending on whether one considers "way" or "far" more radical. The Shocker, Jeep might be disappointed to discover, already has an outside link in the Jeep Shocker stickers made for Wichita State fans who love America's 4x4. As for Orange Peelz, it's pretty close to Pedro's bicycling degreaser called Oranj Peelz, but a Jeep conception could be anything. Except maybe a paint color. Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.

Minivan market not what it used to be, but margins make up for it

Residual values for last year's minivans are higher than they were in 2000.
Much like the station wagon was the shuttle of Baby Boomer generation, the minivan has been the primary means of transport for Generations X and Y. Just as the boomers abandoned the Country Squire, though, those kids that were toted around in Grand Caravans and Windstars are adults, and they certainly don't want to be seen in the cars their parents drove.

Fiat Chrysler Automobiles: The next five years

Unless you've been living under a rock for the past 24 hours, you've no doubt read about all of the big future product news coming out of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles today. We had individual brand reports from Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, Ram, Alfa Romeo, Fiat, Maserati and even Ferrari, but in the interest of simplifying and summarizing, we're going to list out the hard facts once more. Of course, with all of this still off in the future, there's still the possibility that a few changes will be made. But as of what we know right now, here's what's coming, and what's going away.
Chrysler
2014: Refreshed 300/300C, debuting at Los Angeles Auto Show