Bentley Kit W/crysler Sebring 2005 on 2040-cars

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2015 Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat revealed [UPDATE]

Almost immediately after we drove the 2015 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat, we began wondering: what's next? Pumping 707 horsepower into the Challenger seemed so crazy - and so intoxicating - we just assumed that Dodge would try that trick again.
Rumors swirled about a Charger Hellcat. Frankly it makes even more sense than the Challenger version. The Charger is a bigger car, and Dodge has never been shy about dropping monster engines under its hood. Hell (cat), we've seen Charger mules running around town that appeared to be the super sedan.
And finally, it's here. The 2015 Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat was revealed today at a preview event near Detroit, and it will be a centerpiece of the Chrysler display this weekend at the Woodward Dream Cruise.

Ford stops JV work In Russia, Stellantis donates to Ukrainian refugees

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is obviously killing civilians and destroying infrastructure throughout the country. ItÂ’s also affecting the auto industry there and across wider Europe, from the wiring harnesses we mentioned earlier today to new announcements from Ford and Stellantis. And thereÂ’s reason to think in bigger terms than todayÂ’s business deals, since there are massive lithium deposits in the ground in Ukraine. What this means for raw materials for future electric vehicles canÂ’t yet be determined, but itÂ’s worth thinking about as the world reacts to RussiaÂ’s actions. Following decisions by Apple and other major automakers to stop or otherwise curtail activities in Russia, Ford announced that it will suspend all of its joint venture operations in Russia, effective immediately, until further notice. “As part of the global community, Ford is deeply concerned about the invasion of Ukraine and the resultant threats to peace and stability,” the company said in a statement. “The situation has compelled us to reassess our operations in Russia. In recent years, Ford has significantly wound down its Russian operations, which now focus exclusively on commercial van manufacturing and Russian sales through a minority interest in the Sollers Ford joint venture.” Even though Stellantis only has 71 employees based in Ukraine, it announced today it will donate 1 million euros (around $1.1 million U.S.) to Ukrainian refugees and civilians. StellantisÂ’ head of operations in Ukraine will help the automaker work with local non-governmental organizations that are supporting Ukrainians to get the funds where they need to go. “Stellantis condemns violence and aggression and, in this time of unprecedented pain, our priority is the health and safety of our Ukrainian employees and families,” Stellantis CEO Carlos Tavares said in a statement. “An aggression that shook a world order, already unsettled by uncertainty, has been launched. The Stellantis community, made of 170 nationalities, looks with dismay as civilians flee the country. Even if the scale of casualties is not yet apparent, the human toll will be unbearable.” As of this morning, Stellantis said all of its 71 employees there were safe. This is not a normal line to read in automotive press releases, but this is not a normal time.

Stellantis dealers plead that letting Chrysler die is not an option

Executives and dealers have recently cautioned that a dark cloud looms over Chrysler's horizon, and figuring out why doesn't require an MBA from Stanford. And yet, Stellantis dealers say bright days could be ahead, if only the company reinvigorates the Detroit-based brand with long-awaited and much-needed new products. "This whole thing started with Chrysler. I don't want to get emotional about a brand, that's not the case. But, I don't want to see a brand like that left at the sideline and just thrown out to pasture," said David Kelleher, the head of the Stellantis National Dealer Council, in an interview with industry trade journal Automotive News. Kelleher added he would feel "violated" if the 96-year-old carmaker shut down. Keeping it around is relatively easy, but transforming it into a thriving business is far more difficult. Years of underinvestment have crippled the brand. It's almost exclusively dependent on North America, where it sells two models: the 300 and the Pacifica/Voyager duo. Sales in the United States totaled 110,464 units in 2020, down from 126,971 in 2019. To add perspective, Ram, Jeep, and Dodge sold 624,642, 795,313 and 267,328 units, respectively, in 2020.  While enthusiasts and analysts understandably worried Chrysler would die under Stellantis, Kelleher opined that the merger between Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) and PSA Group can make the brand stronger. Products and technology from the French side of the partnership can be leveraged to help Chrysler expand its range and increase its sales while keeping development costs in check, he said. He stopped short of revealing which vehicles he has in mind, but his comments are interesting because PSA's lineup is almost entirely made of up small, European-flavored cars that are diametrically opposed to the models Chrysler's reputation is built on.  Hatchbacks are dropping like flies in the American market, so putting a Chrysler badge on, say, a Peugeot 208 and bringing it to America is out of the question. Wagons are unpopular, too, which leaves crossovers and SUVs. Oddly, the Chrysler brand is not represented in one of the most popular market segments in the United States. PSA doesn't dabble in burly SUVs, like the Jeep Grand Cherokee, but it does small crossovers reasonably well. Could Chrysler move into the space occupied by the Toyota C-HR and the Hyundai Kona, among others?