2023 Chrysler Voyager Gurney, Wheelchair, Handicap, Mobility on 2040-cars

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Samsung might buy Magneti Marelli, FCA's parts supplier

Automotive manufacturing is quickly changing as companies like Google and Apple move into the sector with new products and services. It should be no surprise that other tech companies are making moves to grab a piece of the pie. According to Bloomberg, Korean tech conglomerate Samsung is in talks to purchase major automotive parts supplier Magneti Marelli from Fiat Chrysler Automobiles. Bloomberg reports that the deal could be worth more than $3 billion. It seems that Samsung is interested in Magneti Marelli's lighting, in-car entertainment, and telematics businesses, but a full purchase of the company isn't off the table. The move would be Samsung's largest-ever purchase outside of South Korea. FCA has already started to branch out and partner with tech firms. The automaker is working with Google to build an autonomous version of the new Pacifica minivan. They hope to have the first batch on the road by the end of the year. Magneti Marelli currently supplies everything from lighting and instrument clusters for passenger vehicles to high-end electronic components for Formula One and MotoGP teams. The company, founded in Italy in 1919, employs around 38,000 workers. Although it's currently owned by FCA, in the past Magneti Marelli has worked with companies like Ford and Microsoft. The purchase could help further diversify Samsung and reduce its dependence on consumer electronics like phones and televisions. Samsung is the world's largest supplier of memory chips and TVs, but the company has taken a hit lately as sales of its smartphones have faltered. In order to keep up with rivals like Apple, the company will need to venture into new markets. Perhaps Samsung's phone expertise would translate to improved vehicle infotainment systems. FCA, on the other hand, is on an aggressive five-year plan aimed at doubling net income. CEO Sergio Marchionne is attempting to eliminate the company's debt, and selling off a major subsidiary could greatly help. A recent attempt at a merger with General Motors failed and further hurt the company's finances. FCA's stock price rose in response to the rumors of the Magneti Marelli sale. Both Samsung and FCA have declined to comment on the move. Related Video: News Source: Bloomberg Technology Rumormill Chrysler Fiat Technology FCA Samsung magnetti marelli

LH, like new: 1994 Chrysler Concorde on eBay Motors has just 987 miles

Autoblog may receive a share from purchases made via links on this page. Pricing and availability are subject to change. The fortunes of Chrysler Corporation have been on a roller coaster going back decades. If we look to the recent past, one particularly dramatic renaissance occurred in the early-to-mid 1990s. That's when Chrysler emerged from more than a decade of peddling K-car-based products to field a dramatically styled modern new lineup. The headline vehicle for that turnaround was the company's trio of LH-platform cars, among them the Chrysler Concorde. To get a sense of exactly what that car was like, we can't imagine there's a better example than this 1994 Chrysler Concorde for sale right now on eBay Motors. The Concorde was introduced for 1993 alongside the Dodge Intrepid and the Eagle Vision (remember Eagle division?). The cars introduced a new "cab-forward" architecture that instantly made the big sedans' competitors look old. Impressed by the LH sedans' spacious interiors and competent handling, and enthralled with brash-talking, cigar-chomping Chrysler executive Bob Lutz, the automotive media heaped praise on the trio. The LH cars were Automobile Magazine's Automobile of the Year for 1993, and the Concorde ended up on Car and Driver's 10 Best lists in '93 and '94. This second-year Concorde, finished in period-appropriate two-tone exterior with contrasting-color lower cladding, is a time warp. Check out the blue cloth interior, the mesh alloy wheels, and the Infinity cassette stereo. Incredibly, this show car shows just 987 miles on the clock, and the condition certainly seems to support that odo reading. At this writing, the car is at $7,600 after just two bids. The reserve, however, has not been met. There are still a few more days to go in the auction, so it remains to be seen how the market values a top-flight Concorde. Will these Lutz-era Chryslers someday get their due? If so, the time to buy might be now. Check out the commercial below, to see how Chrysler pitched the '94 Concorde when it was new: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.

NHTSA closes book on Jeep 'trailer hitch' recall after all

After much debating and hand-wringing, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration now says it has "no reservations" with Chrysler's plan to recall certain Jeep Liberty and Grand Cherokee models over concerns that their fuel tanks, which are located behind the rear axle, could rupture or leak in the event of a rear impact. The longstanding argument between the two entities saw Chrysler openly defy the Feds after a request to recall 2.7 million units back in June.
Chrysler's "voluntary campaign" will instead see it recall 1.56-million 1993-2004 model year Grand Cherokee SUVs, along with 2002-2007 Liberty models. Affected vehicles will get a trailer hitch installed free of charge, which Chrysler says will provide an additional degree of protection for the fuel tanks in the event of a crash. Jeeps with Mopar-branded hitches or hitches that were installed at the factory aren't affected by this recall.
Chrysler's argument throughout this battle has been that the Jeeps in question are no more susceptible to fires than comparable vehicles from the same time period, a position that NHTSA has seemingly arrived at as well. "Those vehicles performed at a rate similar to their peers. That is the keystone analysis as to whether something poses an unreasonable risk to safety," said outgoing NHTSA boss David Strickland during an interview with the The Associated Press.