Dodge 3500 Diesel Dually 2001 Low Miles Cummins on 2040-cars

Auto blog

Fiat Chrysler faces $79 million U.S. penalty for fuel economy shortfall

WASHINGTON — Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV on Wednesday said it faces a $79 million U.S. civil penalty for failing to meet 2017 fuel economy requirements, as regulators reported more automakers were falling short of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions standards. The Italian-American automaker said the payment is not expected to have a material impact on its business. Of 18 major carmakers in the United States, 13 including Fiat Chrysler failed to comply with fuel economy and greenhouse gas emissions standards for the 2017 model year without using credits, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). The agency said its review of model year 2017 vehicles showed "automakers falling further behind current standards." The 2017 model fleet fell 1 1/2 miles per gallon short of the 33.8 mpg standard based on yearly performance without including credits, NHTSA reported. The shortfall was a half-mile per gallon for the 2016 model year. NHTSA said more automakers were failing to comply with standards for the 2018 and 2019 model years, "and the potential penalties on automakers, which are passed along to consumers, are expected to continue to increase." The Trump administration has used the widening gap between the emissions of automakers' U.S. fleets, which are skewing toward larger vehicles, and national vehicle CO2 emissions standards to bolster its case for freezing vehicle emissions and mileage standards at current levels through 2026. Environmental groups and regulators in California and other states are fighting against any rollback in standards, saying tough rules are needed to address climate change and reduce consumer outlays for fuel. NHTSA and the Environmental Protection Agency are working to finalize as early as next month a rewrite of the Obama administrationÂ’s fuel efficiency requirements, which call for sharp reductions in fleet-wide emissions by 2026. Fiat Chrysler is paying fines for the shortfall in its domestic passenger car fleet, which includes several front-wheel-drive Jeep and rear-drive Dodge SUVs and some sedans and muscle cars. The automaker killed its slow-selling domestic small and midsize sedans. After paying $77.3 million last year for a 2016 model year fuel-economy shortfall, a Fiat Chrysler spokesman confirmed Wednesday the company had received a letter on the 2017 penalty and has 60 days to pay the fine.

How Dodge is making sure dealers don't gouge Demon buyers

The Dodge Challenger SRT Demon is a ridiculous 840-horsepower, limited-production machine that we're sure many are eager to purchase. But, they're probably not excited at the prospect of the massive dealer markups that accompany rare, high-performance cars. Fortunately, Dodge is taking steps to make sure buyers aren't paying thousands of dollars extra to get a car early, and its main method is production priority. Dodge announced that cars purchased at or below the MSRP of $86,090 will be the first ones the company builds and delivers. If a dealer sells an allocated car for more than the sticker price, that car won't be built until the high-priority vehicles have been. Dodge will also ensure fair distribution of the 3,000 Demons it will build by limiting the number of orders a dealer can submit. Dealers will be allocated a certain number of cars, and the amount will be based on how many Challenger and Charger Hellcats the dealer has sold. This should also help prevent dealers from hoarding cars and slapping sky-high prices on them. Also, the fact that every Demon comes with a number plate with the buyers' name on it should help prevent dealers from buying cars for the lot to mark up. In addition to revealing these measures, Dodge announced that buyers will be able to submit an order for a Demon at an eligible dealer tomorrow, June 21. The only dealers eligible for Demon ordering are those that have sold more than one Hellcat in the past 12 months. Cars will begin production this summer, and deliveries will begin in the fall. Related Video: Featured Gallery 2018 Dodge Challenger SRT Demon: New York 2017 View 48 Photos Image Credit: Drew Phillips Dodge Car Buying Car Dealers Coupe Performance dodge demon

Germany threatens to ban FCA vehicles over diesel emissions dispute

Germany is threatening to ban sales of FCA products over diesel emissions. According to the newspaper Bild Am Sonntag, Germany's Federal Motor Transport Authority found evidence of a so-called defeat device that shuts down certain emissions controls after running for 22 minutes. A standard diesel emissions test in the European Union reportedly takes 20 minutes to complete. FCA denies the allegations. "We believe all our vehicles respect EU emissions standards and we believe Italian regulators are the competent authority to evaluate this," the company said in a statement. The latter part of that statement drew ire from German authorities, especially after FCA declined to meet with German transport minister Alexander Dobrindt to discuss the issue. Graziano Delrio, the Italian Minister of Infrastructure and Transport, vowed to work with German authorities on behalf of FCA. According to EU law, FCA is required to homologate its vehicles in Italy because that's where its regional operations are based. When will the diesel-scented soap opera end? We wish we knew, but our Magic 8 Ball is covered in soot. Related Video: News Source: Financial TimesImage Credit: Giuseppe Aresu/Bloomberg via Getty Government/Legal Green Chrysler Dodge Fiat Jeep RAM Emissions Diesel Vehicles FCA