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US prepares to sue Fiat Chrysler over diesel emissions testing

NEW YORK - The Justice Department plans to file a civil lawsuit against Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV over excess diesel emissions as early as this week if no agreement is reached with the Italian-American automaker, two sources briefed on the matter said on Wednesday. The Environmental Protection Agency in January accused FCA of illegally using undisclosed software to allow excess diesel emissions in about 104,000 cars and SUVs, the result of a probe that stemmed from regulators' investigation of rival Volkswagen AG. The EPA and California Air Resources Board have been in talks with FCA about the excess emissions and whether the agencies would approve the sale of 2017 FCA diesel models. A federal judge in California has set a May 24 hearing on a series of lawsuits filed by owners of vehicles against Fiat Chrysler and the Justice Department is expected to file its action by then if no agreement is reached. FCA said on Wednesday it believed that any litigation would be "counterproductive" to ongoing discussions with the EPA and California Air Resources Board. The company added that "in the case of any litigation, FCA US will defend itself vigorously, particularly against any claims that the company deliberately installed defeat devices to cheat U.S. emissions tests." The Justice Department took the same procedural step in early 2016 against Volkswagen, nearly four months after the German company admitted using software to emit excess diesel emissions in nearly 500,000 vehicles. The Justice Department has had an ongoing criminal investigation into FCA's conduct since last year, Reuters reported in January. The probe has turned up internal emails written in Italian and other documents about engine development and emissions issues, sources briefed on the probe said. U.S. regulators said FCA failed to disclose engine management software in 104,000 U.S. 2014-2016 Jeep Grand Cherokees and Dodge Ram 1500 trucks with 3.0-liter diesel engines. The European Commission has launched legal action against Italy for failing to respond to allegations of emission-test cheating by Fiat Chrysler in a procedure that could lead to the country being taken to court. The EPA has said the maximum possible fine against FCA could be $4.6 billion. In February, FCA said it had received requests for information and subpoenas from U.S. federal and state authorities, including the Securities and Exchange Commission, for diesel issues.

P. Diddy hosting Fiat 500L desert party

Fiat didn't run an advertisement during this year's Super Bowl. We've no idea why, though, because based on this recently released 60-second spot, the Italian brand probably could have done quite well during the big game.
The spot, called Mirage, stars Sean "Diddy" Combs (who happens to be the ex of former Fiat spokesperson Jennifer Lopez) and a pair of very unfortunate pedestrians. Wandering through the desert, the two are confronted by what they think are mirages before stumbling into a giant party hosted by the Grammy Award-winning rapper. It's a humorous spot, highlighting a product that Fiat really needs to succeed, the new 500L.
The Super Bowl-worthy ad is part of a larger campaign that will hopefully help distinguish the four-door L model from its smaller, two-door counterpart. "Too many people discover the 500L through the 500. That's what we have to solve for here," Jason Stoicevich, head of Fiat's brand in North America, told Automotive News. "It's awareness. We know it, we understand it and we had to find a creative way to deal with it."

Fiat 500X teased in creepy new video

Fiat is bringing a new variant of its 500 family to the 2014 Paris Motor Show, and as its debut approaches, the tempo of teaser releases is increasing. Earlier this month, we showed you heavily blurred video of the new 500X from a variety of angles. Today, we have a pretty strange spot that actually gives us some unobscured looks at the new compact crossover.
The odd teaser shows a woman on a swing in an abandoned city. If that's not odd enough, she's reciting the ABCs in the sort of sing-song manner generally reserved for possessed children in horror films. Then the 500X arrives.
While we do get a full look at the car's face, the majority of styling cues that we can see don't reveal much that we didn't know. The fascia isn't too dissimilar from the 500L, aside from its soft-road styling features, while the tail boasts a wide set of vertical taillights.