2012 Fiat 500 Lounge on 2040-cars

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Marchionne completed Fiat-Chrysler deal from a Florida beach

Sergio Marchionne is the CEO of Fiat, which as you may have heard, has finally worked up a deal to finish acquiring the Chrysler Group after months of bargaining with the United Auto Workers and its VEBA healthcare trust, which owned just over 40 percent of the American brand. Where was Marchionne when the deal was finally hammered out? Well, not tucked away in a frigid Detroit board room until the wee hours of the morning.
Nope, one of the largest deals in automotive history was reportedly hammered out on the beach - at the home of a banker, in the Florida resort town of Vero Beach. Marchionne traveled to the home of Alain Lebec, a senior managing director at Brock Capital LLC, one of the advisory companies for the VEBA fund, where both sides met to make final arrangements in the $4.35-billion exchange. The location of the final deal, though, is nearly as remarkable as the pace with which it came about.
According to anonymous sources pinned down by Automotive News Europe, before the meeting, the two sides were meeting in Detroit as recently as December 19, which is where Fiat made one of its final revised offers. Naturally, the VEBA made a counter offer, which led Marchionne to initiate the Vero Beach meeting.

Stormtrooper-painted Fiat 500 brings Star Wars to LA Auto Show

Some of you might have heard that Star Wars: The Force Awakens is opening on Dec. 8. FCA US is one of the brand sponsors paired up with Lucasfilm on the cinematic Third Coming, so it's been rolling out themed products to get ready. At this week's LA Auto Show it showed off a Fiat 500e draped in the same lack-of-colors as customized by Garage Italia, the artistic tuner headed by Fiat scion Lapo Elkann that recently brought us the Alfa 4C La Furiosa. The 500e is ready for the First Order Legion - it might save them all that marching - with a black-and-white wrap that mimics the helmet across the windshield and hood, and puts Stormtrooper graphics on the wheel centers. The theme continues inside with custom leather and Alcantara seating, graphics painted in lacquer, and a Stormtrooper looking back at you from the steering wheel. Previously, FCA dressed up Dodge Chargers up like Stormtroopers and put them into Uber service in New York. The FIAT Brand Displays Custom Painted Fiat 500e "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" Stormtrooper and Diane Von Furstenberg Custom-wrapped Fiat 500X at 2015 Los Angeles Auto Show November 19, 2015 , Auburn Hills, Mich. - The FIAT brand will have two special custom-designed vehicles on display at the 2015 Los Angeles Auto Show. As part of the FCA US LLC support of "Star Wars: The Force Awakens," opening December 18, the FIAT brand will display a custom-painted Fiat 500e stormtrooper. Lucasfilm recently announced that it is collaborating with FCA US, in addition to six other global brands, for the launch of an expansive, historic promotional campaign in support of "Star Wars: The Force Awakens." The exterior livery of the Fiat 500e stormtrooper is inspired by the armor of the First Order Legion, with a two-tone black and white custom painting of the car body. The windshield and the side windows are wrapped to bring out the immediately recognizable visor and helmet of the First Order stormtrooper. Inside, everything is in black and white, too, with total custom front and rear seats upholstered in leather and Alcantara®. The dashboard is painted in white and it is enriched by the "Star Wars" logo on it. All the details are painted in white/black lacquer, and a First Order insignia can be found on the two-tone leather-wrapped steering wheel.

Recharge Wrap-up: Nissan Murano Hybrid in China, FCA hearts E15

Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) has approved the use of E15 in its 2016 model year vehicles. The Renewable Fuels Association is pleased with the automaker's choice to cover the higher ethanol blend in its warranty statements, describing it as a positive signal for the future growth of E15. "FCA's decision to join GM and Ford provides clear evidence that the tide on E15 has turned," says RFA President and CEO Bob Dinneen. "The automaker's decision not to embrace E15 had been a major point of concern and tension for the last three years." Read more from the RFA. Skoda's head of purchasing, Dieter Seemann, discusses sourcing EV components in a new interview. He says the biggest challenge is seeking out future suppliers for electric motor and connected vehicle components. "We have to really understand what happens in this business to identify the right partners to have in five to eight years from now," says Seemann. "Many of these are suppliers completely new to us." He says Skoda purchases 50 to 55 percent of its parts directly, while chassis and powertrain parts are shared among other Volkswagen Group brands. Read the full interview at Automotive News Europe. Nissan is helping the European Commission develop a pedestrian alert system for electric vehicles. Called Electric Vehicle Alert for Detection and Emergency Response (eVADER), the project aims to develop technology that provides audible cues to alert pedestrians to oncoming vehicles without contributing to noise pollution. Nissan created a system for the Leaf that uses a camera to recognize pedestrians and cyclists and direct a sound in their direction. This work will help the EU shape its laws moving forward. Read more at Electric Cars Report. The Nissan Murano Hybrid has gone on sale in China. The Murano Hybrid is powered by a supercharged 2.5-liter engine and an electric motor with lithium-ion battery. The hybrid uses Nissan's All Mode 4x4-i all-wheel-drive system, and is equipped with a host of safety technology. The new Murano helps Nissan cater to China's growing demand for SUVs, and is also part of the "Young Nissan" strategy. Read more at Green Car Congress, or in the press release below. Nissan introduces the all-new Murano to China SHANGHAI, China(August 8, 2015) – Nissan today announced that the all-new Murano, including the hybrid version, is officially available for sale from its joint venture in China, Dongfeng Nissan Passenger vehicle company (DFL-PV).