2014 Fiat 500 Sport on 2040-cars

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Fiat Chrysler chief Mike Manley to head European auto lobby group ACEA

MILAN — The European carmakers' association (ACEA) has appointed Fiat Chrysler Chief Executive Mike Manley as its new president from January 2020, it said on Thursday. Manley will take over the role from PSA Chief Executive Carlos Tavares, who has served two one-year terms as ACEA President, the Brussels-based lobby group said in a statement. Manley is helping Fiat Chrysler Chairman John Elkann — the head of Italy's Agnelli family, which controls FCA — in talks with Tavares to finalize a merger agreement between the two groups, which would create the world's fourth-largest automaker. FCA and PSA, the maker of Peugeot and Citroen, are expected to sign a binding agreement by the end of the year.. ACEA said its priorities for next year included setting a plan on how to manage the transition to carbon-neutral road transport while ensuring the economic sustainability of the European auto sector. The ACEA president is elected for one year, with the option for a further one year term, by the CEOs of the group's associates – the 15 largest Europe-based car, van, truck and bus manufacturers. Government/Legal Hirings/Firings/Layoffs Chrysler Fiat

Sergio Marchionne says hybrids will replace small diesel Fiats

FCA's Sergio Marchionne is convinced diesel is dead when it comes to small city cars. That means the upcoming new generation Fiat 500 will lose its 1.3-liter MultiJet diesel and gain a 48-volt hybrid powertrain. Nitrogen oxide emissions are something you want to get rid of in city use, where the 500 and its competitors shine. It seems only the brave will continue selling diesel cars in this class. In an interview with AutoExpress, Marchionne says he's certain about diesel's fate. "There are very few things that are certain in this market - apart from one, and that is that small displacement diesels are dead. I think everything else is fair play, so we'll experiment," says Marchionne. In the city car class, manufacturers will have to reach a purchase price for hybrid tech that's similarly as low as gasoline and diesel powered small cars. But creating full hybrids out of the 500 and the Panda would render them so expensive, it would be lethal for Fiat. The solution will most likely be a 48-volt "mild" hybrid system, which can create some of the mileage gains of a full hybrid system but at much less cost. "I think hybrids are inevitable," Marchionne says. "The question is not the technology, it's a question of the cost and whether the consumer will pay. We will have to play with a variety of solutions." Among that variety: Could replacing the diesel model in Europe with the 48-volt system lead to sales of that system in the US, as an alternative or even replacement for the all-electric Fiat 500? All we know is, Marchionne in the past has bemoaned the EV model as a loss leader. The next-generation Fiat 500 is expected to reach production in 2019.

Stellantis and Foxconn will announce a strategic partnership on Tuesday

MILAN — Automaker Stellantis and iPhone assembler Foxconn said on Monday they would announce a strategic partnership on Tuesday. Last year, then-Fiat Chrysler, now part of Stellantis, said it planned to set up a joint venture with Hon Hai Precision Industry, Foxconn's parent company, to build electric cars and develop internet-connected vehicles in China. Fiat Chrysler merged with France's Peugeot maker PSA at the beginning of the year to create Stellantis, the world's fourth-largest carmaker, and relaunching in China is one of its main goals. The two companies will hold a conference call on Tuesday to present the partnership, with Stellantis Chief Executive Carlos Tavares and Foxconn Chairman Young Liu among others, the groups said in a joint statement. In January Taiwan's Foxconn and China's Zhejiang Geely Holding Group said they were joining hands to provide contract manufacturing for automakers. They have said they were in talks to provide contract manufacturing services to electric vehicle maker Faraday Future, while Foxconn will also help building electric sport-utility vehicles in 2022 for Chinese startup Byton. And last week, Fisker Automotive signed with Foxconn to build an electric car at a factory in the United States. Related video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. 2021 Jeep Wrangler 4xe plug-in hybrid powertrain feature walkthrough | Autoblog