2006 Jeep Commander Limited Sport Utility 4-door 5.7l on 2040-cars

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Fiat Chrysler profit up as it closes in on retiring its debt

MILAN — Fiat Chrysler Automobiles reduced its debt by more than expected in the first quarter, putting the carmaker well on course to become cash positive later this year. Chief Executive Sergio Marchionne expects to cancel all debt during 2018 — possibly by the end of June — and generate around 4 billion euros ($5 billion) in net cash by the end of the year. Marchionne has said that forecast does not include any one-off measures, nor the impact of the planned spinoff of parts maker Magneti Marelli, which he hopes to execute by early 2019. The world's seventh-largest carmaker said on Thursday net debt had fallen to 1.3 billion euros ($1.6 billion) by the end of March, well below a consensus forecast of 2.6 billion euros in a Thomson Reuters poll of analysts. FCA said capital spending fell 900 million euros in the quarter due to "program timing," which analysts said implied higher investments for the rest of the year. The Italian-American group said first-quarter operating profit rose 5 percent to 1.61 billion euros, below a consensus forecast of 1.74 billion, as a weaker performance from its North American profit center weighed. Shipments there were higher due to the new Jeep Wrangler and Compass models. But currency moves hit revenues and earnings, and costs related to new product launches added to the pressure. FCA's shift to sell more trucks and SUVs boosted margins yet again in North America to 7.4 percent from 7.3 percent in the same quarter a year ago, although they were down from the 8 percent recorded in the preceding three months. Marchionne, preparing to hand over to an internal successor next year, is close to his goal of ending a margin gap with larger U.S. rivals General Motors and Ford. The 65-year-old has said becoming debt free and being able to compete on a par with U.S. peers would mean FCA no longer needed a partner to survive and could well succeed on its own. The CEO has previously said tying up with another carmaker would help to meet the huge costs in an industry investing in electric vehicles and automated driving. FCA shares fell immediately after the results, but recovered to trade up 3 percent at 19.71 euros by 1150 GMT, outperforming a 0.4 percent rise in Europe's blue-chip stock index. ($1 = 0.8214 euros) Reporting by Agnieszka FlakRelated Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.

Jeep beefs up the Wrangler Rubicon with 2017 Recon Edition hardware

The Wrangler Rubicon Hard Rock is dead. Don't worry; the 2017 Rubicon Recon is heading to showrooms soon to take its place, and judging by what it's packing you'll hardly miss the Hard Rock. Essentially, this is a Rubicon with some beefed-up bits underneath and a few special cosmetic tweaks, a bit like the outgoing Hard Rock. Up front, there's a stronger Dana 44 with strengthened tubes and heavy-duty end forgings. Likewise, the front and rear differentials get stronger cast covers than the Hard Rock's stamped ones. The ratios are the same, with 4.10:1 front and rear ratios, Tru-Lok locking diffs, and a Rock-Trac transfer case. There's also a half-inch lift. Cosmetically, there are new 17-inch wheels exclusive to the Recon equipped with 32-inch BF Goodrich KM tires, and the rock rails have been reshaped to allow owners to fit 35-inch tires without interference. The Recon also adds red seatbelts and stitching, something you haven't been able to get in a Wrangler before, a Jeep rep told us. If that's what you were waiting for to get into a Wrangler Rubicon, well, there you go. There's also the special-edition farkles you'd expect: a dashboard plaque the fender badge, and a unique gauge cluster treatment. The two-door Recon will start at $40,140 and the four door at $43,940 – that's compared to the base Rubicon, which starts at $34,190 in two-door form. So, the Recon represents a nearly $6,000 premium over the base Rubicon and a $1,150 premium over the outgoing Hard Rock. It'll be available in dealers at the end of this month. Related Video:

2017 Jeep Com-Patriot looks like a mini Grand Cherokee

Jeep plans to merge the Compass and the Patriot into a single model, and today we're getting an undisguised look at the compact crossover. These images from Brazil's Autoo were captured before a photo shoot. The SUV, which retains the same shape as the prototypes our photographers captured testing earlier this year, borrows a sizable amount of styling cues from the larger, more expensive Jeep Grand Cherokee. If the SUV's badging is anything to go off of, Jeep will retain the Compass moniker for the upcoming vehicle. At the front, the SUV has a similar grille to the Grand Cherokee with seven rectangular openings, which are smaller than the ones found on the current compass, with chrome trim. The headlights and LED daytime lights are also similar to the ones on the Grand Cherokee. The black roof, which is a new touch for Jeep, is a nod toward the SUV's European competitors like the Land Rover Range Rover Evoque. The new model loses the square-like taillights on the previous model for oval-shaped ones. Overall, the SUV adds modern touches to the aging Compass and Patriot models while staying true to Jeep's iconic look. The SUV is expected to utilize a modified version of the platform found on the Jeep Renegade and Fiat 500X. Power could come from a 2.0-liter turbocharged inline-four engine that's mated to either a nine-speed automatic transmission or a six-speed manual gearbox. Just like the current model, the upcoming Compass will have front-wheel drive as standard with all-wheel drive as an option. The next-gen Compass will be manufactured at Jeep's new plant in Brazil, where the vehicle will also makes it official debut later this year. The baby Grand Cherokee will make its first appearance on American soil at this year's Los Angeles Auto Show. Related Video: News Source: AutooImage Credit: Autoo Design/Style Spy Photos Jeep Crossover SUV jeep compass jeep patriot