Not For Sale To New York Residents Navigation Leather Pw Rrof Loaded on 2040-cars

Auto blog

The UAW's 'record contract' hinges on pensions, battery plants

DETROIT - After nearly four weeks of disruptive strikes and hard bargaining, the United Auto Workers and the Detroit Three automakers have edged closer to a deal that could offer record-setting wage gains for nearly 150,000 U.S. workers. General Motors, Ford Motor and Chrysler parent Stellantis have all agreed to raise base wages by between 20% and 23% over a four-year deal, according to union and company statements. Ford and Stellantis have agreed to reinstate cost-of-living adjustments, or COLA. The companies have offered to boost pay for temporary workers and give them a faster path to full-time, full-wage status. All three have proposed slashing the time it takes a new hire to get to the top UAW pay rate. The progress in contract talks follows the first-ever simultaneous strike by the UAW against Detroit's Big Three automakers. The union began the strike on Sept. 15 in hopes of forcing a better deal from each major automaker. But coming close to a deal is not the same thing as reaching a deal. Big obstacles remain on at least two major UAW demands: restoring the retirement security provided by pre-2007 defined benefit pension plans, and covering present and future joint- venture electric vehicle battery plants under the union's master contracts with the automakers. On retirement, none of the automakers has agreed to restore pre-2007 defined-benefit pension plans for workers hired after 2007. Doing so could force the automakers to again burden their balance sheets with multibillion-dollar liabilities. GM and the former Chrysler unloaded most of those liabilities in their 2009 bankruptcies. The union and automakers have explored an approach to providing more income security by offering annuities as an investment option in their company-sponsored 401(k) savings plans, people familiar with the discussions said. Stellantis referred to an annuity option as part of a more generous 401(k) proposal on Sept. 22. Annuities or similar instruments could give UAW retirees assurance of fixed, predictable payouts less dependent on stock market ups and downs, experts said. Recent changes in federal law have removed obstacles to including annuities as a feature of corporate 401(k) plans, said Olivia Mitchell, a professor at the University of Pennsylvania Wharton School and an expert on pensions and retirement. "Retirees want a way to be assured they won't run out of money," Mitchell said.

Last Jeep Wrangler JK rolls off the line in Toledo

Say goodbye to the Jeep Wrangler JK. After more than 2.1 million models made since production began in 2006, a white 2018 Wrangler JK Rubicon Unlimited rolled off the line Friday at FCA's plant in Toledo, Ohio, as the last of its kind and as factory employees snapped photos. Fiat Chrysler is planning to retool the U.S. Toledo Supplier Park plant for an all-new Jeep pickup truck for launch in the first half of 2019. The final Wrangler JK will become one of the Jeep brand's show properties. "We take great pride in the role we have played in the history of this vehicle and the impact it has made in the Toledo community," Chuck Padden, the Toledo Assembly Complex manager, said in a statement. "We look forward to bringing that same commitment to the all-new Jeep truck." The JK has been on the road since 2007 and was built as part of a co-location concept with suppliers Kuka and Hyundai Mobis, which managed the manufacturing processes of the body and chassis, respectively. They'll also oversee those same responsibilties with the forthcoming Wrangler pickup, which is expected to begin production in the fourth quarter and hit showrooms in April 2019. We've been limited to spy shots of heavily camouflaged versions of that vehicle, which is tentatively called the Scrambler, though there were those ostensibly well-educated renderings from the Jeep Scrambler Forum a few weeks ago. FCA Chief Executive Sergio Marchionne has said he expects the new pickup to sell around 100,000 units per year, and the Toledo plant has an annual capacity of about 300,000 units. Meanwhile, FCA is continuing production of the Wrangler through the new Wrangler JL, which is being built on the north side of the Toledo Assembly Complex as part of a $4.5 billion production realignment to boost the Jeep and Ram brands. The Wrangler JL gets a 3.6-liter V6 that makes 285 horsepower and 260 pound-feet of torque. It's also available with a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder, which generates 268 hp and 295 lb-ft of torque, available only with an eight-speed automatic transmission, for an extra $3,000 (technically it's $1,000 for the four-cylinder engine and $2,000 extra for the eight-speed trans). A 3.0-liter diesel version is also due of the four-door version in 2019. Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. Image Credit: FCA Jeep Truck SUV Off-Road Vehicles FCA jeep wrangler jl

Hank the Autodog takes a ride in the long-term 2014 Jeep Cherokee

Autoblog readers, meet Hank, my 40-pound, six-year-old Shar Pei and Staffordshire Terrier mix, a combination also known as a Pit Bull. Pit Bulls and car enthusiasts have a lot in common. They're a little intimidating to your average man on the street, but at the end of the day all they want to do is feel the breeze in their ears. Dogs who love car rides are the ultimate enthusiasts, and Hank especially is a canine connoisseur of cars. There is nothing Hank likes more than to hop in and go for a ride. With an owner like me, he has developed refined tastes when it comes to cars. As our long-term Jeep Cherokee is about to leave the Autoblog Garage, and since the weather is warming back up, it's the perfect time to give our Autodog one last spin in his favorite Jeep. We wanted to see what a car ride looks like from a dog's perspective. Luckily, we have a cache of GoPros and plenty of cars on hand to give Hank one last chance to go for a window-down ride. After many pets, treats, and drives around town, we put together this video montage of Hank's best day ever.