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Dongfeng and PSA extend Chinese joint venture

BEIJING/PARIS — China's Dongfeng and Peugeot maker PSA are extending their business cooperation, despite the Chinese company reducing its stake in PSA to help smooth the French carmaker's merger with Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA). Dongfeng said on Thursday it had agreed with PSA to extend the duration of their joint venture Dongfeng Peugeot Citroen Automobiles (DPCA). Under the deal, the venture could get the rights to PSA's new brands in China and will benefit from new technologies and intellectual properties, the Chinese company said. PSA was not immediately available for comment. The announcement comes a day after the companies said Dongfeng would reduce its 12.2% stake in PSA by selling 30.7 million shares to the French company. Analysts said the move could smooth U.S. regulatory approval for PSA's roughly $50 billion (GBP38.97 billion) merger with Italian-American carmaker FCA. The sale of Dongfeng's shares in PSA, worth around 680 million euros ($757 million), will leave the Chinese group holding around 4.5% of the merged PSA-FCA, which is set to become the world's fourth-biggest carmaker by sales volumes. "As the cooperation between Dongfeng and PSA deepens, we expect the joint venture to continue making good progress in China," a Dongfeng representative said. On a conference call, Dongfeng said DPCA would have exclusive rights to PSA's Opel cars should the partners agree to bring the brand to China, and enjoy lower prices on car parts imported from PSA. Earlier this year, a document seen by Reuters showed Dongfeng and PSA plan to cut jobs at Wuhan-based DPCA and reduce its number of car plants to try to make the venture more profitable. Chrysler Dodge Fiat Jeep RAM Citroen Peugeot China FCA PSA Dongfeng

Marchionne: Midsize pickup still not in the cards; Ram 1500, Jeep Wrangler could use aluminum

During the Fiat-Chrysler briefings on Tuesday, Reid Bigland, head of Ram Trucks, outlined the new product plans for his brand, including confirmation that an all-new light-duty Ram 1500 will launch in 2017. From there, discussions spun off in two directions, with the main questions being: will Ram build a midsize pickup? And, following Ford's move to extensively use aluminum in its new 2015 F-150, will Chrysler be using this weight-saving material for the next round of its fullsize truck, as well?
"I think there is room for a Ram 1000," Fiat-Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne (pictured above) told members of the media, saying this is a conversation the automaker has been having internally for several years now. "We've tried this ... we've actually taken it to clinics," Marchionne stated, adding that the "response has been lukewarm."
"I have better use of aluminum in this house than a pickup truck." - Sergio Marchionne

2018 Jeep Compass Trailhawk Drivers' Notes Review | Trying to find its way

The Jeep Compass Trailhawk is the smaller sibling to the Cherokee off-roader. They look a lot alike, and generally that seems to be a good thing. We spent some time with it, both in Michigan and the Pacific Northwest. It seemed like the perfect little ute to tackle rain and late snow, as well as the cratered roads surrounding Detroit every spring. Here's what we thought after spending some quality time together: Editor-in-Chief Greg Migliore: The Jeep Compass is one of the coolest compact crossovers you can buy. Jeep has struggled to translate its genetics into smaller models, but they come through in this one. The Trailhawk trim provides plenty of capability. Even if you don't need it on a daily basis, the package adds design flourishes like red tow hooks and a two-tone black roof, which look slick. Our test model's olive green paint also puts off a heritage vibe. I like that. It's subtle, like wearing a watch with a NATO band. The interior looks and feels premium, with leather seats, a leather-trimmed steering wheel and ambient lighting. Uconnect remains one of my favorite infotainment systems on the market, and its simplicity is an industry benchmark. The inline four-cylinder and nine-speed automatic transmission work well together. In fact, the smooth shifting surprises me, as I've had issues with this gearbox in other Fiat Chrysler vehicles. Overall, I would consider the Compass among the better options for car shoppers. It stands out in a segment that's fairly vanilla, though the less flashy but well-executed Honda CR-V and Toyota RAV4 are formidable. I wouldn't get the Trailhawk trim on a Compass, but it's smart of Jeep to push this kind of off-road capability thoughout its lineup. Associate Editor Joel Stocksdale: I've recently spent some time in the refreshed Jeep Cherokee, which I found to be a decent crossover, if not class-leading, and it had a distinctly truck-like feel, unlike its competitors. The Compass Trailhawk is just the same, except at about 2/3 scale. The truck-like feel is what really stood out. The seating position is very tall, giving you a good view forward and of the corners of the Compass. Combined with the small size, it makes it very easy to maneuver around town, and likely on tight trails. The ride on this Trailhawk model is a bit stiff over small bumps, but it does soak up the large ones fairly well. This suspension and the raised ride height also make the Compass seem a little tipsy.