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Macron and Le Pen decry 'shocking' Stellantis CEO pay

PARIS — French President Emmanuel Macron and his far-right challenger in the French presidential vote, Marine Le Pen, on Friday both decried as “shocking” the multimillion euro payout to the CEO of carmaker Stellantis. Stellantis CEO Carlos TavaresÂ’ remuneration package of 19.15 million euros just a year after the company was formed became an issue as Macron and Le Pen campaigned ahead of the April 24 runoff vote. Polls show purchasing power and inflation are a top voter concern. Stellantis was formed last year through the merger of PSA Peugeot and Fiat Chrysler Automobiles. Centrist President Emmanuel Macron, perceived by many voters as being too pro-business, called the pay package “astronomical” and pushed for a Europe-wide effort to set ceilings on “abusive” executive pay. “ItÂ’s shocking, itÂ’s excessive,” he said Friday on broadcaster France-Info. “People canÂ’t have problems with purchasing power, difficulties, the anguish theyÂ’re living with, and see these sums. Otherwise, society will explode.” Far-right leader Marine Le Pen, who enjoys support from many working-class voters, called for bringing in more workers as shareholders. “Of course itÂ’s shocking, and itÂ’s even more shocking when it is the CEOs who have pushed their society into difficulty,” she said Friday on BFM television. “One of the ways to diminish this pay, which is often out of proportion with economic life, is perhaps to allow workers in as shareholders.” Stellantis continued to back the package despite a 52.1% to 47.9% vote rejecting it at an annual shareholders' meeting chaired from the Netherlands, where the company is legally based, on Wednesday. The company, citing Dutch civil code, noted that the vote is advisory and not binding. The company later said in a statement that it took note of the vote, and will explain in an upcoming 2022 remuneration report “how this vote has been taken into account.” In the 2021 report, the company identified peer group companies that it used as a salary benchmark, including U.S. companies like Boeing, Exxon Mobile, General Electric as well as carmakers Ford and General Motors. Stellantis, whose brands include Peugeot, Fiat, Jeep, Opel and Maserati, reported net profits last year had tripled to 13.4 billion euros ($15.2 billion). The French government is the third-largest shareholder in Stellantis, with a 6.15% stake through the Bpifrance Participations S.A. French public investment bank.

2018 Jeep Wrangler Moab splits the Sahara and Rubicon gap

We knew it was coming, and it's pretty much what we were expecting. The 2018 Jeep Wrangler Moab Edition is now official, is available solely as a four-door Unlimited Model with the 3.6-liter V6 engine, and splits the gap between the luxury-biased Sahara and the off-road-ready Rubicon. It's easily identifiable by the big Moab lettering on the hood, but there's a lot more to this limited edition model besides its graphics. The Moab borrows its hood and steel bumpers, complete with removable end caps, from the Rubicon. The 17-inch wheels are painted in a low-gloss black that matches the headlight surrounds, grill inserts, and tow hooks, and are shod in 32-inch mud-terrain tires. LED lighting clusters are standard front and rear. Rock rails from the Rubicon are standard, but the Sahara's side steps are a no-cost option for owners who don't plan to do any hardcore rock crawling. Jeep's new Selec-Trac full-time four-wheel-drive two-speed transfer case is also standard equipment, which means all Wrangler Moab models will have an eight-speed automatic transmission. A limited-slip rear differential is also standard. The Safety Group, which includes blind-spot monitoring, rear cross path detection and a rear backup camera, is included along with an 8.4-inch Uconnect touchscreen infotainment system. A leather interior package comes standard on the Moab and includes contrast stitching on the seats and dash. Granite Crystal, Billet Silver, Punk'n Metallic (orange), Mojito! (green), Black, Bright White, Sting Gray, Ocean Blue Metallic and Firecracker Red are all available on the Moab, which leaves the recently introduced Hellayella (bright yellow) as the only stock color that's not offered on the Moab. A body-color hard top comes standard on the Moab, and the Dual Top Group and power-operated Sky top are optional. Jeep didn't release pricing when it announced the 2018 Wrangler Moab, but an ordering guide showing a starting price of $52,695 out the door has already made the internet rounds. That makes the Moab Edition Jeep's priciest Wrangler package... so far. Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.

Jeep Grand One and Quicksand Concepts lead the charge to Moab

Jeep's past, present, and future all share equal billing at the 51st annual Easter Jeep Safari in Moab. We're suckers for vintage Jeeps, so the all-new Grand One Concept really stands out among the seven vehicles that make up Jeep's conceptual take on the off-road event. It's based on a 1993 Grand Cherokee in a slightly early celebration of the model's 25th anniversary. Exterior mods include custom fender flares for clearance over 18-inch wheels and 33-inch BFGoodrich Mud-Terrain KM2 tires, trimmed front and rear fascias and what FCA is calling a "subtle wood grain" splashed on the vehicle's bodysides. An extended wheelbase ought to offer a bit more room inside, and a two-inch suspension lift will help when the going gets tough. No alterations are mentioned to the vehicle's 5.2-liter V8 or 4-speed automatic transmission. The second most interesting concept for Moab is the Jeep Quicksand. It's clearly Wrangler-based, but instead of a traditional rock-climbing focus, this one's built for the sand dunes. Power comes from a worked-over Mopar 392 Crate HEMI engine topped with an eight-stack fuel injection system that peeks through the hood. A six-speed manual sends the ponies to all four wheels, but with a unique twist: 32-inch BFGs in the front and 37s in the rear in what Jeep says is its first application of staggered tire sizes on a concept vehicle. A Warn winch concealed in a vintage-style Moon tank at the front is the finishing touch. The Jeep Safari Concept is all about letting the outdoors in while keeping the elements out. A translucent hardtop and four aluminum and clear vinyl doors are the most obvious changes from stock, and two rear seats have been angled outward so that their occupants get a better view outside. Dana 44 axles and a two-inch suspension lift come from the Mopar parts catalog, but the roof-rack-mounted drone and dash-mounted iPad are custom one-off touches. Power comes from a stock 3.6-liter V6 and five-speed automatic transmission. Perhaps more intriguing than all the custom bits and baubles, though, are what appears to be next-gen Wrangler bodywork. Take a look at the kinked grille, the outer slats of which are pinched by the headlights, and the shape of the rocker panel between the front and rear door. No, this isn't exactly a 2018 Wrangler hiding in plain sight, but it's certainly a nod toward the future. Jeep's Switchback Concept looks to be a rolling Mopar parts catalog.