2016 Jeep Wrangler on 2040-cars

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Fiat Chrysler target 850k sales in China by 2018

Behind the vanguard of numerous Jeep models, two Chryslers, a smattering of Fiats and Alfa Romeos and local production through a joint venture with Guangzhou Automotive Group (GAG), Fiat Chrysler wants to increase sales in China more than six-fold by 2018. The group sold 130,000 cars in China in 2013, the aim for 2018 being 850,000 cars.
Ultimately it's expected that the Jeep Grand Cherokee, Cherokee, Wrangler, Renegade, the coming Grand Wagoneer and a sub-Renegade-sized crossover will either be built in or exported to the People's Republic. The Chrysler Town & Country and 300 will join the export list in 2016 and 2018 respectively, according to a report in Automotive News.
With a number of those vehicles not in production or perhaps even envisaged yet, and others not due on the local market until 2018, it will be interesting to see how Fiat Chrysler plans to achieve the target in the specified timeframe. The joint venture with GAG builds two products now, the Dodge Dart-based Fiat Viaggio launched two years ago - supposedly designed just for China - and the just-launched Fiat Ottimo, a hatchback version of the Viaggio. Fiat projected 300,000 Viagio sales in its first two years, that number has been adjusted downward to 94,000 and there doesn't appear to be an analyst alive that sees a good future for Fiat in China's overrun mainstream market. Still, last year's 130,000 group sales in China is a huge jump from 2012 sales of 66,000 units, but less than half the 300,000 units it projected.

Six 'shut up and take my money' cars

Any time you see this iconic moment in pop culture - Shut up and take my money! - posted in response to a new car reveal, rumor for an upcoming model or even lip-service to a vehicle that should exist, you can bet there's some intrinsic good in the idea. Though depending on the person offering up the cash, that good could take the form of extraordinary form, functionality, weight savings, power, handling, etc. You get the idea.
In fact, when I first proposed this list, I reached out to the Autoblog staff to help me brainstorm. Here are some of the ideas they offered up that I ultimately didn't use: Jaguar XE Coupe, Pagani Huayra Roadster, Mercedes-Benz S-Class "parade car" (cabriolet), Morgan 3-Wheeler with Ducati V-twin, Ford Transit Connectamino (pickup), Mercedes CLA63 AMG, Ford Fusion 5.0, BMW i8 Spyder, Lexus RC-F Shooting Brake, Volvo XC90 Polestar. Oh, and things we collectively wanted to stick Dodge's Hellcat in were almost as numerous as models that Fiat Chrysler Automotive currently makes (though none quite so compelling as the Grand Cherokee you see above.)
Ultimately though, while I used a couple of ideas from my colleagues, the list of cars I'd shell out for unquestionably is very personal. Though it isn't complete, what follows is a selection of cars whose very existence would prompt me - or the trust-fund-baby versions of me - to utter without hesitation: "Shut up and take my money."

Next-gen Jeep Wrangler to get 8-speed automatic and 3.0-liter EcoDiesel

Following up on previous reports, an anonymous source within FCA has confirmed to Autoblog that the next-generation Jeep Wrangler will come to market with both a 3.0-liter, EcoDiesel V6 and ZF's critically acclaimed eight-speed automatic transmission. While this pairing makes a lot of sense (we'll explain why in a minute), until now, we only had limited reports that either item would arrive in the next-generation Wrangler. This is the first time we've heard that the eight-speed automatic and the diesel would be paired together. That said, we shouldn't be surprised by this news. FCA currently sells the Jeep Grand Cherokee and Ram 1500 with the diesel/eight-speed gearbox combo, making its inclusion in the next-gen Wrangler far from an Apollo 11-caliber feat of engineering. Naturally, we reached out to Jeep for an official comment. Spokesperson Gabrielle Schulte gave us the expected response to this kind of inquiry, telling Autoblog that FCA does not comment on future product. Jeep has flirted with the idea of a diesel Wrangler for some time, with CEO Mike Manley telling Ward's Auto just over two years ago that a Wrangler diesel was "on the radar," although at that time, we weren't certain whether it'd be the 3.0-liter EcoDiesel showing up in the rough-and-tumble off-roader. As for the eight-speed, SEC filings back in November revealed that it'd be coming to the Wrangler in 2018. Our source could not confirm which model year the 8AT/diesel would arrive in. Related Video: