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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

Fires, deaths continue after Jeep fuel tank recall

As Kayla White slowed her SUV behind two other cars to exit a suburban Detroit freeway on Veterans Day, it was rammed from behind by a Cadillac STS. Her red 2003 Jeep Liberty bounced off a Nissan in front of it, rolled onto its side and exploded in flames. Other drivers ran to help but were forced back by the heat. Firefighters arrived in just three minutes but were too late. White, a 23-year-old restaurant hostess who was eight months pregnant, died of burns and smoke inhalation. White is one of more than 70 people killed in fires involving older Jeeps with plastic fuel tanks mounted behind the rear axle. Fiat Chrysler, which makes Jeeps, recalled 1.56 million of them in June 2013 under pressure from US safety regulators. But only 12 percent of the SUVs have been repaired in the 18 months since the recall, a much slower pace than usual. And White's Jeep was not among those fixed. Last week, prosecutors charged the Cadillac driver with committing a moving violation that caused a death. But safety advocates and the lawyer for White's family say the blame belongs as much, if not more, on Chrysler and an auto-industry safety system that moves too slowly to prevent tragedy. The rear-mounted tanks have little structure to protect them if struck from behind, making them susceptible to punctures and fires. Moving the gas tank in front of the axle would be expensive and difficult. So Chrysler's remedy involved installing trailer hitches on the rear of the Jeeps as an extra layer of protection. Government testing showed the hitches protected the tanks in crashes up to 40 mph when stationary Jeeps were hit from behind. But at higher speeds, they wouldn't help. White tried to get the repair done a few weeks before her death but was told by a Jeep dealer that parts weren't available, according to Gerald Thurswell, her family's lawyer. He wouldn't identify the dealership, and his contention could not be independently verified by The Associated Press. Thurswell contends the gas tank ruptured, spilling fuel that touched off the fire. A Chrysler spokesman expressed sympathy to White's family but said the company had no written proof that she asked a dealer about the recall. Two crash reconstruction experts interviewed by the AP say gas wouldn't have spilled from White's Jeep if the tank had been mounted in front of the rear axle. Both say a hitch might have prevented the tank from being damaged, but because both vehicles were in motion, neither expert could say for sure.

2018 Jeep Wrangler: The iconic off-roader, with new innovations

AUBURN HILLS, Mich. — The Jeep Wrangler has a spirit, and Mark Allen is one of its keepers. That's why the 2018 edition still has a fold-down windshield, despite the reality that even the most die-hard Wrangler owners seldom use it anymore. The folding screen dates to the origins of the Wrangler, when Willys were sent to Europe during World War II. The reasons: "The windshields folded down for shipping — and the guy in the back with the howitzer," says Allen, the longtime Jeep design boss. Delivered in 2017 in the FCA Design Dome, the line comes across as a quip, but it's historically dead on. It's through this lens that Allen and the rest of the Jeep designers and engineers devised the modern successor to a primitive military vehicle. The windshield folds down in minutes with the turn of four bolts on this new generation, the JL. It takes about 90 minutes and 28 bolts to do the same on the outgoing JK. Needed or not, the windshield is better and more functional for 2018, even if it looks about the same. This aptly sums up the new model. Get closer and get inside. Look under the hood. There's much more going on than is evident at first glance. Allen says the broad strokes of the current design didn't change because he wanted to remain true to the Wrangler's identity, which lights the path for the entire brand. Crazier ideas were considered, but ultimately, this evolutionary approach was deemed the best. "The Wrangler is instantly recognizable around the world," says Jeep boss Mike Manley. "It has been and remains the absolute icon of the brand." But it is different, and by using any objective metrics, better. The JL is lighter than the JK. It offers a new engine with a mild hybrid function – more on that later. Fuel economy is improved. The interior is nicer, yet still rugged. The on-road ride quality is upgraded, but you can still scale mountains and conquer the jungle. Still, it looks about the same. Let's start there. The round headlights are all-LED, with a horizontal projector sandwiched between the high beams. The taillights are square and have available LEDs. The grille has been massaged to a "keystone" design that recalls the CJ, Allen says. The front wheels are pulled slightly forward, and the beltline is lowered. The vehicle also is longer (how much depends on the version), which creates a better stance. Half doors will be offered on the Rubicon model in 2019 and then will be available across the Wrangler lineup.