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Chrysler readying 20 Moparized vehicles for SEMA

The Las Vegas Convention Center has plenty of space for aftermarket companies and automakers to show off their wares, and it looks like Chrysler is taking advantage of the spacious floor plan. At next month's SEMA Show, Chrysler will have a full 20 cars from its six brands decked out with Mopar gear.
As a hint of what is to come, Chrysler released a handful of teaser sketches showing glimpses of modified Jeep Cherokee, Ram 1500, Fiat 500L and Chrysler 300 concept vehicles. The automaker will also use the venue to show off a new line of Jeep Performance Parts offered by the all-new Mopar Off-Road Division. In addition to the images, Chrysler also issued a brief press release - posted below - breaking down some of the "industry-first features" that Mopar has offered in recent years.

FCA's U.S. sales chief sues company for wrongful retaliation

Some fresh controversy is brewing at Fiat Chrysler Automobiles as The Detroit News reports that the head of U.S. sales has filed a federal whistleblower lawsuit against the company.. Reid Bigland, who's also in charge of the Ram truck brand, alleges that FCA made him a scapegoat for wrongful sales inflation practices and fixing vehicle sales statistics, which are currently under investigation by federal agents. Bigland claims that FCA executives punished him for cooperating with the federal investigators in the case by cutting his pay by more than 90 percent, according to the lawsuit he filed. The plan apparently was to use the money saved to pay for fines following any settlements made with the Securities and Exchange Commission. So far, the lawsuit alleges that FCA cost Bigland over $1.8 million in income. "They had the largest growth in retail sales in 17 years last year and refuses to pay him," Deborah Gordon, Bigland's lawyer in the case, said to The Detroit News. "Why is that? Because he participated in the SEC investigation and they don't like what he said." Bigland claims he just cooperated with the SEC investigation by testifying about FCA's sales reporting, from the time he took the position to the period prior to being appointed the company's U.S. sales chief. "In late 2018, presumably as a way to wrap up their investigation with some result, the SEC suggested to plaintiff that he admit to some wrongdoing as to defendants' monthly sales reporting," Gordon further said in a statement as part of the lawsuit. "The SEC also suggested a resolution involving some penalty to FCA. Because (Bigland) had not engaged in any wrongdoing, and there was no wrongdoing, he declined to do so." However, exacerbating the issue is the fact that Bigland reportedly sold his shares in the company last year, prompting FCA to act against him even more. FCA came under fire recently by federal agents in at least two separate investigations, potentially exposing conspiracy and corruption between company executives and private entities. The investigations are being led independently by the U.S. Attorney's Office and the FBI. So far, eight convictions were reportedly secured, with one including former Fiat Chrysler Automobiles Vice President Alphons Iacobelli, as one of the defendants. Iacobelli was one of the former top labor-relations executives for the automaker.

2021 Ram 1500 Limited Longhorn 10th Anniversary Edition revealed with southwestern flair

Ram has made pickups as a standalone brand for about 10 years now, and the company is celebrating this milestone with a special edition truck. It’s called the 2021 Ram 1500 Limited Longhorn 10th Anniversary Edition. Being the “Limited” trim, itÂ’s starting out as the most luxurious and well-appointed Ram that money can buy. Ram is sweetening the deal with a bunch of southwestern-themed appearance items. On the outside, the 10th Anniversary Edition distinguishes itself with a chrome-slate grille, chrome headlight header, chrome bumpers, a special tailgate badge and new 20-inch wheels that are available in multiple finishes. YouÂ’ll also get tow hooks, side steps and the adaptive LED headlights as standard equipment. On the interior, Ram ramps up the luxury even higher than normal. It comes with a new leather-wrapped dashboard, suede door inserts, leather seat inserts on the bolsters with a unique design to highlight a “southwestern style.” It comes in a Mountain Brown interior color theme and features hammered aluminum accents, a 10th Anniversary instrument cluster with graphic and badge, a glossy black shifter cap, metal pedal kit and a brushed-zinc badge on the center consoleÂ’s lid. YouÂ’ll be able to spec the truck with the 5.7-liter V8 or the 3.0-liter turbodiesel V6. ItÂ’s only available in the Crew Cab body style, but you can get it in either the 5-foot-7-inch or 6-foot-4 bed lengths. Pricing begins at $58,565, including the $1,695 destination charge. These trucks are on sale now, so check your local dealers if you want one of the special editions.