2015 Chrysler 200 S on 2040-cars

Auto blog

Fiat Chrysler Automobiles: The next five years

Unless you've been living under a rock for the past 24 hours, you've no doubt read about all of the big future product news coming out of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles today. We had individual brand reports from Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, Ram, Alfa Romeo, Fiat, Maserati and even Ferrari, but in the interest of simplifying and summarizing, we're going to list out the hard facts once more. Of course, with all of this still off in the future, there's still the possibility that a few changes will be made. But as of what we know right now, here's what's coming, and what's going away.
Chrysler
2014: Refreshed 300/300C, debuting at Los Angeles Auto Show

Buy Ford and GM stock and make 5%

Want to make a five-percent return when 10-year treasuries are paying around two percent? Ford (F) and General Motors (GM) have solid balance sheets, strong cash flow, solid earnings, and growing markets. By all accounts, they are smart investments. But the market is down on these stocks. Why? Some of the stupid excuses include: They are cyclical companies The Detroit 3 have lost 3.5 million in sales since 2000 The world economy is shaky GM recently filed for bankruptcy Their markets have peaked They haven't changed their ways Let's take these criticisms one by one: They Are Cyclical Companies Yes, they are cyclical. Every company is cyclical. Every industry is cyclical. Some more than others, but not every company is immune from swings in the market. Banks used to be 'non-cyclical' leader, not anymore. Airline stocks are just as cyclical as auto stocks, yet they are trading at multiples greater than the auto industry. Why? And what accounts for the irrational stock price for Tesla (TSLA)? At least Ford (F) and General Motors (GM) make money and have positive cash flows. In fact, both companies have a net positive cash position. They have more cash on hand than liabilities. Auto sales in the United States hit a record 17.5 million vehicles in 2015. During the Great Recession, Ford (F) and General Motors (GM) cut their break even points to 10 million vehicles per year. Anything above an annual U.S. volume of 10 million vehicles is profit. And what a profit they make. Sales of Ford's F-150 continues to be the best-selling vehicle in the United States for over 30 years. Detroit 3 Have Lost 3.5 million in Sales Since 2000 Automotive News reports General Motors (GM), Ford (F) and Chrysler (FCA) have lost a combined 3.5 million vehicles sales since 2000. So how can they be making more money? Two big reasons – Fleet Sales and the UAW. Fleet Sales The Detroit 3 used to own car rental companies to keep their factories running. Ford owned Hertz (HTZ), General Motors owned all of National Car Rental and 29 percent of Avis, and Chrysler, the forerunner to Fiat Chrysler (FCA), used to own Thrifty Car Rental and Dollar Rent-A-Car. The Detroit 3 owned these rental companies to have a place to sell their bad product and keep their factories running. These were low margin sales, and in many cases, were money losers for the Detroit 3. They no longer own auto rental companies.

2018 Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid Long-Term Update | Winter vacation

DESTIN, Fla. — You know you want a minivan. Wait, you say. That's not me. I'm not old enough. Or I don't have that many kids. Or ... No. You want a minivan. And after multiple family vacations and weekends in Autoblog's long-term 2018 Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid, I'm happy to explain why. Let's break it down. — The functionality is off-the-charts. From the multiple ways you can open and close the doors to the sheer volume of stuff you can load into them, minivans are leaders in user experience. — The cargo volume is immense and usable. We were able to simply pack up our lives and go to Destin, Fla., for a week on the Gulf. Two adults and a 1-year-old had plenty of space and creature comforts for the drive from Michigan. We moved the passenger seat forward so there was a mini pod in the second row where my wife and baby spent most of the time. During a brief spell from driving, I nestled back there for a bit, sipping coffee and playing cards on the seat-mounted entertainment screen. — In back, our manifest was prodigious. A cooler. A beach blanket. Beach chairs. Three large suitcases. A Pack 'n Play. A baby chair. Food. Boxes of wipes and diapers. A stroller. Beer and wine. Jellycat. Way more things that I've forgotten. It was also the maiden voyage for our Britax Boulevard ClickTight carseat, which fit securely. Installing a carseat easily is one of life's simple joys. The 2018 Pacifica Hybrid lists 197.3 cubic feet of cargo volume, and we used most of it. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. — We did have some space left over, which was actually more impressive to me. When three people can drive across the country with everything they need for a week and then wonder what else they maybe should bring, that speaks volumes (I know) to the usability of the cargo volume. On an earlier trip to Michigan's Upper Peninsula, we took all of this stuff plus a golden retriever, her crate, her food and camping gear. And still had room left over. — The Pacifica has a 24.3-inch lift-over height, which means it's easy to load. You can put the seats down and still reach far into the cargo hold. That's the beauty of minivans. Our family has a three-row SUV that you have to stretch to load and unload. We thought we wanted an SUV. We didn't realize we actually wanted a minivan. — And therein lies the inherent beauty of minivans.