Chrysler Concordev 2000 Lxi on 2040-cars

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Ralph Gilles named Fiat Chrysler head of design

The amalgamation of two major automakers like Fiat and Chrysler inevitably means that there'll be some redundancy. There can't be two design chiefs for the entire group, for example, so the Italian-American automaker has named just one to oversee all design for its various divisions – and that one individual is Ralph Gilles. A Chrysler group veteran, Gilles has been at Auburn Hills since 1992, and has held a number of key positions along the way. He has until now served as senior vice president in charge of what's now known as the FCA North American Design Office – a position he assumed in June 2009 when it was still just the Chrysler design office – and has previously run the Dodge and SRT brands and headed up the company's racing activities. In assuming his new role as the group's Head of Design, Gilles will also step up to the FCA Group Executive Council. Meanwhile Lorenzo Ramaciotti, who joined Fiat as head of design in 2007 after serving the same function at Pininfarina, is now set to retire. Along with the Gilles appointment and Ramaciotti retirement, FCA has named Mauro Fenzi as group COO Systems and head of Comau, Fiat's robotic machinery division. FCA Announces Executive Changes - Appoints Gilles as Chief Designer - Names Fenzi COO Systems and CEO of Comau April 1, 2015 , London - Fiat Chrysler Automobiles N.V. (NYSE: FCAU / MI: FCA) today announced that Ralph Gilles was named Head of Design and member of the FCA Group Executive Council (GEC). He currently leads the FCA North American Design Office as Senior Vice President, a position he was named to in June 2009. The GEC is the highest management-level decision making body within the FCA organization and is led by the FCA Chief Executive Officer (CEO). Gilles succeeds Lorenzo Ramaciotti, who is retiring after several years of dedicated service with the Company. Ramaciotti will continue to lend his expertise to the group serving as a Special Advisor to the CEO. "We extend our sincere appreciation to Lorenzo for his unwavering dedication, service, leadership and many contributions to the organization," said Sergio Marchionne, Chief Executive Officer, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles N.V. Gilles previously served as CEO – Motorsports; President and CEO – SRT Brand and CEO – Dodge Brand for FCA US in addition to his leadership role in Design. He joined the Company in 1992.

Chrysler recalling 49K Chargers for headlight components

Chrysler has issued a recall for about 49,375 2011 and 2012 Dodge Chargers with halogen headlamps due to a problem with the lights. The automaker says that there could be an issue with the jumper harness and other related components.
The automaker says that 43,450 cars are affected in the US, 2,850 in Canada, 375 in Mexico and 2,700 outside of North America. The vehicles will have their headlight assemblies, including the jumper harnesses and bulbs, inspected and potentially replaced. Dodge says that its engineers investigated reports of that were similar to what was found when it recalled about 10,000 police Chargers in 2012 for overheating light components. There have been no injuries or accidents related to fault, according to Chrysler.
The automaker will be in contact with affected owners, and schedule the service. Naturally, any repairs will be free of charge. Scroll down for the company's full announcement.

Chrysler celebrates 90 years with special trim levels

Ninety years is a long time for any business to stick around, and it's especially difficult in the auto industry. Chrysler is celebrating the milestone this year by loading on extra tech with 90th Anniversary Edition packages for the 200, 300, and Town & Country. Chrysler's 90th Anniversary Edition for the 2016 300 is based on the Limited trim, and it includes an 8.4-inch UConnect infotainment system with navigation, SiriusXM radio, and a custom splash screen. In addition, buyers get a dual-pane sunroof and floor mats with the anniversary logo. Separately, the 2016 300S is available with a retuned suspension and steering that includes increased spring rates, larger sway bars, and set of Goodyear Eagle F1 tires. The 200's 90th Anniversary Edition is also based on the Limited trim, and the package adds an 8.4-inch Uconnect system without navigation, sunroof, heated mirrors, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, power seats, and custom floor mats. For 2016, the Limited also has blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-path detection as a standalone option, and it and the S version get a standard backup camera. The 200C now comes with a heated steering wheel, as well. Finally, the Town & Country is due for a replacement in early 2016, but the current version gets to celebrate the 90th anniversary, too. Based on the Touring-L trim, the package adds a power sunroof, bright door handles, heated seats for the first two rows, a heated steering wheel, and keyless ignition. Plus, there are special logos on the splash screen and floor mats. 90th Anniversary of Chrysler Brand Marked by Nearly Complete Refresh of Vehicle Lineup September 1, 2015 , Auburn Hills, Mich. - With two of the brand's three vehicles either recently renewed – from the refreshed flagship and iconic 300 full-size sedan earlier this year, to the completely new 200 mid-size sedan last year – Chrysler is gaining momentum. Add to that the upcoming sixth-generation of the vehicle that created the minivan segment more than 30 years ago, coming next year, and that qualifies for a serious roll. 2015 also marks the Chrysler Brand's 90th year, which it will celebrate by offering special 90th anniversary models of its 300, 200 and Town & Country models. "Clearly 2015 is a very exciting time for the Chrysler Brand," said Al Gardner, President and CEO - Chrysler Brand, FCA — North America.