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FCA chairman confirms Marchionne email to Barra

FCA CEO Sergio Marchionne is apparently backing up his talk about the need for consolidation in the auto industry with quite a bit of action. One recent report claimed that he even emailed General Motors CEO Mary Barra to make a deal. FCA chairman John Elkann has now confirmed that the correspondence actually happened, and that it wasn't a one-off occurrence. "It was not the only email, it was not the only conversation," Elkann (pictured above with Marchionne) said, according to Reuters. He is a member of the Agnelli family that has a controlling stake in FCA's stock and is supporting the idea of a merger. The automaker is willing to "act with determination if there are the prerequisites to do something that makes sense," Elkann said. Marchionne has been pushing for industry consolidation for months. While GM has been the main target of late, Ford was also rumored as a partner under consideration. In the past, there have also been reports of FCA negotiating with Volkswagen Group and PSA Peugeot Citroen for mergers, as well. According to Reuters, part of the reason for all of this effort might be as a way for Marchionne to ensure his legacy, though he's denied that. He's reportedly considering retiring after 2018. In his opinion, consolidation is needed because automakers are investing too much money to achieve the same goals. The situation would be better after mergers, and he predicts something to happen before 2018. Related Video: News Source: ReutersImage Credit: Massimo Pinca / AP Photo Earnings/Financials Chrysler Fiat Sergio Marchionne FCA merger John Elkann

Detroit 3 to implement delayed unified towing standards for 2015

Car buyers have a responsibility to be well-informed consumers. That's not always a very simple task, but some guidelines are self-evident. If you live in a very snowy climate, you generally know a Ford Mustang or Chevrolet Camaro might not be as viable a vehicle choice as an all-wheel drive Explorer or Traverse, for example. If you want a fuel-efficient car, it's generally a good idea to know the difference between a diesel and a hybrid. But what if it's kind of tough to be an informed consumer? What if the information you need is more difficult to come by, or worse, based on different standards for each vehicle? Well, in that case, you might be a truck shopper.
For years, customers of light-duty pickups have had to suffer through different ratings of towing capacities for each brand. For 2015 model year trucks, though, that will no longer be a problem. According to Automotive News, General Motors, Ford and Chrysler Group have announced that starting with next year's models, a common standard will be used to measure towing capacity. The Detroit Three will join Toyota, which adopted the Society of Automotive Engineers' so-called SAE J2807 standards way back in 2011.
The standard was originally supposed to be in place for MY2013, but concerns that it would lower the overall stated capacity for trucks led Detroit automakers to pass. Ford originally passed, claiming it'd wait until its new F-150 was launched to adopt the new standards, leading GM and Ram to follow suit. Nissan, meanwhile, has said it will adopt the new standards as its vehicles are updated, meaning the company's next-generation Titan should adhere to the same tow ratings as its competitors.

All hail the Hellephant, Mopar's 1,000-horsepower crate engine

It's shocking to say this, but the all-powerful Dodge Demon looks weak now that Mopar has unleashed the Hellephant. This crate motor makes 1,000 horsepower and 950 pound-feet of torque, and its name is a combination of the nickname for the old 426-cubic-inch Hemi V8 and, obviously, the Hellcat. This monster is a 426-cubic-inch version of the current third-generation Hemi V8 topped by a supercharger similar to what the Hellcat line packs. Everything is cranked up to — or perhaps, past — 11. The engine block is made of aluminum and weighs 100 pounds less than the equivalent iron block. All of the internals are forged. The stroke and bore have been increased. The supercharger produces 15 pounds of boost and displaces 3 liters; more than the 2.7-liter blower on the Demon and the 2.4-liter blower on the Hellcat. And as big and powerful as it is, it will still rev to 7,000 rpm. It's a thoroughly monstrous motor, but shockingly, it won't be that difficult to live with. For one thing, Mopar will offer a complete kit to get the engine up and running, including an engine computer, wiring harness and drive-by-wire throttle. It also runs on 93-octane pump gas. That's especially amazing considering the Demon engine "only" makes 840 horsepower, and that's on race gas with 100+ octane fuel. It also has us wondering what the Hellephant could make on racing fuel. The Mopar folks did say that there's room to add more power. Pricing wasn't announced for the Hellephant engine. The Hellcat crate engine retails at $19,350 directly from Mopar, so it's safe to assume that the Hellephant will go for more. The installation kit with the computer and harness will be an extra charge of likely over $2,000, based on the Hellcat kit. The engine and the kit will be available in the first quarter of 2019. Related Video: Featured Gallery Hellephant Crate Engine SEMA Show Chrysler Dodge Jeep RAM Performance dodge demon hellephant