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How a Chrysler New Yorker rally car turned father and son into best friends

Cars have a weird way of bringing fathers and sons together. You might not want to talk to your dad (or son) about politics, but if you can get him into a conversation about 1950s automotive design, then you can chat for hours. The latest video from Petrolicious looks at how Jonathan Auerbach and his dad bonded through racing in long-distance rallies in an absolutely brutish 1951 Chrysler New Yorker.
The Auerbachs have over 10,000 miles in competition on this behemoth of a Chrysler. It packs a 354-cubic-inch (5.8-liter) hemi V8 with Weber carbs under the hood, and driving it looks more akin to piloting a ship than any kind of on-road vehicle. The New Yorker can take a pounding and just keep going, too. Jonathan says that they hit two deer during one event, and the only damage to the car was some missing trim up front.
The next goal is to prep the car for the arduous Peking to Paris Rally. The big Chrysler should be quite the sight when it rolls across the finish line in France. Scroll down to hear this poignant story about a father and son becoming best friends while racing an American classic. You might want to have a tissue handy, if you're close to your dad, though.

Next Chrysler Town & Country will have foot-operated rear doors

Families are still months away from actually seeing the next-gen Chrysler Town & Country debut at the 2016 Detroit Auto Show, but details are continuing to trickle out about the upcoming minivan. Among several features rumored in the latest leak, the sliding doors and rear hatch are reportedly optional with foot activation, according to Automotive News. It should make loading the van easier for owners with their hands full. The T&C's powertrain sees some efficiency improvements, too. Under the hood, expect an upgraded version of the 3.6-liter Pentastar V6 and the already rumored nine-speed automatic, according to Automotive News. For the all-wheel-drive version of the minivan, an electric motor would provide the propulsion at the rear axle. Inside, all of the passengers can arrive with their devices fully charged thanks to USB ports for each of the three rows. Plus, for owners who need to make room to haul, the Stow 'N Go seating is now easier to use, too. Like the latest Honda Odyssey, fastidious buyers might even spec an optional vacuum. Earlier spy shots of the van indicate the switch to a rotary gearshift and upgraded infotainment, as well. Following the Detroit debut, the T&C goes into production in Windsor, Ontario, in late February 2016, Automotive News reports. The plug-in hybrid version would come towards the end of the year possibly capable of 75 mpge.

GM, Chrysler bailouts saved 2.6 million jobs

The Center for Automotive Research (CAR) has been studying the effects of the General Motors and Chrysler bailouts in 2009. Now that the US Treasury has officially sold off the rest of its stake in GM (and Chrysler has already paid back its loan), CAR has released its study on the effects of the bailout with this concluding note: "CAR is confident that in the years ahead, this peacetime intervention in the private sector by the US government will be seen as one of the most successful in US economic history."
Big words, for sure, but there's plenty of evidence to back up the claim. Bailing out GM alone saved 1.2-million jobs. If both GM and Chrysler hadn't been bailed out, US employment would have been reduced by 2.631-million jobs in 2009 and another 1.519-million jobs in 2010, according to the study. If both automakers were allowed to fail, personal income in the US would have decreased by $173.5 billion in 2009 and $110.9 billion in 2010. Instead, the study found that $284.4 billion of personal income was saved by the bailouts.