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Chrysler 300 soldiers on for 2021 with pared-down range, higher price

Chrysler's last remaining sedan, the 300, will enter the 2021 model year with fewer trim levels and a higher price, according to a recent report. The 2021 model will be the second-generation 300's 10th year on the American market. Well-informed website CarsDirect received a dealer ordering guide, which reportedly confirms the Limited and 300C trims levels will not return for 2021. They're the two most expensive trims offered for 2020, and the publication added that removing them will likely mean upscale features like wood interior trim, Nappa leather upholstery, and quilted seats will no longer be available. It concluded the 2021 300 lineup will consist solely of the Touring and the 300S models, though it oddly made no mention of the Touring L. It doesn't sound like Chrysler will make any major visual or mechanical changes to the 300 — sorry, Hellcat fans. Available with rear- or all-wheel drive, the entry-level Touring model will be powered by the company's venerable 3.6-liter V6 tuned to make 292 horsepower and 260 pound-feet of torque. Marketed as a sportier sedan, the rear-wheel drive-only 300S will come standard with a 300-horse version of the V6, but buyers who want more power will be able to order a 5.7-liter Hemi V8 rated at 363 horsepower and 394 pound-feet of torque at extra cost. Pricing for the 2021 300 Touring will start at $31,940 including a $1,495 destination charge, a $405 increase over the 2020 model. Stepping up to the 300S will require spending $38,980, but the cost of the optional V8 will increase from $3,000 to $4,000, bringing its price to $42,890 once the aforementioned destination charge enters the equation. Keep in mind none of these figures are official, and Chrysler hasn't commented on the report. Most of the carmakers operating under the Fiat-Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) umbrella will announce the changes they're making for 2021 on September 1 — that's next Tuesday, so we won't have to wait long to find out what's in store for the 300. Chrysler has kept its lips sealed about what's next. Rumors claiming the sedan wouldn't live to see 2020 were evidently false, yet it can't remain in production for another decade. Sales fell by 37% to 29,213 units in 2019. Chrysler can either develop a third-generation model that will likely need to represent it in the sedan segment through the 2020s, or it can hike the path blazed by many of its rivals and throw in the towel.

Fiat Chrysler pleads guilty to paying off Detroit union officials

DETROIT — Fiat Chrysler pleaded guilty to conspiracy Monday, admitting that it paid off leaders of the United Auto Workers to try to win concessions in negotiations covering thousands of factory workers. FCA's conviction follows a series of guilty pleas from UAW officials who were showered with more than $3.5 million in cash and items of value from a jointly run training center over an eight-year period. FCA stands for Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, which now is part of Stellantis, a company created by the merger of Fiat Chrysler and PSA Peugeot. “FCA violated federal labor law and undermined the collective bargaining process and the faith of the UAWÂ’s membership in their leaders,” said acting U.S. Attorney Saima Mohsin. The head of FCA labor relations, Al Iacobelli, executed the scheme with five UAW officials and a spouse, especially General Holiefield, who was a union vice president. He eliminated a $262,000 home mortgage in 2014 with training center money. Union officials used credit cards for spending sprees. “Your honor, we plead guilty,” FCA general counsel Chris Pardi told U.S. District Judge Paul Borman. Iacobelli was sentenced to 5 1/2 years in prison in 2018, but the sentence was recently reduced by 18 months due to his cooperation. Holiefield died in 2015; his wife pleaded guilty to a tax crime three years later. Holiefield's successor, Norwood Jewell, was sentenced to 15 months in prison. His plea deal listed $60,000 in meals and golf paid with training center credit cards. FCA will pay a $30 million fine to the government. An independent monitor will be appointed to oversee the end of the training center as well as handle other tasks. The government's investigation became public in 2017, but agents soon were uncovering other corruption at the UAW. Union dues were used to pay for golf, booze and vacation villas in California, and contractors were giving kickbacks for union business. Eleven officials have been convicted, including former presidents Gary Jones and Dennis Williams. They are awaiting their sentences in Detroit federal court. Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. Earnings/Financials Government/Legal UAW/Unions Chrysler Fiat

Auto industry insider previews tell-all book, What Did Jesus Drive?

"It's about some of the biggest crises in history. It's about who did it right and who did it wrong." - Jason Vines
Jason Vines, the former head of public relations at Chrysler, Ford and Nissan, has seen a lot during his more than 30-year career, and now he's offering a behind-the-scenes look at the auto industry in his tell-all book What Did Jesus Drive? that went on sale this month.