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Fiat Chrysler Australia executive in trouble over misuse of company funds

While the merger to create FCA was coming together, its managing director for Australia, Clyde Campbell, was allegedly racking up 30 million Australian dollars ($23.1 million) in spending for himself, family, and friends. Now, the former boss is facing a court case from the automaker's legal team for the purported misappropriation. Among the more opulent expenses that Campbell allegedly put on Chrysler's tab included a 40-foot yacht worth the equivalent of $308,000 and lavish Christmas parties for workers, according to The Age. Despite being required to only travel in economy class and get permission for international travel, he also reportedly racked up the equivalent of over $413,000 travel expenses. "The more we dug, the more we found," said an unnamed source to The Age. Campbell came to power in Australia as a general manager for DaimlerChrysler, and became managing director in October 2010. He was reportedly a close friend with former Mercedes-Benz USA CEO Ernst Lieb. After Lieb lost his wrongful dismissal lawsuit, Campbell allegedly helped his friend's partnership in an Aussie auto dealer by using FCA funds for financial support totaling the equivalent of about $3 million. All of this came to light when Pat Dougherty came over from the US to be president and CEO of FCA Australia in December 2014. The staff spilled the full story on Dougherty's first day. "I walked into his office and let it all out. I don't think he knew what hit him," another source said to The Age. A team of forensic accountants was brought in to investigate. The reason that this took so long to discover was that no one was paying attention. First, sales in Australia were growing under Campbell. Also, "in my opinion, back in Michigan, head office didn't have its eyes on the road. They only had eyes on the Fiat deal," an insider said to The Age. That confluence essentially provided the perfect storm for this huge spending. News Source: The AgeImage Credit: Giuseppe Cacace / AFP / Getty Images Government/Legal Chrysler Fiat lawsuit FCA

Chrysler Airflow EV crossover concept headed to production in 2024

At the 2020 Consumer Electronics Show (CES), the Airflow Vision Concept took the starring role on the Chrysler stand. More than a year later, Stellantis used its EV Day to show what looked like a running, rolling evolution of the Airflow Vision Concept, but the automaker didn't reference any names for the product. Finally, at one point during the company's Software Day this week, the company brought the production-looking battery-electric crossover out once again, only this time it has a name: Chrysler Airflow. The Stellantis roadmap contains blank spots in the 2022 and 2023 new reveal columns for the Chrysler brand. Car and Driver believes the Airflow could be one of Chrysler's new debuts in 2024. The automaker hasn't offered any details, so the most that can be done with the Airflow is to examine the pieces that Stellantis had already spoken of and see which ones fit. The OEM filed a trademark application for the Airflow name in 2019 and 2021. C/D thinks the five-seat production vehicle will ride on STLA Medium platform and be about the size of the Ford Mustang Mach-E and Volkswagen ID.4. The STLA Medium architecture will serve premium offerings for the C and D segments, will fit battery backs between 87 kWh and 104 kWh and two sizes of e-motors — a smaller motor producing from 168 to 242 horsepower, and a bigger motor putting out anywhere from 201 to 443 hp. Maximum range could be as much as 440 miles, depending on battery and motor combination. The platform slots between the STLA Small and STLA Large, a fourth STLA Frame platform serving trucks and vans.  Just before a four-minute video segment that showed Stellantis CEO Carlos Tavares driving the Airflow, the automaker's head of software said, "It's closer than you think and more than a pure concept." The video shows a range of screens lining the instrument panel, plus a couple more in the back, as well as what look like plush materials and the obligatory panoramic sunroof. With the company aiming to hit 20 billion euros ($22.7B U.S.) in revenue from software by 2030, it said, "The Chrysler Airflow Concept shown in the Stellantis Software Day presentation represents the future of connected vehicles." The first we'll see of that could be the three new software platforms planned to roll out in 2024, all of them powered by AI. CES 2022 isn't far off, and Stellantis has told us there's a big announcement for 2022.

Now at Costco: Bales of toilet paper and a Volvo or Pacifica to haul them

Costco, the beacon of bulk buying, where you can buy everything from gasoline to your own casket at deep discount, is offering some Costco-only incentives through its Auto Program in partnership with specific car brands: for now, Volvo and Chrysler, with other brands planned for later. First, Volvo: Now through Oct. 2, you can get both special incentives AND employee pricing (aka "A-Plan" pricing) AND whatever rebates and incentives Volvo might already have going on. The Costco incentives are: $3,000 on 2017 and 2018 S90 sedans. $750 on 2017 and 2018 S60 sedans. $750 on 2017 and 2018 V60 and V90 Cross Country wagons. $750 on 2017 and 2018 XC90 SUVs. $750 on the outgoing 2017 XC60 crossovers. Automaker incentives usually vary by region, but in the Detroit area, at least, Volvo currently has a $2,500 incentive on the 2018 XC90 and $3,500 on the 2017 model. Those end Aug. 31 but could be renewed in September, and others could be added then as well. Volvo is also offering special interest rates on financing some of the other models. And when all is said and done, if you fill out a Costco customer survey you'll get a $200 cash card. The Chrysler Pacifica deal, also through Oct. 2, is even simpler: Go to the Costco site, print out a certificate worth $1,000, and take it to a Chrysler dealership — any dealership, not just those that usually work with Costco, which is a first. The incentive covers both 2017 and 2018 models. And like the Volvo promotion, these Costco incentives can be combined with whatever Chrysler's doing — and it currently has a myriad of incentives on 2017 Pacificas, in various combinations that differ depending on whether you're leasing or buying. If you register at the Costco Auto Program website, you'll be put in touch with a dealer who can review the bottom line after all the discounts are factored in. Participating dealerships have offered special pricing to Costco members for years, up to the price automaker employees get. Costco's program doesn't typically work the way these Volvo and Chrysler programs do, though a similar joint promotion with Volvo back in 2013 sold 7,500 cars. If you haven't used the Costco Auto Program, but you don't like haggling at a dealership, you might give it a try. The beauty of it is that a dealer is obligated to offer you a set price and is also obligated to treat you by certain rules, such as not trying to upsell you. Last year, 490,000 vehicles were sold to Costco members through the program.