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Chrysler touts Pacifica Plug-in minivan's lower emissions

Put the words "Chrysler" and "minivan" together, and the concept of lower greenhouse-gas emissions may not immediately come to mind – especially given today's news about FCA sister brands Ram and Jeep. Among mass-market automakers, Chrysler and its sister companies (namely Dodge and Ram) have long lagged its competitors in fuel economy, with little in the way of drivetrain electrification. Now, though, Fiat Chrysler says it's taking steps to make some green-vehicle progress via its new Chrysler Pacifica Plug-in Hybrid minivan. Namely, the automaker says the minivan, which can go 33 miles on electric power alone, generates 31 percent less emissions than previous-generation Pacifica, and 24 percent less than the 2017 model-year gas-powered variant. The Pacifica Plug-in, which will be the first hybrid minivan to be sold in the US, has a fuel-economy rating of 84 miles per gallon equivalent, and can go as far as 566 miles on a full tank and full electric charge. That full charge takes about two hours with a 240-volt charger, and 14 hours from a standard, 110-volt outlet. That means that over the lifecycle of the vehicle (estimated at 120,000 miles), the plug-in minivan, which will compete against models such as the Toyota Sienna and Honda Odyssey, may cut emissions by 21 metric tons of carbon dioxide relative to the gas-powered version. That is the equivalent to the annual emissions of about 22 US households, or, as Chrysler put it, 14 commercial flights to Los Angeles from Detroit. Chrysler is pricing the minivan at about $43,000 (or about $35,000 once the $7,500 federal tax credit for plug-in vehicles kicks in) and will start selling the model by the end of March. Take a look at Autoblog's First Drive impressions here. Related Video: Featured Gallery 2017 Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid: First Drive View 19 Photos News Source: Fiat Chrysler via Green Car Reports Green Chrysler Fiat AutoblogGreen Exclusive Emissions Fuel Efficiency Minivan/Van Hybrid chrysler pacifica

Major automakers post mixed US June sales figures

General Motors, Ford and Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV posted declines in US new vehicle sales for June on Monday, while major Japanese automakers reported stronger figures. Once again, demand for pickup trucks and crossovers offset a decline in sedan sales. Automakers' shares rose as overall industry sales still came in above Wall Street expectations. The US auto industry is bracing for a downturn after hitting a record 17.55 million new vehicles sold in 2016. Analysts had predicted that overall, US vehicle sales would fall in June for the fourth consecutive month. As the market has shown signs of cooling, automakers have hiked discounts and loosened lending terms. Car shopping website Edmunds said on Monday the average length of a car loan reached an all-time high of 69.3 months in June. "It's financially risky, leaving borrowers exposed to being upside down on their vehicles for a large chunk of their loans," said Jessica Caldwell, Edmunds' executive director of industry analysis. GM said its sales fell about 5 percent versus June 2016, but that the industry would see stronger sales in the second half of 2017 versus the first half. "Under the current economic conditions, we anticipate US retail vehicle sales will remain strong for the foreseeable future." GM shares were up 2.4 percent in morning trading, while Ford rose 3.3 percent and FCA shares jumped 6 percent. "US total sales are moderating due to an industry-wide pullback in daily rental sales, but key US economic fundamentals clearly remain positive," said GM chief economist Mustafa Mohatarem. "Under the current economic conditions, we anticipate US retail vehicle sales will remain strong for the foreseeable future." Ford said its sales for June were hit by lower fleet sales to rental agencies, businesses, and government entities, which fell 13.9 percent, while sales to consumers were flat. But it sold a record 406,464 SUVs in the first half of the year, with Explorer sales increasing 23 percent in June. And sales of the F-150 had their strongest June since 2001. On a media call, Ford executives said an initial read of automakers' sales figures indicated a seasonally adjusted annualized rate of around 17 million new vehicles for the month, which would be better than 16.6 million units analysts had predicted. FCA said June sales decreased 7 percent versus the same month a year earlier.

FCA may sell off Magneti Marelli

FCA is reportedly just days away from filing the official prospectus for the Ferrari initial public offering, and it could put the Italian sportscar maker's value at $11 billion. Although, Sergio Marchionne always seems to have another iron in the fire, and his next big deal could shed the automotive giant's Magneti Marelli parts business to the tune of $3.3 billion. According to Reuters citing anonymous insider sources, at least two private equity firms are considering joint submitting bids with firms already in the industry. This deal has reportedly been in the works for at least the last few weeks. According to Reuters, FCA already rejected a roughly $2.7-billion offer in June. Marchionne apparently wants at least the equivalent of $3.3 billion for the company. Publicly, FCA isn't talking, though. Company spokesperson Gualberto Ranieri told Reuters and reiterated to Autoblog simply that Magneti Marelli wasn't for sale. However, a move to get rid of the parts company has been discussed in the past. In 2013, the business was rumored to be part of a purported arrangement to sell Alfa Romeo to Audi. While there's no final decision yet, according to Reuters, if the Magneti Marelli sale does move forward the decision would likely come sometime after the Ferrari IPO. The company would likely be split up among the various divisions. "Everyone will take a fair share of it," one of the anonymous sources to Reuters. News Source: ReutersImage Credit: Jeff Kowalsky / Bloomberg via Getty Images Earnings/Financials Chrysler Fiat Sergio Marchionne FCA fca us magneti marelli