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Fiat Chrysler U.S. sales chief Reid Bigland steps down after suing company

DETROIT — Fiat Chrysler's head of U.S. sales is leaving the company after a bumpy career that saw him file a whistleblower lawsuit over a scheme to pay dealers to report fake sales numbers. The company says in a statement that Reid Bigland will leave Fiat Chrysler April 3 after 22 years with the company. He'll pursue other interests. Bigland also headed the Ram brand and Fiat Chrysler Canada. During his tenure the company saw big U.S. sales growth, mainly with the Jeep and Ram brands. But his career was marred by the sales scandal, which forced Fiat Chrysler to restate numbers and pay $40 million to settle a complaint with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Terms of BiglandÂ’s departure werenÂ’t announced, but the company said all legal matters with Bigland “have been resolved to the satisfaction of all parties involved.” FCA CEO Mike Manley thanked Bigland for his service in a company statement. “We all wish him every success in his future endeavors,” Manley said. Bigland said in the same statement that that itÂ’s been a privilege to work at FCA and with the companyÂ’s dealers. Last June, Bigland sued Fiat Chrysler alleging that it withheld 90% of his pay package because he testified in the SEC inquiry of sales reporting practices. He alleged that Fiat Chrysler Automobiles violated Michigan's Whistleblower Protection Act, retaliating against him because he testified in the probe of whether the company inflated sales and deceived stockholders. The company withheld Bigland's 2018 long-term incentive stock payout, special dividends and an annual bonus in retaliation for his testimony and because he sold some stock, according to the lawsuit. Documents say the dividends alone are worth about $1.8 million. In September Fiat Chrysler agreed to pay $40 million to settle an SEC complaint alleging that the company misled investors by overstating its monthly sales numbers over a five-year period. The company inflated sales by paying dealers to report fake numbers from 2012 to 2016, the SEC alleged in a complaint. Fiat Chrysler agreed to pay the civil penalty and to stop violating anti-fraud, reporting and internal accounting control regulations, the SEC said. The automaker did not admit or deny the agency's allegations. Fiat Chrysler said it has reviewed and refined its sales reporting procedures. The SEC said the automaker boasted about a streak of year-over-year sales increases into 2016, when the streak actually was broken in September of 2013.

2022 Chrysler 300 gains a little, loses a little

Like an old player who will do anything to keep playing the game, the Chrysler 300 returns in 2022 to limp through another round in the sales arena. No one will be surprised to find out Chrysler doesn't have much in mind for the sedan that still stands out for being unlike segment competitors. The Touring, Touring L, and S trims carry over, and they all stick with Uconnect 4C on an 8.4-inch touchscreen, not the upgraded Uconnect 5 infotainment introduced this year that even the fleet-only 2022 Voyager gets. They are also fitted with the new air filtration system going into every Chrysler product, which removes 95% of particulates from the air. Otherwise, the entry-level model goes untouched. The Touring L gets the $995 Sport Appearance Package as standard equipment next year, which gussies the four-door up with a performance front fascia in body color with Black Noise badges, black pockets in the headlights, LED fog lamps, black LED taillights, black chrome moldings and 20-inch Black Noise wheels instead of the standard 18-inchers in polished aluminum.  Next year's 300S makes the Popular Equipment Group standard equipment, an option that costs $3,495 on the 2021 model. This includes navigation, a dual-pane sunroof, and nine-speaker Alpine audio with a 506-watt amplifier, surround sound and a sub in the trunk.   The $1,995 Comfort Group hold steady on the options list next year, its 15 features increased with the addition of a new alarm system.  Chrysler's trimmed other options that were available on the current model year before the order books closed this month. Amethyst and Canyon Sunset exterior colors are gone, so too is the Driver Convenience Group and its universal garage door opener. Mopar Insiders says the only interior choices next year will be Black, and Black with Linen, which would mean the retirement of Black Smoke and Radar Red. Production for the 2021 models will continue until December at the latest. The 2022 sedans are expected on dealer lots early next year. Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.

Ford and Chrysler reducing summer plant shutdowns

Most domestic automaker assembly plants traditionally take a couple of weeks off during the summer. The shutdowns give each plant time for much needed repairs and maintenance, and in some cases, help better align production with demand. Not this year, though, as demand for many models is outstripping what Ford, Chrysler and General Motors plants can produce.
Ford has announced that it will shorten its annual summer shutdown for most North American plants from two weeks to one. The shorter shutdown will increase the carmaker's annual North American production by 40,000 units on top of the 200,000 extra units that it was already planning to produce this year versus last. Automotive News reports that Ford produced 2.8 million vehicles on this continent in 2012, and that output this year has already increased 13 percent through April.
Chrysler, meanwhile, is also operating at full tilt and plans to run some plants through the summer with no shutdown at all. Those not getting a break include Jefferson North where the Jeep Grand Cherokee and Dodge Durango are assembled, Toledo North that will assemble the new Cherokee, and Conner Avenue, home of SRT Viper production. Other assembly plants will be down for a single week, while all of Chrysler's engine and transmission plants except one in Indiana will continue operating with no shutdown this summer.