2022 Chrysler Pacifica Touring L on 2040-cars

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Fiat Chrysler to pay $40 million fine for inflating sales numbers

DETROIT — Fiat Chrysler is paying $40 million to settle with U.S. securities regulators who say the automaker misled investors by overstating its monthly sales numbers over a five-year period. The Italian-American company inflated sales by paying dealers to report fake numbers from 2012 to 2016, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission 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 Friday in a statement. The automaker did not admit or deny the agency's allegations, the statement said. "This case underscores the need for companies to truthfully disclose their key performance indicators," Antonia Chion, associate director in the SEC's Enforcement Division, said in the statement. She noted that the new vehicle sales figures give investors insight into the demand for an automaker's products, a key to assessing the company's performance. Fiat Chrysler said it has reviewed and refined its sales reporting procedures. It said the payment will not have a large impact on its financial statements. The agency 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. When the company disclosed the sales scheme in 2016, it said that it had a "reserve" stock of cars that had been shipped to big fleet buyers such as rental car companies but not recorded as sales. The SEC said employees called this database of actual but unreported sales the "cookie jar." The company dipped into those sales to stop the streak from ending, or when it would have missed other sales targets. Fiat Chrysler said it now records sales as soon as vehicles are shipped to customers. It has also take steps to ensure that a sale is immediately subtracted from its books when it finds out the deal was scuttled because the buyer backed out or couldn't get financing. The SEC probe is another in a long string of legal troubles for Fiat Chrysler. It also faces federal investigations into illegal payments to union officials through a training center, and a criminal probe into allegations that its diesel-powered trucks were programmed to cheat on emissions tests. The company has denied cheating, but federal prosecutors charged an engineer earlier this week and said he conspired with others. In June, Fiat Chrysler's U.S.

Murdered-out minivan: 2018 Chrysler Pacifica gets new S package

Minivans are generally considered cool in an ironic sort of way. No one drives a Honda Odyssey or Chrysler Pacifica because it's hip. People drive minivans because no other type of vehicle offers such a good mix of fuel economy, practicality and space efficiency. Still, automakers are doing their damndest to make sure kids set sail from school in the best-looking breadbox around. In order to spice things up, Chrysler is now offering the S appearance package on the Pacifica. Chrysler offers a similar package on the 300. On the Pacifica, the $595 S package can be added to any Touring Plus, Touring L, Touring L Plus or Limited models. The Pacifica S gets gloss black accents on the front and rear fascias including the grille, headlights and rear valance. The Chrysler wing badges on the front and rear are both done up in gloss black. A black roof rack is optional on the Touring Plus and standard on all other trims. 18-inch wheels are standard while 20-inch wheels can be added to any S-equipped car for an additional $995. The interior gets blacks seats with grey accents and the S logo. The steering wheel gets grey stitching and piano black accents, while the instrument cluster and door panels get trim in what Chrysler is calling Anodized Ice Cave. Really, it just looks like a different shade of grey. The front overhead console, headliner, visors, second- and third-row cargo lighting bezel, A-pillar trim and center console are all done up in black. Other changes for 2018 include standard SafetyTec, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto on all models. 4G LTE WiFi will be optional. 2018 Chrysler Pacificas will hit dealer showrooms in the next few months. Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. Featured Gallery News Source: FCA Chrysler Minivan/Van chrysler pacifica

Dodge Dart pushed toward the grave with simplified lineup

FCA announced a while back that the Dodge Dart and its Chrysler 200 half-sibling are on the way out due to lack of interest. The 2016 model year will be the Dart's last, and Dodge has just reconfigured the lineup mid-year to lower (relative) pricing and streamline ordering. Streamlined is a nice way of saying there will be fewer choices, with three models (down from five) and limited customization beyond choosing the paint color. The odd thing is that the Dart continues to offer three different engines. And while the prices of the individual models have decreased, the former SE base trim is now gone. That means an early-2016 Dart was available for as little as $17,990, while the late-2016 Dart starts at $18,990. For that sum you get the new base model, the SXT Sport, which replaces the SXT and comes with the 2.0-liter Tigershark four-cylinder (160 horsepower, 148 lb-ft of torque) and a six-speed manual; a six-speed automatic is an available option. Standard equipment includes normal entry-level car stuff, black cloth upholstery, 16-inch wheels, and grille shutters that help improve fuel economy. The SXT Sport can be dressed up with one of three different appearance packages; Chrome adds bright accents to parts including the grille and door handles, Rallye has a black grille and a touring suspension, and the Blacktop package makes pretty much everything on the exterior black and includes a sport-tuned suspension. All three packages come with bigger wheels, too. From there it's on to the new Dart Turbo, for $20,490. It comes with the 1.4-liter turbo four (160 hp, 184 lb-ft of torque) and comes exclusively with a six-speed manual transmission. This is supposed to be the model for enthusiasts, which is how Dodge is selling the switch to manual-only. Ditching the disliked dual-clutch automatic that was previously offered with this engine doesn't hurt. This engine was also used in the former Aero model, as it's the most fuel-efficient in the lineup. The Turbo gets the Rallye appearance stuff and a different hood. At the top is the Dart GT Sport, starting at $21,900. It has the 184-hp, 2.4-liter Tigershark four-cylinder and a choice of six-speed manual or automatic transmission. This is the one with features, including a power driver's seat, the 8.4-inch Uconnect infotainment unit, digital reconfigurable gauges, dual-zone auto climate, keyless start, and a rearview camera. The latter-part-of-2016 Dart will be available in eight colors.