2002 Chrysler Prowler Base Convertible 2-door 3.5l on 2040-cars

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Toyota tops Consumer Reports best, worst used car values

We often mock Toyota for building boring, soulless cars, but a new study by Consumer Reports suggests that regardless of whether that's true, the company has some of the best used cars on the market. In its report on used cars from 2004-2013, the Japanese automaker had 11 vehicles among its brands on the list - more than any other automaker.
CR breaks the list down by cost and vehicle size, and Toyota has at least one entry at every price point and in nearly every segment. To score a recommendation, a vehicle had to perform well in the magazine's initial tests and score above-average reliability results. It also tried to only suggest cars with electronic stability control. Of the 28 recommended vehicles, Honda/Acura had the second most mentions at six, and Ford, Hyundai and Subaru managed two each.
The Detroit brands also made it to the list, but not in a positive way. Consumer Reports compiled a list of 22 vehicles it wouldn't recommend because "they have multiple years of much-worse-than-average overall reliability." General Motors had the most unrecommended models on the list at six, but Chrysler and Ford weren't far behind, with five cars each from their brands not making the grade. The full list of recommendations is available on CR's website.

Why Chrysler didn't send off 300 with Hellcat-powered model

Chrysler is sending off the 300 with a limited-edition model powered by the mighty 6.4-liter (392-cubic-inch) Hemi V8. Earlier rumors claimed that the 2023 300C could get the supercharged, 6.2-liter Hellcat V8, but a new report suggests there aren't enough engines to go around. Quoting unnamed inside sources, The Drive wrote that the available supply of Hellcat engines is already spoken for. Sister company Dodge uses the eight-cylinder in several models, including the Challenger, the Charger, and the Durango, and Ram needs it for the 1500 TRX. Enthusiasts can also buy the V8 as a crate engine. Hellcat production is coming to an end with no successor in sight so demand is high. Another issue brought up by the publication is that stuffing the Hellcat between the 300C's fenders didn't necessarily make sense from a business point of view. The big sedan shares its basic platform with the Charger, which is offered with Hellcat power, but engineers would have needed to make at least a handful of modifications to install the engine. On the other hand, Chrysler sold the 300 with the 6.4-liter Hemi V8 until the 2014 model year so the engineering work has already been completed; put simply, this is the simpler and cheaper solution. Muscle car fans hoping for a 700-plus-horsepower Chrysler sedan will need to build it themselves; like we mentioned, the Hellcat is offered as a crate engine. Buyers who score one of the 2,000 units of the 300C earmarked for our market likely won't be disappointed by its performance, however. The V8 sends 485 horsepower (up from 470 in the 300 SRT) and 470 pound-feet of torque to the rear wheels via an eight-speed automatic transmission. Chrysler quotes a 0-60-mph time of 4.3 seconds and a quarter-mile time of 12.4 seconds. Pricing for the 2023 Chrysler 300C starts at $56,595 including destination. Related video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.

Ralph Gilles named Fiat Chrysler head of design

The amalgamation of two major automakers like Fiat and Chrysler inevitably means that there'll be some redundancy. There can't be two design chiefs for the entire group, for example, so the Italian-American automaker has named just one to oversee all design for its various divisions – and that one individual is Ralph Gilles. A Chrysler group veteran, Gilles has been at Auburn Hills since 1992, and has held a number of key positions along the way. He has until now served as senior vice president in charge of what's now known as the FCA North American Design Office – a position he assumed in June 2009 when it was still just the Chrysler design office – and has previously run the Dodge and SRT brands and headed up the company's racing activities. In assuming his new role as the group's Head of Design, Gilles will also step up to the FCA Group Executive Council. Meanwhile Lorenzo Ramaciotti, who joined Fiat as head of design in 2007 after serving the same function at Pininfarina, is now set to retire. Along with the Gilles appointment and Ramaciotti retirement, FCA has named Mauro Fenzi as group COO Systems and head of Comau, Fiat's robotic machinery division. FCA Announces Executive Changes - Appoints Gilles as Chief Designer - Names Fenzi COO Systems and CEO of Comau April 1, 2015 , London - Fiat Chrysler Automobiles N.V. (NYSE: FCAU / MI: FCA) today announced that Ralph Gilles was named Head of Design and member of the FCA Group Executive Council (GEC). He currently leads the FCA North American Design Office as Senior Vice President, a position he was named to in June 2009. The GEC is the highest management-level decision making body within the FCA organization and is led by the FCA Chief Executive Officer (CEO). Gilles succeeds Lorenzo Ramaciotti, who is retiring after several years of dedicated service with the Company. Ramaciotti will continue to lend his expertise to the group serving as a Special Advisor to the CEO. "We extend our sincere appreciation to Lorenzo for his unwavering dedication, service, leadership and many contributions to the organization," said Sergio Marchionne, Chief Executive Officer, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles N.V. Gilles previously served as CEO – Motorsports; President and CEO – SRT Brand and CEO – Dodge Brand for FCA US in addition to his leadership role in Design. He joined the Company in 1992.