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Autoblog sell-it-yourself highlight: 2004 Chrysler Crossfire

Chrysler's Crossfire was the most fortuitous product of the Chrysler and Daimler-Benz merger when it launched, but also the most tormented. Clothed in Chrysler sheetmetal, the Crossfire sat atop a Mercedes platform and was propelled by an M-B drivetrain. The upscale vibe was obvious, while its outlier status on a Chrysler showroom dominated by minivans, was preordained. As Autoblog reported in May 2006, "production of the Crossfire [fell] from a peak of 35,700 in 2003 to just 12,500 last year. Introduced in 2003, the Crossfire managed about 28,000 sales in 2004, but less than 10,000 in 2005. Chrysler was so desperate to move Crossfires in late 2005 that it even engaged in a marketing stunt when it attempted to sell units on Overstock.com." Most specialized two-seaters (or 2+2 coupes) invariably run into marketing reality; once the novelty wears off, there is little sustained support for a small, impractical vehicle in modern America. Conversely, if looking for a recreational vehicle with a possible upside as an investment, you'll be hard pressed to find a more accessible example than the Crossfire. Our for-sale example, located in Randleman, NC, looks to be well maintained and has the preferred manual transmission. There are few credible guides for evaluating the price, but the $3,750 ask falls in line with a decent Miata of the same vintage and mileage. A buyer should remember that the Mercedes-sourced drivetrain of this era can be a financial swamp, but with a clean Carfax and pre-purchase inspection, Chrysler's Crossfire can provide real driving enjoyment. Related Video: Chrysler Car Buying Used Car Buying Ownership Coupe Luxury Performance chrysler crossfire

Mike Manley and Louis Camilleri appointments confirmed after shareholder votes

AMSTERDAM – Fiat Chrysler shareholders held a meeting yesterday to officially vote on the appointments of Mike Manley as CEO of FCA and Louis Camilleri as the CEO of Ferrari. Manley and Camilleri were announced as the replacements for Sergio Marchionne following the former chief's sudden death. At the same time, FCA announced that it would place John Elkann in the role of Chairman. A minute-long moment of silence was held at the start of the meeting in honor of Marchionne. According to reports, 99 percent of shareholder votes were in favor of Manley's appointment at FCA, and 98 percent were in favor of Camilleri taking the CEO role at Ferrari. Manley said at the shareholder's meeting that he will announce his organizational plans for the automaker by the end of September. "When we learned Sergio Marchionne could not return to work the board decided to appoint Mike Manley, who was the only candidate," Chairman John Elkann said. The chairman added the decision was based on succession plans the board was working on with Marchionne for his planned departure in 2019. Of Camilleri's direction at Ferrari, Elkann said, "Sergio Marchionne strengthened the foundations of Ferrari, now we can build on that for the future, which will be a bright future."Reuters contributed to this report.Related Video: Image Credit: Daniel Acker/Bloomberg via Getty Chrysler Fiat Sergio Marchionne FCA Mike Manley

Chrysler appoints new heads of Alfa Romeo and Ram

Chrysler has announced to two key appointments to its senior leadership, both of them taking immediate effect. First up is Reid Bigland, who has been named head of the Alfa Romeo brand for North America. Bigland has served until now as head of the Ram Truck brand, a portfolio he now hands over to Robert Hegbloom, who had served until now as its director.
As a result of the appointments, both Bigland and Hegbloom will take up seats on Chrysler's NAFTA Leadership Team, and Bigland will also join the Fiat Chrysler Group Executive Council - the highest decision-making body in the Fiat Chrysler Automobiles empire.
As per Sergio Marchionne's leadership style, Bigland will continue to serve in two major capacities, maintaining his role as president and CEO of Chrysler Canada. Other senior executives who hold multiple key portfolios include Harald Wester (who serves as the group's Chief Technology Officer and also overseas Alfa Romeo, Maserati and Abarth), Olivier Francois (group Chief Marketing Officer and head of the Fiat brand) and Michael Manley (head of the Asia-Pacific region and the Jeep brand).