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Fiat Chrysler CEO says final merger talks with Peugeot going well

BRUSSELS — Fiat Chrysler's chief executive Michael Manley said on Wednesday that merger talks with Peugeot owner PSA  to create the world's No. 4 carmaker are progressing well and he hopes to have a deal within 12-14 months. Speaking to Reuters on the sidelines of an industry meeting, he said he doesn't expect any major obstacles that could delay a final agreement. "Talks are progressing really well," Manley said about negotiations with the French carmaker ahead of a briefing by the European automotive association (ACEA), of which he is president. His comments come a month after the two carmakers agreed to a binding deal worth about $50 billion to combine forces in response to a slowdown in global demand and mounting costs of making cleaner vehicles amid tighter emissions regulations. Manley's timeline for completing the deal by early 2021 is in line with a forecast made by the companies in December. Fiat and Peugeot are now getting into the details of how the merger will work, including choosing which vehicle platforms — the technological underpinnings of a vehicle — will fit which products in a combined company. Because customers in different locations still prefer vastly different cars, there is room for multiple platforms in a combined group, Manley said. "That global platform is an elusive beast," he added. "This concept of a massive global platform in my mind is almost a myth, but that doesnÂ’t mean to say weÂ’re not going to recruit significant volume." Related Video:    

Chrysler 200 prototype spied for first time with new body

Chrysler is deep into testing for its next-generation 200 sedan, a new model that is utterly essential to the brand's continued health. The next iteration is tasked with wiping away anything reminiscent of the Sebring, which the current 200 is still based on. According to our spy, this is one of the first of the new 200s to wear a production body rather than the Alfa Romeo Giulietta-based mules that are thick on the ground in Auburn Hills.
Immediately apparent is that the new 200 ditches the awkwardly styled C-pillar that's typified four-door 200 sedans (and Sebrings before them) for years. The new, sleeker roofline is almost more of a four-door coupe than a traditional sedan, which hints that this new car will try to be more fashion-forward than its predecessor. The rear deck is set off by a sporty decklid spoiler, while a set of staggered rectangular exhaust pipes poke out of the bumper.
The front end appears sleeker, and we'd be lying if we didn't spy a bit of Dart through the camouflage, particularly with the headlights. A large, gaping lower air intake is visible, although our spy seems to think it'll shrink before production models debut. Whatever the new 200 ends up looking like, we expect to see a lot more of its styling from Chrysler in the coming years.

Marchionne defends FCA recalls, says Wrangler won't be all-aluminum

FCA CEO Sergio Marchionne recently received the 2015 Industry Leadership Award from the SAE Foundation. While speaking with the press after the event, the boss discussed his thoughts about some key issues regarding the company's future. One of the big regulatory issues facing FCA at the moment is the upcoming public hearing by the National Highway Traffic Safety into the automaker's handling of 20 recalls. Marchionne has no intention of testifying there, according to The Detroit News. The CEO also thinks that the government regulator is becoming much more aggressive in how it handles safety campaigns, but the Feds aren't necessarily doing a very good job of communicating that. "We need to work with the agency in a very cooperative and open way to make sure that we can meet their requirements for their new stance," he said, according to the newspaper. "We have no option but to comply with their requirements and we will. I have nothing to hide in this process. I just want clear rules." Marchionne also dropped the news that the company has changed its mind about making the next Jeep Wrangler totally from aluminum. "Because of the difference in cost, not just the new material but the actual assembly process, I think we can do almost as well without doing it all-aluminum," he said to The Detroit News. This seemingly opens the door for the model to remain in production in Toledo, OH, but only just a crack. Marchionne says that the new Wrangler would still use a large amount of aluminum, and there are "at least" two sites in contention for the assembly. The company doesn't have too long to make a decision because the model reportedly launches in 2017.