1996 Chrysler Town N Country Handicap Wheelchair Ramp Ims Disability Minivan on 2040-cars

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2014 Ram Power Wagon is bigger and badder than ever [w/video]

"The 2014 Ram Power Wagon fills a need for those who travel into extreme terrain for rescue or recreation." - Reid Bigland
More, more, more. That's the philosophy behind the latest Ram Power Wagon. The extra-brawny, Ram 2500-based pickup is back for 2014, and naturally, it's even more extreme than its predecessor.

Next Chrysler Town & Country will have foot-operated rear doors

Families are still months away from actually seeing the next-gen Chrysler Town & Country debut at the 2016 Detroit Auto Show, but details are continuing to trickle out about the upcoming minivan. Among several features rumored in the latest leak, the sliding doors and rear hatch are reportedly optional with foot activation, according to Automotive News. It should make loading the van easier for owners with their hands full. The T&C's powertrain sees some efficiency improvements, too. Under the hood, expect an upgraded version of the 3.6-liter Pentastar V6 and the already rumored nine-speed automatic, according to Automotive News. For the all-wheel-drive version of the minivan, an electric motor would provide the propulsion at the rear axle. Inside, all of the passengers can arrive with their devices fully charged thanks to USB ports for each of the three rows. Plus, for owners who need to make room to haul, the Stow 'N Go seating is now easier to use, too. Like the latest Honda Odyssey, fastidious buyers might even spec an optional vacuum. Earlier spy shots of the van indicate the switch to a rotary gearshift and upgraded infotainment, as well. Following the Detroit debut, the T&C goes into production in Windsor, Ontario, in late February 2016, Automotive News reports. The plug-in hybrid version would come towards the end of the year possibly capable of 75 mpge.

Fiat Chrysler UAW corruption had roots in federal bailout of Chrysler

The Detroit News continues its dogged coverage of the federal investigation into corruption at the United Auto Workers union and Fiat Chrysler in a lengthy in-depth report that ties the investigation together with Chrysler’s emergence from bankruptcy protection in 2009, a hefty federal bailout and former CEO Sergio MarchionneÂ’s push to force a merger with crosstown rival General Motors. ItÂ’s a staggering look at the brazen illegal payoffs, kickbacks and embezzlement in the top ranks of both Fiat Chrysler and the UAW, an investigation which has so far resulted in 11 criminal convictions — three of them former FCA employees, the rest former UAW leaders — with at least seven others implicated in wrongdoing to date, including former UAW President Gary Jones, who recently resigned. Prosecutors allege all of it was fueled by $12.5 billion in taxpayer-funded bailout funds within days of Chrysler LLCÂ’s emergence from Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in June 2009. The News reports that former FCA Vice President Alphons Iacobelli, then its top labor negotiator, admitted to opening the spigot that same month. HeÂ’s now serving 66 months in prison, according to the U.S. Attorney Office in Detroit. All told, Iacobelli and FCA made more than $9 million in illegal payments over eight years to the UAW to cover salaries and benefits, many of them for "no-show" jobs at the joint UAW-FCA training center in Detroit, which is being dissolved. WhatÂ’s more, prosecutors say that Iacobelli answered on UAW matters solely to Marchionne, who died in a Swiss hospital in 2018. Marchionne was never charged with any wrongdoing, even though investigators reportedly caught him lying about providing gifts to UAW leaders during a meeting at the U.S. AttorneyÂ’s Office in Detroit in 2016. The story also details how prosecutors believe he tried to buy the support of UAW leaders for his repeated bids to get GM to agree to a merger, despite widespread belief that such a move would have led to massive job cuts and plant closures, given the two automakersÂ’ many overlapping products. The whole Detroit News story is highly worth a read. Find it here. Read This UAW/Unions Chrysler Fiat GM Sergio Marchionne FCA