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Junkyard Gem: 1991 Dodge Monaco LE

When Chrysler took over the American Motors Corporation in 1987, the hot-selling Jeep brand was the big prize of that deal. At a stroke, Iacocca's company got the XJ Cherokee (which remained in production into our current century) plus its Comanche pickup sibling, the Wrangler, the Grand Wagoneer, and the AMC Eagle as bonuses. The Eagle gave its name to Chrysler's new marque, which worked out well for quite a few years, and of course the PowerTech V8 engine began life as an AMC design. Yes, Chrysler made out like a bandit on the AMC purchase, but one of the most important acquisitions that came with that coup ended up being a Renault design from the last gasp of Kenosha: the Eagle Premier. Genetic material from this car made its way into Chrysler products for decades to come, and the Dodge Division got the opportunity to slap Monaco badges on the Premier for the 1990 through 1992 model years. Here's one of those super-rare cars in a Denver self-service yard. Dodge sold plenty of Detroit-designed Monacos from the 1965 through 1978 model years, and so the name seemed ripe for a revival in 1990. We rated the 1974 Dodge Monaco "Bluesmobile" #3 on the Best Movie Cars of All Time list, and Monacos may be found in countless cop movies and TV shows over the decades. Did the name belong on a Renault design? Absolutely! The radical-looking and big-selling Chrysler LH cars were built on a modified Eagle Premier chassis, enabling Chrysler to print money from a 1980s Renault design all the way through 2004. After that, Mercedes-Benz engineering (with a dash of Mitsubishi thrown in for good measure) got stirred into the mix, but I'm told by a Chrysler engineer that you can still see the Renault 25 structure beneath the dashboard in modern Challengers and Chargers. All of this comes thanks to Lee Iacocca's score of that advanced European car way back in 1987. One thing from the Premier that Chrysler dropped like a monkey dropping a red-hot penny once production of the Premier/Monaco ended: the PRV V6, a sophisticated-but-flaky overhead-cam V6 originally developed by a partnership between Peugeot, Renault, and Volvo (hence the acronym). This engine achieved its greatest fame as the powerplant that went into the DeLorean DMC-12. You could get the chugging AMC 2.5-liter straight-four in the Eagle Premier, but all the 1990-1992 Monacos got the 3.0-liter PRV, rated at 150 horsepower.

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:    

Will the Chrysler 300 go front-wheel drive?

FCA chief executive Sergio Marchionne hinted last week that the strapping rear-wheel-drive Chrysler 300 sedan could go front-wheel drive for its next generation using the underpinnings from the Chrysler Pacifica minivan. Speaking at the Pacifica's production launch in Windsor, ON, Marchionne said, "this plant and this architecture is capable of making the 300 successor, the front-wheel, all-wheel-drive successor," Reuters reported. Perhaps realizing he appeared to be announcing a dramatic shift in product strategy, Marchionne backpedaled in response to a follow-up question, noting only that the Ontario factory is "capable" of making the sedan. "It's capable. It's not a commitment," he said, according to Reuters. The 300 is currently built in Brampton, ON, alongside the mechanically similar Dodge Charger and Challenger. The platform, known as LX in enthusiast circles, is an evolution of Mercedes-based chassis pieces that date to the DaimlerChrysler era. Marchionne's comments didn't cover the Dodges and left a lot open to interpretation. The 300 could switch to front- and all-wheel-drive and focus on a more civilized, elegant ride character, leaving the Charger and two-door Challenger as traditional rear-wheel-drive muscle cars. That strategy would further differentiate the Chrysler and Dodge car lines. Additionally, the Charger's RWD platform makes it a popular police vehicle, and both Dodges are offered in top trim as 707-horsepower Hellcats. Switching to front-wheel drive would seemingly complicate both of those endeavors. Rumors have also swirled that Alfa Romeo could contribute RWD underpinnings for Dodge. Related Video: Featured Gallery 2015 Chrysler 300 View 92 Photos Design/Style Chrysler Dodge Off-Road Vehicles Performance Sedan chrysler pacifica