2023 Dodge Charger R/t Scat Pack on 2040-cars

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Ford, Stellantis workers join those at GM in ratifying contract that ended UAW strikes

DETROIT — The United Auto Workers union overwhelmingly ratified new contracts with Ford and Stellantis, that along with a similar deal with General Motors will raise pay across the industry, force automakers to absorb higher costs and help reshape the auto business as it shifts away from gasoline-fueled vehicles. Workers at Stellantis, the maker of Jeep, Dodge and Ram vehicles, voted 68.8% in favor of the deal. Their approval brought to a close a contentious labor dispute that included name-calling and a series of punishing strikes that imposed high costs on the companies and led to significant gains in pay and benefits for UAW workers. The deal at Stellantis passed by a roughly 10,000 vote margin, with ballot counts ending Saturday afternoon. Workers at Ford voted 69.3% in favor of the pact, which passed with nearly a 15,000-vote margin in balloting that ended early Saturday. Earlier this week, GM workers narrowly approved a similar contract. The agreements, which run through April 2028, will end contentious talks that began last summer and led to six-week-long strikes at all three automakers. Shawn Fain, the pugnacious new UAW leader, had branded the companies enemies of the UAW who were led by overpaid CEOs, declaring the days of union cooperation with the automakers were over. After summerlong negotiations failed to produce a deal, Fain kicked off strikes on Sept. 15 at one assembly plant at each company. The union later extended the strike to parts warehouses and other factories to try to intensify pressure on the automakers until tentative agreements were reached late in October. The new contract agreements were widely seen as a victory for the UAW. The companies agreed to dramatically raise pay for top-scale assembly plant workers, with increases and cost-of-living adjustments that would translate into 33% wage gains. Top assembly plant workers are to receive immediate 11% raises and will earn roughly $42 an hour when the contracts expire in April of 2028. Under the agreements, the automakers also ended many of the multiple tiers of wages they had used to pay different workers. They also agreed in principle to bring new electric-vehicle battery plants into the national union contract. This provision will give the UAW an opportunity to unionize the EV battery plants plants, which will represent a rising share of industry jobs in the years ahead.

Germany threatens to ban FCA vehicles over diesel emissions dispute

Germany is threatening to ban sales of FCA products over diesel emissions. According to the newspaper Bild Am Sonntag, Germany's Federal Motor Transport Authority found evidence of a so-called defeat device that shuts down certain emissions controls after running for 22 minutes. A standard diesel emissions test in the European Union reportedly takes 20 minutes to complete. FCA denies the allegations. "We believe all our vehicles respect EU emissions standards and we believe Italian regulators are the competent authority to evaluate this," the company said in a statement. The latter part of that statement drew ire from German authorities, especially after FCA declined to meet with German transport minister Alexander Dobrindt to discuss the issue. Graziano Delrio, the Italian Minister of Infrastructure and Transport, vowed to work with German authorities on behalf of FCA. According to EU law, FCA is required to homologate its vehicles in Italy because that's where its regional operations are based. When will the diesel-scented soap opera end? We wish we knew, but our Magic 8 Ball is covered in soot. Related Video: News Source: Financial TimesImage Credit: Giuseppe Aresu/Bloomberg via Getty Government/Legal Green Chrysler Dodge Fiat Jeep RAM Emissions Diesel Vehicles FCA

2019 Dodge Challenger, Charger get retro Sublime paint options

Editor's note: An FCA spokesman wrote to clarify that Sublime will be available on all 2019 Challenger and Charger models, including Hellcats. The story has been updated accordingly. Dodge's SRT performance division wants those of us who live in the nation's midsection to look past the current subarctic temps that are causing everything from "frost quakes" in Chicago to temporary shutdowns at auto plants in Michigan and envision the upcoming muscle car season with its balmier cruising weather. To help with that vision, SRT announced it's bringing back the heritage-inspired Sublime color and making it available for the first time on all 2019 Dodge Charger and Challenger models to help your metal pop. The lime-green Sublime color debuted way back during the 1970 model year on most Dodge vehicles, and it returned in 2007 for a limited number of Charger R/T Daytona models, then again across the Challenger lineup for 2015. It even made an appearance in 2017 on the limited-edition Ram 1500 Sublime Sport pickup truck. Sublime will be available for all models, including the 2019 Charger Scat Pack, with its 392 Hemi V8, the 707-horsepower Charger SRT Hellcat and the 797-hp Challenger SRT Hellcat Redeye. The color also makes its return to the Challenger T/A for the first time since 1970. It joins an extensive palette of color options for both models that include Go Mango orange, Plum Crazy purple and B5 Blue Orders start in February. The brand will have examples of both models on display next month at the Chicago Auto Show. Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.