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China-FCA merger could be a win-win for everyone but politicians

NEW YORK — Fiat Chrysler boss Sergio Marchionne has said the car industry needs to come together, cut costs and stop incinerating capital. So far, his words have mostly fallen on deaf ears among competitors in Europe and North America. But it appears Marchionne has finally found a receptive audience — in China. FCA shares soared Monday after trade publication Automotive News reported the $18 billion Italian-American conglomerate controlled by the Agnelli family rebuffed a takeover from an unidentified carmaker from the Chinese mainland. As ugly as the politics of such a combination may appear at first blush, a transaction could stack up industrially, and perhaps even financially. A Sino-U.S.-European merger would create the first truly global auto group. That could push consolidation to the next level elsewhere. Moreover, China is the world's top market for the SUVs that Jeep effectively invented, so it might benefit FCA financially. A combo would certainly help upgrade the domestic manufacturer; Chinese carmakers have gotten better at making cars, but struggle to build global brands, and they need to develop export markets. Though frivolous overseas shopping excursions by Chinese enterprises are being reined in by Beijing, acquisitions that support the modernization and transformation of strategic industries still receive support, and the government considers the automotive industry to be strategic. A purchase of FCA by Guangzhou Automobile, Great Wall or Dongfeng Motors would probably get the same stamp of approval ChemChina was given for its $43 billion takeover of Syngenta. What's standing in the way? Apart from price (Automotive News said FCA's board deemed the offer insufficient) there's the not-insignificant matter of politics. Even as FCA shares soared, President Donald Trump interrupted his vacation to instruct the U.S. Trade Representative to look into whether to investigate China's trade policies on intellectual property. Seeing storied Detroit brands like Jeep, Chrysler, Ram and Dodge handed off to a Chinese company would provoke howls among Trump's economic-nationalist supporters. It might not play well in Italy, either, to see Alfa Romeo and Maserati answering to Wuhan instead of Turin — though Automotive News said they might be spun off separately. Yet, as Morgan Stanley observes, "cars don't ship across oceans easily," and political considerations increasingly demand local manufacture of valuable products.

2015 Dodge Charger priced from $27,995, Hellcat from $63,995*

Ladies and gentlemen, let's get the most salient bit of information out of the way right off the bat: $63,995*. That's the amount of money Dodge dealers will be asking for (at the very least, naturally) for a 2015 Charger Hellcat (*plus $995 for destination on all pricing figures). That rather reasonable sum will bring home its buyer a 6.2-liter Hemi V8 engine boasting a supercharger to post such gaudy figures as 707 horsepower and 650 pound-feet of torque, leading to a top speed of 204 miles per hour to go along with an NHRA-certified quarter-mile time of 11.0 seconds.
With that out of the way, the rest of the 2015 Dodge Charger pricing information breaks down as follows: $27,995 will deliver a sedan with a 292-horsepower 3.6-liter Pentastar V6 engine, mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission. Moving up one step of the ladder nets the buyer an SXT model with the same engine, but a nicer chunk of technology and optional equipment for a $2,000 premium. All-wheel drive adds another $3,000. Hemi V8-powered R/T models now boast an eight-speed transmission bolted to the same well-loved 370-horsepower engine as before, for a base price of $32,995.
The SRT 392 model that had hitherto been the top-performing Charger brings with it an asking price of $47,385 while bargain hunters can equip a Charger R/T Scat Pack machine with that same 485-horsepower 6.4-liter Hemi, albeit with somewhat less posh interior bits and pieces, the removal of the 392's adjustable suspension and hi-po wheel and tire package for $39,995.

Dominic Toretto's 'Fast and Furious' Lego Dodge Charger lives its life a quarter mile at a time

Fan of the "Fast and Furious" franchise and Lego kits? You're in luck. The brick-builder announced that it is now taking pre-orders for a new kit dedicated to the 1970 Dodge Charger widebody driven by Dominic Toretto (Vin Diesel) in the car heist film series.  The release of the latest installment in the "F&F" franchise may have been delayed until next year, but for better or worse, a lot of merchandising that was in the works to cross-promote the new film is still in the pipeline.  The approximately 1,100-piece Technic-line kit can be posed both on four wheels and in a wheelie stance thanks to a flip-down prop stand (which itself looks a bit like a misplaced wheelie bar). The kit includes details such as a trunk-mounted dual-bottle nitrous kit, a detailed roll cage, and other nods to the long-running movie car.  "With 1,077 pieces, this cool building set provides a fun challenge for kids who love toy model cars. Inspired by the original 1970s Dodge Charger R/T, this faithful replica is packed with realistic details," Lego's product page says. The kit features several moving parts, too, including the wheels, suspension, supercharger induction system and steering. It measures more than a foot long (15") and even comes with authentic California replica plates.  Those who want a kit will be able to pre-order it from the Lego website, with shipments starting on April 27. Those who want to roll the dice on retail availability will be able to shop for it in local stores the same day, provided those stores are open, of course.  Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. Building The Fate Of The Furious Cars | Autoblog