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Is Mopar readying a special-edition Dart for Chicago?

Chrysler has released the above teaser of a limited-edition Mopar 2013 model that will be unveiled at next month's Chicago Auto Show. Although the automaker doesn't announce what vehicle will get the Mopar treatment, closer investigation of the seats and center console suggest that this car will be a special version of the 2013 Dodge Dart.
This will be the fourth Mopar model in as many years, following on the heels of the Mopar 2010 Challenger, Mopar 2011 Charger and the Mopar '2012 300. There are no details for the Mopar '13 Dart, but we do see that the car will retain the signature black-and-blue color scheme as past Mopar editions. Like these previous models, we expect production of Mopar '13 Dart to be limited to just 500 units.
Scroll down for Chrysler's press release teasing the new Mopar model, and we'll be sure to bring you plenty of live images from the show floor in a couple weeks.

New Dodge Charger SRT Widebody likely teased in brief video

This morning, we saw a new, extremely brief teaser for a new version of the Dodge Charger SRT. We don't know exactly what the car is, but rumors and spy shots suggest that the big sedan could be getting the same treatment as the multiple Dodge Challenger widebody models. The teaser of course cuts just before you can see anything truly telling, but there are a few details we can glean. Hopefully we won't have to wait too long for the full reveal. The car appears to be painted B5 Blue, one of a number of knockout colors in FCA's portfolio. Through the cover we can see that the car gets the upgraded grille that we saw last summer. A pair of inlets helps feed more air into the engine bay. The lower intakes on the front bumper appear to be all new and much larger than anything else we've seen on the Charger so far. It's unclear what exactly that means, but it does give an already bold design an even more aggressive appearance. Over the past couple of years, Dodge revealed widebody versions of the Challenger R/T Scat Pack, Hellcat, Hellcat Redeye and the widebody only Dodge Demon. Each car is faster and more powerful than the last. The bulging fenders allow for a revised suspension setup, wider wheels and tires and a wider track for more stable handling. It makes an already big car even bigger, though you do get genuine improvements when it comes to performance handling.

FCA's U.S. sales chief sues company for wrongful retaliation

Some fresh controversy is brewing at Fiat Chrysler Automobiles as The Detroit News reports that the head of U.S. sales has filed a federal whistleblower lawsuit against the company.. Reid Bigland, who's also in charge of the Ram truck brand, alleges that FCA made him a scapegoat for wrongful sales inflation practices and fixing vehicle sales statistics, which are currently under investigation by federal agents. Bigland claims that FCA executives punished him for cooperating with the federal investigators in the case by cutting his pay by more than 90 percent, according to the lawsuit he filed. The plan apparently was to use the money saved to pay for fines following any settlements made with the Securities and Exchange Commission. So far, the lawsuit alleges that FCA cost Bigland over $1.8 million in income. "They had the largest growth in retail sales in 17 years last year and refuses to pay him," Deborah Gordon, Bigland's lawyer in the case, said to The Detroit News. "Why is that? Because he participated in the SEC investigation and they don't like what he said." Bigland claims he just cooperated with the SEC investigation by testifying about FCA's sales reporting, from the time he took the position to the period prior to being appointed the company's U.S. sales chief. "In late 2018, presumably as a way to wrap up their investigation with some result, the SEC suggested to plaintiff that he admit to some wrongdoing as to defendants' monthly sales reporting," Gordon further said in a statement as part of the lawsuit. "The SEC also suggested a resolution involving some penalty to FCA. Because (Bigland) had not engaged in any wrongdoing, and there was no wrongdoing, he declined to do so." However, exacerbating the issue is the fact that Bigland reportedly sold his shares in the company last year, prompting FCA to act against him even more. FCA came under fire recently by federal agents in at least two separate investigations, potentially exposing conspiracy and corruption between company executives and private entities. The investigations are being led independently by the U.S. Attorney's Office and the FBI. So far, eight convictions were reportedly secured, with one including former Fiat Chrysler Automobiles Vice President Alphons Iacobelli, as one of the defendants. Iacobelli was one of the former top labor-relations executives for the automaker.