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Trump to meet with CEOs from Ford, GM, and FCA

In the wake of his inauguration, President Donald Trump is set to meet with the CEOs of Ford, General Motors, and Fiat Chrysler Automobiles Tuesday morning to discuss jobs, the North American Free Trade Agreement, and potential tax cuts. Trump has been highly critical of American automakers for shipping jobs to Mexico and has threatened to impose heavy import fees on foreign-made vehicles. Trump has threatened to dissolve NAFTA in order to encourage automakers to manufacture cars in the US. Automotive News and Crain's Detroit Business are reporting that the group is set to discuss how to bring more auto industry jobs back to the US. Under NAFTA, many automakers, both foreign and domestic, have moved vehicle production out of the States to Mexico in order to cut costs. White House spokesperson Sean Spicer said Trump is looking forward to the meeting and discussing how to bring jobs back to America. Dismantling NAFTA would be a major blow to automakers. Trump blasted Ford during his campaign for manufacturing in Mexico, but FCA and GM also have factories south of the border. Earlier this month, Ford nixed plans for a $1.6 billion plant in Mexico, instead investing $700 million into an existing facility. At this year's Detroit Auto Show, the unspoken theme was America and American manufacturing. Expect the automakers to fight to keep NAFTA alive. Related Video: News Source: Automotive News - sub. req., Twitter Government/Legal Plants/Manufacturing Fiat Ford GM FCA Mexico NAFTA

Fiat 500L gets a much needed update for 2018

The Fiat 500L is one of those love-it or hate-it vehicles. Fiat's largest US vehicle has been knocked for questionable styling, poor build quality, and reliability concerns. That's why the new mid-cycle refresh is so important, as the Fiat says 40-percent of the components on the 500L are all new. Styling is much more aggressive, and a new trim level promises some semblance of off-road readiness. The 500L still keeps the general not-quite-a crossover shape, but the front and rear fascias have been redone. The front is more upright, losing that slack-jawed look of the current model. The lower air intake and foglight surrounds are big and wide, with contrasting chrome and black plastic. The lighting is similar to the current model but has been updated with LED accents. Of course, the requisite Fiat badge and mustache are in place. It's a similar story out back. The 500L retains the same general shape, but it's a little more masculine and angular. There are new chrome accents on the bottom of the bumper along with new reverse and rear foglights (for Europe). There are 10 colors available for the 500L, with three options for the roof: body color, gloss black or white, or matte black. All in, Fiat says there are 37 color combinations. Like the exterior, changes to the interior are more refreshed than all-new. Up front, the biggest changes are to the steering wheel, instrument cluster and infotainment system. A speedometer and tachometer flank a 3.5-inch color display. Like the Fiat 500X, the 500L will have a multitude of menus and options to flip through. The infotainment has been updated with the latest version of FCA's excellent UConnect system. That means standard Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. For Europe, there are three basic configurations: the five-passenger Cross, and optional seven-passenger Wagon, and Urban. There are various trim levels within each configuration, though the long-wheelbase seven-passenger versions are unlikely to make it to the US market. The big news is the Cross, which gets a 25mm lift, skid plates, unique front and rear bumpers, and new wheels and tires. While there are new drive modes, Fiat doesn't make any mention of all-wheel drive. Customers with the need can step up to the smaller but more traditional 500X. The 500L has been a slow seller here in the US. It's unclear when the new model will go on sale, but it's good to see Fiat breathing some life into a slim product line.

FCA-Renault revival may hinge on willingness to cut Nissan stake

Fiat Chrysler Automobiles and Renault are looking for ways to resuscitate their collapsed merger plan and secure the approval of the French carmaker's alliance partner Nissan, according to several sources close to the companies. Nissan is poised to urge Renault to significantly reduce its 43.4% stake in the Japanese company in return for supporting a FCA-Renault tie-up, two people with knowledge of its thinking also told Reuters. It is still far from clear whether any concerted effort to revive the complex and politically fraught deal can succeed. FCA Chairman John Elkann abruptly withdrew his $35 billion merger offer in the early hours of June 6 after the French government, Renault's biggest shareholder, blocked a vote by its board and demanded more time to win Nissan's backing. Nissan representatives had said they would abstain. The failure, which FCA and Renault blamed squarely on the French government, deprived both companies of an opportunity to create the world's third-biggest carmaker with 5 billion euros ($5.6 billion) in promised annual synergies. It also shone a harsh light on Renault's relations with Nissan, which have gone from frayed to fried since the November arrest of former alliance Chairman Carlos Ghosn, now awaiting trial in Japan on financial misconduct charges he denies. REVIVAL TALKS Italian-American FCA — whose brand stable encompasses Fiat runabouts, Jeep SUVs, RAM pickups, Alfa Romeo luxury cars and Maserati sports cars — has so far turned a deaf ear to suggestions by French officials that its merger proposal could be revisited. But since the breakdown, Elkann and his French counterpart Jean-Dominique Senard have had talks about reviving the plan that left the Renault chairman and his Chief Executive Thierry Bollore upbeat about that prospect, three alliance sources said. Renault and a spokesman for FCA declined to comment. One of Elkann's senior advisors on the Renault merger bid, Toby Myerson, was expected at Nissan headquarters in Yokohama on Monday for exploratory discussions with top management, two people with knowledge of the matter said. Nissan CEO Hiroto Saikawa is likely to attend. Myerson did not respond to a message from Reuters seeking comment. The meeting comes amid mounting strains that may preclude compromise, after Senard warned Saikawa that Renault was prepared to block key Nissan governance reforms in a dispute over board committees.