Restored Cj7 Jeep Renegade 454 V8 4-speed Manual 31" Tires Wrangler Hard-top Red on 2040-cars

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2019 Jeep Renegade revealed with a more mature, aggressive look

Jeep has finally revealed the refreshed 2019 Jeep Renegade compact crossover SUV. So far, only the exterior has been shown, and it does reveal a number of differences from the current model. At the front, we can see the Renegade now has available LED headlights similar to those offered on the Wrangler. The individual grille slats are wider with slimmer chrome bezels, which help to give it a more aggressive look. The front bumper has been completely redesigned, with the fog lights appearing to be bigger, and they now sit in the main lower grille. That grille is flanked by two triangular air inlets. Around back, the Renegade is nearly unchanged. The taillights are the only major change, and the dark red lights lend a more premium, mature look to the little crossover. We also see that the Renegade now sports an obvious grab handle for opening the rear hatch. Other details are scarce, as Jeep did not reveal much else with the two photos above. We've reached out to Jeep for more info but haven't received a response at the time of writing. We do know from the previous teaser of the new model that the Renegade will offer both three- and four-cylinder engines in Europe. The three-cylinder displaces 1 liter and makes about 120 horsepower, and the four-cylinder is available in two forms, one that makes 150 horsepower, and one that makes 180 horsepower. All of them are turbocharged. Spy shots have also hinted that the Renegade could also be getting a hybridized version. Related Video: Image Credit: Jeep Jeep Crossover SUV Economy Cars jeep renegade

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.

Maserati Levante crossover not Jeep based after all?

Maserati has been teasing its crossover project since 2011, which is when it first showed off the Kubang concept (pictured above). Still, the production version, rumored to be called the Levante, remains a complete mystery. The CUV was first rumored to borrow the platform from the Jeep Grand Cherokee, but new rumors indicate that the Italian, luxury crossover might actually take the underpinnings from the Quattroporte and Ghibli.
In a brief interview, Maserati CEO Harald Wester told CNN Money that the Levante wouldn't use Jeep's platform. Motor Trend spoke with an unnamed Maserati engineer who confirmed the rumor. Officially, the company says that no decision has been made.
We can add this to another long list of rumors about the Italian CUV. It was originally supposed to be built at Chrysler's Jefferson North assembly plant in Detroit. Then, plans were changed to build it in Italy.