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Jeep spied testing Hellcat-powered Grand Cherokee Trackhawk

The Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk is coming. We know this, because Mike Manley, the head of Jeep, said so. We showed you this brief spy video a while back, but now we have our clearer images of the Trackhawk undergoing testing. And it looks just like a normal Grand Cherokee SRT. Yeah, anti-climactic, we know. The four shots we have show a bit of camo over the front bumper and grille, likely concealing a tweaked design or visible bits of the 6.2-liter, supercharged V8. It looks like there's a rather substantial opening below the upper grille, almost like a ram-air system. There's also a smidge of what looks like tape on the front wheel arches, although this might not mean much of anything. What's interesting is what isn't here. There's no perceivable change to the back of the car. The exhaust pipes look like they're about the same size, there's no noticeable changes to the aerodynamics, and in fact, there's not even any camouflage. Jeep also hasn't updated the Grand Cherokee Trackhawk's hood, which is somewhat surprising considering the changes for every other Hellcat-equipped vehicle (concepts included). You can check out our earliest look at the Trackhawk up top. As for when this monstrous Grand Cherokee will debut, we're expecting it to arrive sometime in 2017, perhaps on FCA's home turf at the Detroit Auto Show. Related Video:

Chrysler expecting up to 200,000 9-speed transmissions for 3 models this year

Striving for improved fuel economy, we already knew that Chrysler will begin using a nine-speed automatic transmission in some of its new products this year, but what we haven't known is that volume at which this gearbox will be used. According to Bloomberg, Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne has been quoted as saying that the automaker expects to sell close to 200,000 units equipped with this new transmission in 2013. Those gear-rich trannies will be spread out across three models, consisting of the redesigned Chrysler 200, the still-unnamed Jeep Liberty replacement and the Dodge Dart.
This transmission should play a pivotal role in making Chrysler vehicles more competitive in their respective segments. Just for comparison, one of the Dart's key competitors, the Toyota Corolla, still uses a four-speed automatic, and a previous report indicates that the next-generation 200 could get up to 38 miles per gallon on the highway, which is better than most non-hybrid midsize sedans on the market. Marchionne says that the new Jeep model is expected during the second quarter of this year, but there is no word as to when the new 200 or nine-speed Dart will debut, but clearly Dodge would like to have the transmission in its compact yesterday. As for that volume figure, it definitely doesn't seem out of reach since the Dart, Liberty and 200 combined for a total of more than 225,000 units in 2012.
How many more gears can we expect in future cars? Probably not many more, since the CEO of transmission-builder ZF, Stefan Sommer, previously stated that nine speeds was the "natural limit" for transmissions.

Chrysler investigating complaints of vehicles with faulty power modules

Chrysler owners are hopping mad after experiencing a series of electrical gremlins in some of the company's vehicles. Issues range from mere annoyances - windows rolling down and radios turning off of their own accord - to serious safety issues, with headlights that randomly shut off at night and cars that stall and refuse to start.
The issues are being blamed on the total integrated power module, which can cost up to $1,000 for customers to replace. This, of course, has led to a hefty batch of complaints to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, with 240 owners expressing their displeasure so far. Another site, CarComplaints.com, has registered over 300 complaints relating to the 2010 to 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee and Dodge Durango, alone, according to The New York Times.
Chrysler has acknowledged that it's investigating the complaints and is analyzing the faulty TIPMs, but that isn't quite enough for customers of the affected vehicles. The newspaper has snagged a few of the more harrowing tales with the electrically challenged Chrysler products, culled from the NHTSA complaints.