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CEO Sergio Marchionne curses FCA spokesman for emissions cheating denial

WASHINGTON — Fiat Chrysler Chief Executive Officer Sergio Marchionne reprimanded the company's top U.S. spokesman for issuing press releases about Fiat's vehicle emissions practices days after Volkswagen's disclosure in September 2015 that the German automaker had used illegal software to evade emissions tests, documents released Monday show. Lawyers suing Fiat Chrysler Automobiles in a securities case filed excerpts of an email from Marchionne to Gualberto Ranieri, then the company's U.S. spokesman, in a filing in federal court in New York criticizing him for saying that the company does not use defeat devices. "Are you out of your goddam mind?" Marchionne wrote in an email on Sept. 22, 2015, adding that Ranieri should be fired and calling his actions "utterly stupid and unconscionable." The company said in a statement on Monday it was "understandable that our CEO would have a forceful response to any employee who would opine on such a significant and complex matter, without the matter having been fully reviewed through its appropriate channels." The statement added that Ranieri's comments came just days after VW's emissions issue became public "and before a comprehensive internal review and discussions with component suppliers was possible." Fiat Chrysler was sued in 2015 along with Marchionne and other executives over claims it defrauded shareholders by overstating its ability to comply with vehicle safety laws. An amended version of the complaint filed in 2017 added claims about its compliance with emissions laws. The shareholders accused the defendants of inflating Fiat Chrysler's share price by hundreds of millions of dollars from October 2014 to October 2015 by downplaying safety concerns. They said the shortcomings materialized in 2015 when the automaker was fined $175 million by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, and took a roughly $670 million charge for recalls. Plaintiffs filed the excerpts seeking approval to take up to 40 additional depositions, including Marchionne's. The U.S. Justice Department sued Fiat Chrysler in May 2017, accusing it of illegally using software to bypass emission controls in 104,000 diesel vehicles sold since 2014. Fiat Chrysler has held numerous rounds of settlement talks with the Justice Department and California Air Resources Board to settle the civil suit, including talks as recently as earlier this month. It faces a separate criminal probe into the matter.

Jeep Wrangler rides into SEMA on new Mopar performance axles

Mopar is unveiling Jeep Performance Parts axles as the latest off-road accessory to the Jeep Wrangler, which itself won the "4x4/ SUV of the Year" honors at SEMA for the ninth consecutive year. The show opens Tuesday and continues through Friday at the Las Vegas Convention Center. Mopar teamed with longtime partner and auto supplier Dana to develop the axles, which are co-branded under the name JPP Ultimate Dana 44 AdvanTEK. They're installed on a Nacho Wrangler concept at Mopar's 15,345-square-foot display. The high-strength axles are built in the U.S. and feature gear technology that reduces gear set packaging, with added strength and overall rigidity for the trail. The high-clearance carrier design adds an extra half-inch of ground clearance, with an expanded range of gear ratios (4.56, 4.88, 5.13 and 5.38) to accommodate for more tire sizes. Chromoly axle shafts, thicker quarter-inch steel bracket mounts, 9.5-millimeter tubes and upgraded U-joints also add durability, while a nodular iron differential cover adds rugged looks, and its ribbing adds strength and rigidity. The direct bolt-in assembly allows for use of OEM components and includes electronic differential lockers already installed. The axles will be available for purchase starting next month. Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. Featured Gallery Jeep Wrangler Mopar Performance Axles: SEMA 2018 Related Gallery Mopar Jeep Performance Parts Wrangler off-road axle Image Credit: Live photos copyright 2018 Drew Phillips / Autoblog.com SEMA Show Jeep SUV Off-Road Vehicles Performance axle dana

Chrysler recalls 88,888 Darts, Durangos, and Grand Cherokees for two separate issues

Chrysler announced a pair of recalls for the Dodge Dart, Durango, and Jeep Grand Cherokee. They're unrelated, as the Dart recall concerns windshield washer pumps, and the Durango and Grand Cherokee recall is for fuel rails. But, as Automotive News discovered, the number of cars involved in both totals up to 88,888 cars, which is rather bizarre. Breaking down the coincidental number, we first have 34,633 2016 Dodge Durangos and Jeep Grand Cherokees recalled because fasteners on the intake manifold can come into contact with the fuel rail on some vehicles. This could lead to a fuel leak, and a subsequent fire hazard. Chrysler believes only 30 vehicles will have this defect, but it's inspecting any that could have had the issue. The other part of the 88,888 cars recalled in total consists of 54,255 2016 Dodge Darts. The windshield washer pumps on affected cars could short-circuit the wiper system, disabling the wipers. Chrysler will notify owners of all vehicles, and will replace any faulty parts at no cost to the owner. Owners can also contact Chrysler's customer care center at 1-800-853-1403. Related Video: News Source: FCA, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration via Automotive News Recalls Weird Car News Dodge Jeep SUV Sedan