2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo 4x4 X Hemi Nav 54k Mi Texas Direct Auto on 2040-cars

Auto blog

Detroit Three automakers and UAW will continue to require masks

GM CEO Mary Barra at a Warren, Mich., training center in September. (Reuters)   WASHINGTON — Detroit's Big Three automakers and the United Auto Workers (UAW) union said on Wednesday that workers will continue to be required to wear masks in workplaces. The joint statement from the UAW and General Motors, Ford and Chrysler-parent Stellantis NV said it was continuing the requirements "out of an abundance of caution." The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said in May that fully vaccinated people do not need to wear masks in most instances, including at work. The UAW and the automakers said temperature screening upon entering facilities is expected to be phased out. The UAW and automakers continue to recommend autoworkers get vaccinated. Many U.S. employers are still requiring vaccinated workers to wear masks in workplaces. Volkswagen AG's U.S. unit said it will "no longer require masks for fully vaccinated employees after June 21, and will continue to follow CDC guidelines." Toyota is among the automakers that has ended temperature checks and entry questionnaires at U.S. plants but it is continuing to require facial coverings. Honda and Nissan said they had made no changes to their U.S. employee COVID-19 requirements.   Plants/Manufacturing Chrysler Dodge Ford GM Jeep RAM Safety coronavirus

Dodge revamping lineup with AWD Challenger and lighter Charger

Dodge's current lineup is aging rapidly. The Charger, for example, is going on 5 years old but its platform dates back to 2006. FCA, according to Automotive News, is working on revitalizing Dodge's lineup with the first of some new models debuting later this year. The report reveals plans for the majority of FCA's brands, but the most interesting bit of information is an all-wheel-drive model for the Dodge Challenger, which is being referred to as the GT AWD. Mopar unveiled the Challenger GT AWD Concept at SEMA last year as a concept, but it looks like the idea stuck. The vehicle is set to make its debut this fall and will lead the way for a wide-body, Hellcat-powered version that will be released in 2017. That model will be called the Challenger ADR. The entire Challenger lineup will be redesigned in 2018, which includes switching over to the lighter Giorgio platform - the same one that underpins the Alfa Romeo Guilia Dodge will also redesign the Charger to accommodate the new Giorgio platform in 2018. A new two-door convertible could debut in 2021, resurrecting the Barracuda moniker. The aging Dodge Durango will get a light refresh in 2017 with the addition of an SRT model, which Automotive News reports will feature a 6.4-liter V8 engine. Other changes are in store for other FCA brands, including the debut of full-size crossover in 2018 for Chrysler, which will be followed by a midsize crossover in 2019. The Jeep Compass and Wrangler will get a redesign for 2017, with the Cherokee getting a light makeover, as well. The Wrangler-based pickup truck, which we recently spotted testing, is set for its debut in 2018, while the Wagoneer will come out a year later. Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.

Georgia judge slashes verdict to $40M in Jeep fire case

A judge in Georgia has drastically reduced the damages that Fiat Chrysler Automobiles will have to pay to the family of Remington Walden, who a court said died as a result of the unsafe design of one of its vehicles. While the jury originally awarded the family $150 million at FCA's expense, Judge J. Kevin Chason cut that amount to $40 million, the Detroit News reported. The automaker may still appeal the verdict. The case dates to March 2012, when a 1999 Jeep Grand Cherokee in which four-year-old Walden was riding was rear-ended by another vehicle. Due to what the jury ruled was an unsafe fuel tank, a fire erupted, and Walden died in the fire. The family's lawyers successfully argued that the automaker knew there was a problem and didn't take sufficient action to address the issue, while FCA countered that its vehicles met the applicable safety standards when they were built. The jury found FCA 99 percent responsible for the fire and Walden's death, reserving the final one percent for the driver who caused the crash. The court awarded the Waldens $150 million in damages to be paid by the automaker: $120 million for wrongful death, and a further $30 million for pain and suffering. FCA, however, argued that the damages were disproportionate to the incident, noting that the $120 million was 11 times higher and the $30 million four times higher than any comparable awards upheld on appeal in the state. Chason agreed and cut the penalties extensively. The Walden family has reportedly accepted the reduced verdict. But according to the News, company spokesman Michael Palese said, "The reduction in the damage awards does not cure the many errors that tainted this verdict and denied FCA US a fair trial. We are considering our legal options." News Source: The Detroit NewsImage Credit: Jeep Government/Legal Recalls Jeep lawsuit court