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Fiat Chrysler prepares to produce plug-in hybrid Jeep Renegade

MILAN — Fiat Chrysler (FCA) said on Monday it's preparing to begin production of a plug-in hybrid version of the Jeep Renegade as the carmaker pushes ahead with its electrification drive to meet tougher emissions rules. The world's seventh-largest carmaker said in June it would invest 9 billion euros ($10.3 billion) in electric and hybrid cars over the next five years to become fully compliant with emissions regulations across regions. It also pledged to phase out diesel engines in European passenger cars by 2021. The Jeep Renegade plug-in hybrid, expected in the market in early 2020, will be produced at FCA's Melfi plant in southern Italy, which is already churning out the combustion engine version of the model and the Fiat 500X crossover, FCA said. More than 200 million euros will be spent on the new engine, the company said, adding workers would be retrained for the new technology and the plant modernized. By 2022, FCA plans to offer a total of 12 electric propulsion systems, including battery electric vehicles (BEV), plug-in hybrids (PHEV) and full hybrids, it said, adding 30 different models would be equipped with one or more of these systems. Former FCA Chief Executive Sergio Marchionne had long refused to embrace electrification, saying he would only do so if selling battery-powered cars could be done at a profit. He even urged customers not to buy FCA's Fiat 500e, its only battery-powered model, because he was losing money on each sold. But Tesla's success and the need to comply with tougher emissions rules forced Marchionne to commit to what he used to refer to as "most painful" spending. Marchionne died unexpectedly in July after succumbing to complications from surgery, but his successor, Mike Manley, vowed to continue the strategy laid out in June. ($1 = 0.8719 euros) Reporting by Agnieszka Flak

Jeep Wrangler Polar is a tasty frozen treat

Perhaps it's because we've seen so many kitted-out examples over the years, but it seems to us that the Jeep Wrangler tends to wear its special-edition duds better than most models. It might be the icon's familiar rectilinear proportions or the inherent bolt-on look of its extremities - bumpers, mirrors, lighting, and step rails - but we've seen precious few factory specials that look anything but excellent.
Case in point: this new Jeep Wrangler Polar unveiled at the Frankfurt Motor Show. This European-market limited-edition model is said to be a celebration of winter driving, which evidently works out to a body-color hardtop, black-accent seven-slot grille, 18-inch gloss black wheels, Trac-Lok limited-slip differential and a hard hat for the spare tire. Finished here in Hydro Blue (Billet Silver Metallic and Bright White are also available) and a black interior with Polar White accents, the Polar edition features badges displaying 78° S and 106° E longitude and latitude coordinates for Vostok, Antarctica.
This new Jeep will be available in both standard and Unlimited formats with either the 3.6-liter Pentastar gas engine or the still-not-for-US 2.8-liter turbodiesel when it bows early next year. For further details, check out our gallery above and the press release below.

Chrysler recalls 350k vehicles over ignition switches

Chrysler has announced a recall covering 349,442 vehicles due to ignition switches that can either become stuck or move without warning. All of the affected vehicles are from the 2008 model year, and were built before May 12, 2008.
The automaker has learned that ignition keys on some vehicles "may not fully return to the 'ON' position after rotation to the 'START' position during engine-startup," the company said in a statement. Additionally, "an ignition key may not fully return to the 'ON' position after rotation to the 'START' position and may inadvertently move through the 'ON' position to 'ACCESSORY' or 'OFF.'"
Chrysler says it is unaware of any related injuries, and notes that while reduced braking, engine or steering power is possible in such instances, the airbags are not affected. The later stands in contrast to General Motors' recent rash of high-profile recalls, and it's an important distinction that Chrysler (understandably) felt necessary to call out in bold print in its press release.