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Dodge, Jeep and Ram could soon be owned by Chinese automakers

For the past several years, Fiat Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne has made it widely known that the automaker he helms is up for grabs. First, he sent an email to GM CEO Mary Barra, who immediately refused to even discuss a merger. Later, Marchionne set his sights on Volkswagen. That too was swiftly rebuffed. It seemed like no global automaker was remotely interested in a partnership. Now, Automotive News reports that several Chinese automakers have come calling, only FCA isn't ready to answer. At least not yet. The news broke this morning that a major Chinese automaker had made an offer to purchase FCA for slightly above market value. FCA refused, saying the offer wasn't quite generous enough. It's unclear which automaker made the offer, but Automotive News says there's more than one interested party. FCA representatives have recently traveled to China to meet with Great Wall Motors, while Chinese representatives were seen at FCA corporate headquarters in Auburn Hills, Mich. The Chinese government has a lot of money invested in local automakers. It's putting pressure on these automakers to expand globally, including to the United States. As it stands, it's a matter of when a Chinese automaker will start selling cars here, not if. Purchasing an established automaker with a wide range of products and a huge dealer network would do wonders in giving the Chinese a foothold here. Sure, Geely owns Volvo, but a luxury automaker doesn't have nearly as much reach as a more mainstream company like FCA. This seems like the best case scenario for both a Chinese automaker looking to move into the U.S. and for FCA, at least from a business standpoint. The latter doesn't seem to have any other interested parties. It will be interesting to see how FCA would sell a deal like this to the public. We're not sure everyone will be happy with Dodge, Jeep and Ram falling under Chinese ownership. FCA didn't turn down the Chinese because they didn't like the idea. It turned down the offer because there wasn't enough money on the table. Related Video: News Source: Automotive News Earnings/Financials Alfa Romeo Chrysler Dodge Fiat Jeep RAM

2015 Jeep Renegade leaks out ahead of Geneva debut

Meet the Renegade - Jeep's new baby crossover that's set to debut at the Geneva Motor Show this week. The folks at Jalopnik got their hands on a small batch of photos of the new little cutie, showing what appears to be a Trailhawk (read: trail-rated) version, as well as a more civilian-spec Renegade, complete with a new removable roof system, reportedly called My Sky.
Details are slim, though in addition to the exterior images, one photo of the interior has also been leaked, showing what appears to be a small, yet functional (and nicely appointed) cabin. Early reports suggested that the new small Jeep would be based on the Fiat 500L platform, though Jalopnik rightly points out that the Renegade looks an awful lot like the Panda 4x4. Regardless, there's still likely some 500L bones under there, and we'll know more once the official details are revealed in the very near future.
Head over to Jalopnik for more shots of the cute little Renegade, and stay tuned for more information as it becomes available.

Jeep readying 2018 and 2019 Wrangler recall for bad frame welds

According to documents posted to the JL Wrangler Forums, Jeep is readying a recall for an unknown number of 2018 and 2019 model-year Wrangler SUVs. The issue revolves around the track bar mount, which on some vehicles is shearing off where it is welded to the frame. Since some affected vehicles may be unsold on dealer lots, the automaker has issued a corresponding stop sale. A Jeep spokesperson confirmed to CNET that there have been no reported accidents related to the issue, and Jalopnik reports that Jeep will inspect roughly 18,000 vehicles for the defect, though it believes only around 720 will be affected. As of the time this story was published, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration had not yet posted this recall to its website. There have been a total of five recalls for the 2018 Jeep Wrangler, including one for a steering shaft that could separate due to improper welding. One 2018 Jeep Wrangler owner in North Carolina posted a video to YouTube, seen above, showing track bar mounts that have completely sheared away from the vehicle's frame. These broken welds may cause severe steering degradation and "can cause a vehicle crash without prior warning," according to a dealer notice that was posted to the JL Wrangler Forum. That owner has said Jeep is replacing his Wrangler, but it's not clear if other vehicles are being replaced or repaired. Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.