2005 Jeep Grand Cherokee Limited W/navigation ~!~ Parking Sensors ~!~ Cd Changer on 2040-cars

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Chrysler's Woodward Dream Cruise festivities include Ram concept truck debut

The streets will be crowded next weekend along Woodward Avenue in Royal Oak, Michigan for the 19th Annual Woodward Dream Cruise. As part of the run-up to the festivities, Chrysler has announced that all of its brands - Chrysler, Jeep, Dodge, Ram, Fiat, SRT and Mopar - will bring along their latest vehicles. Also included will be a collection of classic American cars and various activities for attendees at the official Chrysler location on the corner of Woodward and 13 Mile Road.
Special to this year, Ram brand director Bob Hegbloom and head of design John Dehner will unveil a Ram concept truck on Saturday. Chrysler will also bring Ryan Friedlinghaus of West Coast Customs fame along to show off a few custom Chrysler-made vehicles of his own. Fans of the brand on Facebook will get the chance to virtually customize a vehicle from the automaker's portfolio, with the winner getting their dream car built for them by Chrysler. Pretty cool stuff, no?
As in past years, Ford and General Motors will have an official presence at the event as well, and you can expect to see plenty of cars of all makes and models from all parts of the globe. The madness starts this Friday, August 16, from 4:30 PM to 10 PM, with the main event taking place on Saturday, from 9 AM to 9 PM. For more details on the show, including events and their times, check out the press release below.

2016 Jeep Wrangler Backcountry is Xtremely Purple

Assuming you're headed into so-called backcountry to do fun, outdoorsy kinds of things, chances are, you wouldn't want to use a bright purple vehicle with hot pink graphics as your means to get off the beaten path. Particularly if you're doing those outdoor activities in a winter wonderland, surrounded by nature's own cold, white blanket. Fortunately, then, Jeep is offering its new Wrangler Backcountry in four colors that aren't called Xtreme Purple: blue, black, white, and gray. No matter which hue you choose, though, you'll get the graphics package, so best to bear that in mind. Besides its searing shade of paint, the Wrangler Backcountry is based on the Sahara model and comes equipped as you'd expect for a real, useful, backwoods vehicle. An off-road-spec front bumper joins a matching powdercoated rear bumper, and its 17-inch wheels are borrowed from the hardcore Rubicon model. Buyers will have a choice of Rubicon Rock Rails or Sahara side steps to ease ingress and egress, and a hardtop in either black or, for an added price, a body-color. But hopefully not purple. The interior is updated for the Wrangler Backcountry with black and grey plastics and stitching, along with black leather and "sport mesh" seating surfaces. A nine-speaker Alpine sound system pumps up the jams, and Bluetooth comes standard. You can read more about the Jeep Wrangler Backcountry in the press release below, but first, check out our high-res image gallery of live photos from the show floor in LA. Oh, and if you do really like Xtreme Purple, you should know that the Wrangler Backcountry is the only Jeep you can get in this particular retina-assaulting hue. 2016 Jeep Wrangler Backcountry The Jeep Wrangler Backcountry boasts a winter capability theme and is based on the Wrangler Sahara model. It features a Backcountry decal on the front fender and rear quarter panel, a unique off-road front and rear powder coated bumper, 17-inch Rubicon wheels painted in Mid-gloss Black and a black fuel fill door. Wrangler Rubicon rock rails are standard on the Wrangler Backcountry, but Sahara side steps are also available at no additional charge. A black hard top is standard, but an optional body color hard top is also available. Wrangler Backcountry is available in five colors: Hydro Blue, Black, Bright White, Granite Crystal and Xtreme Purple. Backcountry is the only model in Wrangler's lineup available in Xtreme Purple.

Stellantis moves to set up its own lending unit

Stellantis is buying Houston-based auto lender First Investors Financial Services Group to set up its own finance arm in the U.S., a move that should support sales and eventually boost profit. The only major traditional automaker in the U.S. without its own finance company agreed to pay $285 million to a group of investors led by Gallatin Point Capital and Jacobs Asset Management, according to a statement. The transaction is expected to close by year-end. Stellantis was formed via the merger between Fiat Chrysler and PSA Group early this year. Carlos Tavares, the PSA boss who became the combined company’s chief executive officer, called the deal to acquire First Investors a milestone that will increase earnings and enhance customer loyalty. “Direct ownership of a finance company in the U.S. is a white-space opportunity which will allow Stellantis to provide our customers and dealers a complete range of financing options,” Tavares said Wednesday in the statement.  Having an in-house finance company has helped rivals General Motors Co. and Ford Motor Co. pad profits, especially during the global semiconductor shortage that has limited production and crimped sales. GM bought subprime lender AmeriCredit Corp. in 2010 and renamed it GM Financial. The operation generated a $2.76 billion profit in the first half -- roughly a third of the companyÂ’s adjusted earnings before interest and taxes. Trouble for Santander? The First Investors acquisition could spell trouble for Chrysler Capital, the operation that Santander Consumer USA Holdings Inc. and Chrysler set up in 2013 before the U.S. automaker completed its merger with Fiat. In a statement, Santander Consumer said itÂ’s committed to supporting Stellantis through the term of their existing agreement and its transition. Santander Consumer will also have “ongoing conversations with Stellantis about long-term mutually beneficial opportunities beyond 2023,” the company said, adding that its consumer business remains strong and has “delivered solid results for our shareholders.” This, along with support from its parent company, will allow the lender to “pursue additional opportunities as they arise.” The lenderÂ’s U.S.-listed stock fell 1.5% in New York trading Wednesday after Bloomberg reported Stellantis was preparing to announce a new finance partner. Stellantis shares rose as much as 1.3% in Paris trading Thursday.