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Fiat Chrysler posts record Q3 profit thanks to U.S. trucks and Jeep

MILAN — A rebound in car production in Fiat Chrysler on Wednesday reported record third-quarter earnings as production returned to nearly pre-pandemic levels. The Italian-American automaker, which is finalizing its full merger with French rival PSA Peugeot, reported a net profit in the three months ending Sept. 30 of $1.4 billion (1.2 billion euros). That compares with a loss of 179 million euros a year earlier. The carmaker reported adjusted earnings before tax and interest in North America of 2.5 billion euros. That offset deepening losses in Europe, Asia and at its Maserati luxury marquee. Latin America, the only other region to post a profit, saw it narrow by two-thirds to 46 million euros. “Our record results were driven by our teamÂ’s tremendous performance in North America,” CEO Mike Manley said in a statement. Overall, the carmaker said global earnings before tax and interest were a record 2.3 billion euros despite a 6% fall in revenues to 26 billion euros. Global shipments were down 3%, due largely to plant retooling in North American to produce the new Jeep Grand Wagoneer in the luxury SUV segment and the discontinuation of the Dodge Grand Caravan classic minivan. Fiat Chrysler announced earlier Wednesday that its merger with PSA Peugeot is on track to be finalized by the end of the first quarter of 2021, as planned. To meet regulatory concerns, the French carmaker is selling a small stake in a components maker to get below 40% ownership. The new automaker, to be called Stellantis, will be the fourth biggest producer in the world. Earnings/Financials Chrysler Dodge Fiat Jeep RAM Citroen Peugeot

FCA design chief Ralph Gilles uses Jeep to help couple in fiery wreck

Fiat Chrysler's head of design Ralph Gilles recently rendered assistance at a fiery crash scene that left one dead. Gilles helped two people trapped inside a vehicle following a pair of collisions that left them pressed up against a burning vehicle. He used his Jeep Wrangler to nudge a Ford Edge engulfed in flames across the road. The 57-year-old female passenger who was trapped inside the other car was later pronounced dead at a local hospital. The first crash happened early Sunday, Feb. 18, in a rural area north of Detroit when a 2013 Ford Fiesta carrying the woman and her husband collided head-on with a 2013 Ford Edge that had crossed the center line. The driver of that vehicle sustained minor injuries; police said alcohol is believed to have played a role. Gilles was driving home with his wife, Doris, when they came upon the accident, stopped and called 911. He told the Oxford Leader he and the driver of the Edge tried to help the couple in the Fiesta, but none of the doors would open. After Gilles went to move his Wrangler out of the way, he saw a Buick LeSabre broadside the already-crippled Fiesta and push it up against the Edge, which then caught fire. With the couple still trapped inside the Fiesta, Gilles got the idea to put the Wrangler into four-wheel drive and push the Edge to the opposite shoulder using his Jeep. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. "I still have no idea where that (thought) came from," Gilles told the Leader. "The only thing I can remember thinking (is) I've got a Jeep, it's got a bumper on it, I think I can do this. All I could think about were the two people still inside the other car." Firefighters were later able to extract the couple from the Fiesta and transport them to a hospital. The woman was then airlifted to a second hospital, where she was pronounced dead. Her husband was listed in stable condition. Gilles posted a short video of the burning vehicle on Instagram and wrote that he was "NOT a hero." "It made us appreciate the true heroes. The first responders, Firemen/women, EMS and Police who deal with this stuff every day," he wrote. Image Credit: Ralph Gilles / Instagram Jeep fire

FCA applies to trademark 'My Freedom' for subscription service

Almost a year ago to the day, several outlets reported that Fiat Chrysler would trial three car-swapping programs in Boston focused on the Jeep brand. One program covered peer-to-peer Jeep rentals through Turo; another was a three-month subscription service through Avis that allowed Jeep owners to swap for Ram or Dodge vehicles; the third was called "Car Borrowing" and enabled Jeep owners to buy "Jeep Coins" to use on a one-day rental of other Fiat Chrysler products. It's possible FCA is taking last year's lessons to the next phase, CarBuzz having discovered the automaker applied to trademark the term "My Freedom" with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. The listed purpose of the mark would be "motor vehicle subscription services, namely, providing temporary use of motor vehicles to members for their personal use." Having begun its research using Jeep, it's not clear if a potential My Freedom subscription service would retain the 4x4 SUV focus or include other brands in the fold; with Jeep's martial origins, the brand has made ample use of the Freedom name over the years. There's also a link to new partner Groupe PSA, as the French automaker's mobility division and subscription service is dubbed Free2Move.   Related: Autoblog's guide to car subscription services   FCA made no comment on the filing, but an analyst at AutoForecast Solutions told The Detroit News that the submission "prepares (FCA) for the future," as. "The idea that autonomy would prevent the need for your own vehicle leads perfectly into subscriptions." U.S. brands haven't cracked the subscription nut yet, even with their premium offerings. Ford bought subscription startup Canvas in 2016, then sold it last year to the car-rental app Fair. GM launch Book by Cadillac in 2016, and shut it down for retooling in 2018 before a re-launch scheduled to happen sometime this year. If nothing else, an FCA subscription program with access to the top-end product could give other-brand luxury owners an easy way to pay attention to Maserati and Alfa Romeo. That would be good for everyone. Related Video: