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Jeep Renegade and Fiat 500X finally on the way to dealers

After a brief pause, the Jeep Renegade and Fiat 500X are on their way to dealers again. While initially reported as a software bug, the issue had nothing to do with the models themselves. According to a statement from FCA US to Autoblog, the "vehicles were built with an atypical Vehicle Identification Number that may not be recognized as valid by some computer systems." That problem has now been fixed. FCA US held the compact crossovers back from dealers until the company could rectify the bug. If the CUVs had been delivered, there would have been difficulty registering the vehicles, according to Automotive News. Before discovering the situation, about 20 of these Renegades were sold to customers. FCA CEO Sergio Marchionne originally discussed the predicament in late May. "I'm having a very bad engineering day," he said. "It's a combination of attributes of that vehicle that is making my life horrible." While the boss predicted the problem would be fixed as late as mid-June, the company apparently got things working much quicker than that. Related Video: FCA US Statement A limited number of 2015 Jeep Renegade and 2016 Fiat 500X vehicles were built with an atypical Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) that may not be recognized as valid by some computer systems. This VIN issue has been resolved. FCA US has been working with governmental agencies, insurers and financial institutions with whom customers may interact to ensure successful registration, financing and insurance coverage. Renegade and 500X vehicles are being shipped and are in stock at dealerships for purchase. The VIN issue is entirely separate from the operation of the vehicle.

2020 Jeep Gladiator configurator is live for you to play with

The 2020 Jeep Gladiator is getting closer and closer. The truck, which was revealed last month, is now up on Jeep's site, ready to be configured to your liking. Pricing isn't yet established on the building tool, but you get to click through all the configurator goodies. The models available in the configurator tool are Sport, Sport S, Overland and Rubicon. Sport S adds aluminum wheels on top of the base level Sport specification, as well as a convenience package comprising power windows, power heated mirrors, power door and tailgate locks along with keyless entry, and a 7-inch touchscreen with Uconnect 4 infotainment and Apple CarPlay / Android Auto support. The Overland model, available with leather, ups the wheel size an inch to 18, introduces side steps and body color fenders and gives the option of choosing LED lighting along with adaptive cruise, collision warning and active braking assist. The touchscreen on Overland is also bigger at 8.4 inches. Finally, the Rubicon is what Jeep calls "The most off-road capable midsize truck ever," with its Rock-Trac 4x4 system with up to 84:1 crawl ratio. The Dana 44 axles are lockable front and rear, shocks are upgraded to Fox units, and the fender flares give more room to accommodate 33-inch off-road rubber. The sway bar on the Rubicon can be electrically disconnected, the hood is Rubicon-specific, and the cab and bed have steel rails. There's also an option for a "TrailCam" off-road camera, but it's part of the LED lighting group and also necessitates the 8.4-inch touchscreen. We're also waiting for beefier towing options than the Trailer Tow package that adds improved cooling together with the hitch — tow rating is class-leading at 7,650 pounds max. Only the Pentastar V6 is on offer so far. On all models below the Rubicon, you can choose a Trac-Lok rear differential; standard transmission is a six-speed manual with an available optional eight-speed auto. With tops, there's an availability of a dual top package, giving the buyer both the three-piece hardtop and a soft top; the hardtop is available in black and body color. All in all, the Gladiators can be well optioned to specific tastes, and the configurator is sure to provide you with hours of fun — even before the official pricing is announced. Related Video:

Marchionne says no offers are on the table for Fiat Chrysler

MONZA, Italy (Reuters) - Fiat Chrysler (FCA) has not received any offer for the company nor is the world's seventh-largest carmaker working on any "big deal", Chief Executive Sergio Marchionne said on Saturday. Speaking on the sidelines of the Italian Formula One Grand Prix, Marchionne said the focus remained on executing the company's business plan to 2018. Asked whether FCA had been approached by someone or whether there was an offer on the table, he simply said: "No." The company's share price jumped to record highs last month after reports of interest for the group or some of its brands from China. China's Great Wall Motor Co Ltd openly said it was interested in FCA, but had not held talks or signed a deal with executives at the Italian-American automaker. The stock move was also helped by expectations that the company might separate from some of its units. Marchionne reiterated on Saturday that FCA was working on a plan to "purify" its portfolio and that units, such as the components businesses, would be separated from the group. He hopes to complete that process by the end of 2018. "There are activities within the group that do not belong to a car manufacturer, for example the components businesses. The group needs to be cleared of those things," he told journalists. Asked whether an announcement could come this year, Marchionne said it was up to the board to decide and that it would next meet at the end of September. He said the time was not right for a spin-off of luxury brand Maserati and premium Alfa Romeo and the two brands needed to become self-sustainable entities first and "have the muscle to stand on their feet, make sufficient cash". "The way we see it now, it's almost impossible, if not impossible, to see a spin-off of Alfa Romeo/Maserati, these are two entities that are immature and in a development phase," he said. "It's the wrong moment, we are not in a condition to do it." He said the concept of separating the two brands from FCA's mass market business made sense and did not rule out this happening in future, but not under his tenure, which lasts until April 2019. "If there is an opportunity in future, it would certainly happen after I'm gone. It won't happen while Marchionne is around," he said.