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Marchionne now considering 'Plan B' partners for FCA merger

Okay Sergio, just stop. With the sting of rejection from General Motors CEO Mary Barra still fresh, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles CEO Sergio Marchionne is moving on and trying to find another automaker to merge with. FCA may not be giving up hope on a merger with GM, but that doesn't mean it isn't at least considering alternatives. Sergio's so-called "Plan Bs" include the Volkswagen Group, as well as smaller Asian outfits, like Mazda, Honda, Suzuki, and Hyundai. Bloomberg reports that France's beleaguered PSA Peugeot Citroen could as a sort of "fallback" option due to its relative lack of volume, an unidentified source claimed. There are, of course, problems with each option. According to Bloomberg, Volkswagen expects complete control of a company, but the Agnelli family, which holds a large portion of FCA stock, is loathe to relinquish its stake in the company. On top of that, VAG just isn't looking to make a deal right now. Mazda, meanwhile, is enjoying a new partnership with Toyota and Suzuki is partially owned by VW. Honda and Hyundai have never expressed any interest in a partnership with a western automaker. That kind of just leaves the French then, but even that remains a long shot. As Bloomberg tells it, PSA boss Carlos Tavares is still working on a turn-around plan, and would want at least another six months to execute before even considering a deal with FCA. And even then, Tavares hasn't given any indication that he's considering a pairing. News Source: BloombergImage Credit: Paul Sancya / AP Chrysler Fiat GM Honda Hyundai Mazda Suzuki Citroen Peugeot Sergio Marchionne FCA Mary Barra psa peugeot citroen

Suzuki recalling 200K crossovers over airbag woes

Suzuki may not be selling any new cars in the US anymore, but there are still plenty of them on American roads. Nearly 200,000 of those will need to be taken off said roads - for a little while, at least.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has issued a recall for 2006-2011 Suzuki Grand Vitara SUVs and 2007-2011 SX4 crossovers due to a faulty airbag sensor. The issue apparently results from the front passenger-side floor mat causing the Occupant Classification System (OCS) sensor to malfunction over time, so whether there's a kid or an adult in the front seat, the airbag could deploy in the event of a crash.
As a result, Suzuki Motor of America is calling in 193,936 vehicles to replace the front passenger-seat cushion assembly. That's a whole lot of cars to recall, but it comes as no big surprise. Owners can expect to be notified in October. Full details in the recall announcement below.

The Suzuki Jimny is even more awesome with these retro graphics

We already were pretty smitten by the Suzuki Jimny, the pint-sized 4x4 that, sadly, U.S. buyers can only look on from afar. It manages to remind us of its ancestors, the Suzuki Samari and Sidekick (small and basic 4x4s for which collectors and off-roaders are rapidly developing a keen appreciation). At the same time, it also rocks its own modern, mini-G-Wagen vibe. Now Suzuki has rolled out a batch of available decal packages for the Jimny, and we're digging it all the more. As surfaced by Motor1, Suzuki's catalog of accessories for the Jimny includes graphics packages in several different themes. The Offroad style includes tri-color red/gray/black stripes for the top and sides of the hood and under the rear side windows. The wide, lower-body REAL OFFROAD graphic is in red and black, while the finishing touch is a rhino decal for just above the Jimny badge on the tailgate. The Survival style appears to be some kind of camo pattern in black that is applied in a wide band along the upper bodysides. Heritage style ups the retro factor. It features red and gray upper body stripes on a white Jimny. Full the full look, you'll want the hard-shell exterior spare-wheel cover with matching graphics and the red mud flaps. The piece-de-resistance is the Revival style, which embraces the rad Eighties with a white/pink/black zig-zag squiggle on the doors and rear fenders that could have been lifted straight from a Samari. The matching hard-shell spare-wheel cover is a must. All of these prove yet again that the boxy, basic Jimny makes an ideal canvas for customization, and there are plenty more accessory items in that catalog. But we're not going to torture ourselves any further. Featured Gallery Suzuki Jimny decals and accessories Design/Style Suzuki SUV Off-Road Vehicles