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From Citroën to Dodge, meet the Stellantis family of vehicles
This weekend, the trans-Atlantic merger of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV and Groupe PSA of France will cement an industry-leading 14 brands under one roof, eclipsing Volkswagen AG's 12. But don't expect to see a Peugeot 5008 or Citroën C4 in American showrooms anytime soon. Or Ram pickup trucks and Dodge Hellcats prowling the streets of Paris. Industry analysts say the merger will continue to accelerate the globalization of Jeep, which FCA has transformed into one of the world's most recognizable SUV brands. But otherwise, the merger positions Stellantis to have strong product lineups on two co...
The Detroit News
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Fiat Chrysler Automobiles gets into air taxi business with Silicon Valley's Archer
Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, known for its love of heavy-duty horsepower in its Hemis and Hellcats, is partnering with a Silicon Valley air taxi start-up with plans to produce electric aircraft in 2023. FCA, whose brands include Jeep, Ram, Dodge, Chrysler, Fiat, Alfa Romeo and Maserati, has already collaborated with Palo Alto, California-based Archer on cockpit design, which the companies expect to unveil later this year, according to a news release Tuesday. The deal will allow Archer "to benefit from access to FCA's low-cost supply chain, advanced composite materials capabilities and engineerin...
Detroit Free Press
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North American auto industry feels effects of global microchip shortage
Automakers in North America are beginning to feel the effects of a global shortage of semiconductors that has caused a crunch for manufacturers worldwide, adding a wrinkle to the industry's attempted comeback from the coronavirus crisis. Ford Motor Co. confirmed Friday that it will idle its Louisville Assembly Plant in Kentucky this week "due to a supplier part shortage connected to the semiconductor shortage," company spokeswoman Kelli Felker said. Ford builds its Escape and the Lincoln Corsair SUVs in Louisville. The automaker said it has moved up a previously planned week of downtime to nex...
The Detroit News
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Chevrolet's new virtual auto shows and more EVs headed to the lineup
Chevrolet is launching a sort of virtual auto show as part of a new online link that allows consumers to shop for a Chevrolet vehicle. Chevy MyWay, which is part of Chevy.com, launched Wednesday as a test pilot to train the product specialists who will work one-on-one with consumers. Chevrolet will ramp up the site over the next few weeks to two months. It is similar to Cadillac Live, which is General Motors' luxury brand's digital showroom. There, a product specialist gives a consumer a personalized tour of Cadillac cars. Chevy MyWay will offer a '"virtual auto show" function too so that, "If...
Detroit Free Press
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Auto review: The 2021 Volkswagen ID.4 proves to be a potent new EV
DORAL, Fla. — Until now, keeping up with the Joneses and their Tesla Model Y meant buying a, well, a Tesla Model Y. Or possibly the Hyundai Kona Electric Vehicle. But unless you live in a communist country, what’s so great about buying the same vehicle as everyone else? It’s like saying, “Yes, but my Trabant is newer.” Come March, there will be another choice, the Volkswagen ID.4, the first in a series of Volkswagen EVs under the company’s new ID brand. Now, you’re probably wondering what ID stands for. In this case, it means Intelligent Design, rather than the part of your psyche that respond...
Tribune News Service
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Ford couldn't build F-150s fast enough — and it hurt 4th-quarter sales
The baby Bronco known as the Bronco Sport, a surprisingly popular new release by Ford in late 2020, offered a bright spot in the fourth quarter sales report amid otherwise grim numbers. “It’s everything we could get to the dealers. It’s being sold as fast as they come off the truck,” Erich Merkle, U.S. sales analyst Ford, told the Free Press. “It’s an incredibly strong start. It’s exceeding our expectations.” Some consumers waiting for the bigger two- and four-door Bronco have said they purchased the Bronco Sport because they didn't want to wait until summer to get the all-new SUV meant to com...
Detroit Free Press
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Fiat Chrysler, citing rental car woes, says sales dropped for 4th quarter, full year 2020
In what is expected to be its last year as a standalone company, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles saw its sales drop in 2020 as the coronavirus pandemic continued to hit the auto industry in a variety of ways. The company's fourth-quarter numbers also fell, although FCA reported some bright spots, including a 1% rise in retail sales in the quarter compared with the same period a year ago. Citing a sharp decline in fleet orders related to rental car business woes because of COVID-19, FCA said its full year U.S. sales dropped 17% and its fourth-quarter sales were down 8%. The company sold 1.8 million v...
Detroit Free Press
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GM reports strong 4th quarter — but tight inventory hampered bigger sales
General Motors on Tuesday reported strong fourth-quarter sales across all brands except for Buick, which finished down 10% from the year-ago period. But GM's sales of new vehicles for the full year tumbled by nearly 12% compared with 2019, GM said in a sales release. Fiat-Chrysler Automobiles also was expected to release sales Tuesday and Ford Motor Co. on Wednesday. GM cited robust sales of full-sized SUVs and pickups for helping it finish the quarter strong, but noted that inventory remained tight. Analysts and dealers said GM could have sold more if it had had more stock. Inventory issues F...
Detroit Free Press
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Fiat Chrysler to invest in Poland for new electric Jeeps, Fiats and Alfa Romeos
Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV has confirmed plans to refurbish a plant in Poland for three new models for the Jeep, Fiat and Alfa Romeo brands, including hybrid and all-electric versions. It is not yet clear if those vehicles will be sold outside Europe when they start rolling off the line in the second half of 2022, according to an FCA spokesperson. The plan aligns with the Italian American automaker's ambitions to catch up to its competition on electric vehicle options as regulators push for a greener future. The company has said it will offer electrified options across its Jeep portfolio and...
The Detroit News
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Model Audra Mari snags 2021 Ford Bronco Sport: How she's using it with Josh Duhamel
Model Audra Mari said she hoped to buy a 2021 Ford Bronco but realized that she needed a vehicle now and simply couldn't wait until next summer or later. A redesigned version of the beloved SUV is making a return after a quarter century and more than 150,000 have been ordered. Ford has said customer delivery has been pushed back from spring to summer. So Ward Cater, an old family friend who owns a dealership, suggested Mari consider a baby Bronco, the Bronco Sport. She stopped by Vision Ford-Lincoln in Wahpeton, North Dakota, on Dec. 10 with her boyfriend, actor Josh Duhamel, took the vehicle ...
Detroit Free Press
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