Fiat Chrysler shares have crashed on fears the car maker is about to be sued in the US over its alleged use of “dieselgate”-style defeat devices. Shares in the company, which also owns the Alfa Romeo, Dodge and Jeep marques, dropped 7pc in early trading following reports the US Justice Department is preparing a case against it that could leave it facing multi-billion dollar penalties. It is reported that Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) fitted some of its diesel-powered cars with software that disables pollution control systems during normal driving but switches them on during tests so they are able to meet required emissions standards. … [Read more...] about Fiat Chrysler shares crash on fears of ‘dieselgate’ court battle
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Chinese car maker Great Wall looks to snap up Fiat Chrysler
The future of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles has been thrown into confusion after Chinese car maker Great Wall Motors said it planned to buy parts of the Italian-American automotive business - a claim that was quickly refuted by FCA. Shares in FCA surged on Monday after Great Wall said it "intended" to make a move for car maker, stepping into the spotlight after a week of rumours swirling around the identity of a potential bidder. Industry analysts believe Great Wall - which is focused on SUVs - could be eyeing FCA's Jeep brand, as it looks to bolster its own range of rugged vehicles. However, FCA attempted to quash speculation, saying in a statement that it "had not been approached by Great Wall... … [Read more...] about Chinese car maker Great Wall looks to snap up Fiat Chrysler
At $5,200, Could This 1993 Alfa Romeo 164S Turn You Into A True Enthusiast?
Jeremy Clarkson is quoted as saying that to be a true auto enthusiast you must have had at least one Alfa in your life. Today’s Nice Price or Crack Pipe 164 is one Alfa. Could its price and condition mean that it’s “the one?” Winter is the best time to consider buying a convertible since nothing shows how tough you are as does1991 BMW 318i that looked tidy and had a top that you could drop. Two issues might just scuttle the plan, however. One of those was the seller’s ominous note that the car had a “salvage history.” The other was its $5,995 price tag which 54 percent of you deemed too high, dunning the car with a Crack Pipe loss. Advertisement Speaking of losses, there was a time, a good couple of decades or more ago One of the last Alfas to hit the market before the company packed up its Vino Rosso and Grana Padano and left the U.S. was the 164, a Pininfarina-designed executive saloon that shared its underpinnings with the Saab 9000, … [Read more...] about At $5,200, Could This 1993 Alfa Romeo 164S Turn You Into A True Enthusiast?
At $3,500, Is This Kinda Rough 1986 Alfa Romeo Spider Veloce Still A Pretty Slick Deal?
Veloce is Italian for fast, and while it’s a bit of an aspirational title when it comes to today’s Nice Price or Crack Pipe Alfa Spider, it’s still a nice name to have. Let’s see if its price means it will at least be selling fast. Along with herpes, our current political climate, and salad frogs, I guess we can add diesel VW Beetle convertibles to the communal list of things entitled “I didn’t ask for that.” Advertisement Yesterday’s 2014 VW Beetle drop top not only had a fuel-sipping if not exactly clean-living diesel, but also a rare standard six-speed stick as compliment. Very few of you complimented the combination however, and at $19,991 even fewer of you lauded its cost of entry, giving the car a sizable 76 percent Crack Pipe loss. Okay, so today I think we need to hone in on what elements of that VW proved to be most egregious. Was it the convertible roof? Not likely. The manual transmission? Probably not. The price? Hmmm, … [Read more...] about At $3,500, Is This Kinda Rough 1986 Alfa Romeo Spider Veloce Still A Pretty Slick Deal?
At $8,000, Is This R32-Swapped 1987 VW Jetta A Total Coupe De Grâce?
With four-doors’ and crossovers crazily co-opting the mantle of Coupe,Nice Price or Crack Pipe Jetta around to legitimately own that I’m ashamed to admit that amongst the dozens of cars I’ve owned in my life, not a single one has been Italian. Oh, I’ve driven plenty of Italian cars, everything from lowly Fiats and an actual Innocenti Mini all the way up to Ferraris, Maseratis, and D Advertisement That likely would have all changed if yesterday’s 1986 Alfa Romeo Spider Veloce had been within spitting distance of me. At $3,500, I could probably swing it, I do have one of those fancy new Apple Cards after all. I also didn’t think that any of the work it needed was beyond my skill level. Most of you agreed that it would have been a reasonably good idea, showering the car with praise in the comments and awarding it a solid 70 Now, I want to start out today’s discussion by first apologizing for featuring two VW’s this week. I do try to mix … [Read more...] about At $8,000, Is This R32-Swapped 1987 VW Jetta A Total Coupe De Grâce?