Fiat/Chrysler finalise merger with merged conference call on sales and ernings

Fiat and Chrysler will for the first time hold a single conference call on their annual results on Wednesday as the two companies finalize a merger that will create the world's seventh-largest auto group.

Fiat said on Jan. 1 that it had struck a $4.35 billion deal to gain full control of Chrysler by buying the remaining 41.46 percent stake that it did not own in the U.S. carmaker from the United Auto Workers VEBA Trust.

The move was the last step needed before the Italian and U.S. carmakers can merge allowing Sergio Marchionne, who heads both companies, to combine their resources as he seeks to cut losses in Europe.

Full ownership of Chrysler enables Marchionne to create a global industry player with better scale to challenge General Motors Co. and Volkswagen Group. He has tried since taking the helm at Fiat in 2004 to buy a competitor to give the struggling Italian manufacturer a worldwide market strategy for growth.

Merging the two companies will allow Fiat to pool cash with Chrysler and tighten cooperation between its Alfa Romeo, Lancia and Maserati brands with Chrysler, Dodge and Jeep.

The 2013 results' conference call will be held at 15:00 CET, Fiat said in a statement on Monday.

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USA - Viper TA special edition set to become a classic

• Viper TA (Time Attack) Special Edition spec-package offers track enthusiasts a turn-key track set-up
• SRT brand offers Viper TA in three exclusive, limited-edition colors - 93 units in special “TA Orange” exterior paint color, 33 units will be built in Venom Black and 33 in Bright White
• TA will begin to arrive at dealerships in the fourth quarter of 2013

Posting a fast lap time on a road course requires a combination of driver skill and a properly balanced high-performance machine. The Chrysler Group’s SRT (Street and Racing Technology) team delivers half that equation with the 2014 SRT Viper TA (Time Attack).

The street-legal SRT Viper TA is specifically built for the performance enthusiast driver who likes to exercise their machines at the more than 150 road-race courses around North America.

Based on the SRT model, the lightest Viper in the lineup, the TA Special Edition Package builds upon the vehicle’s ultra-low center of gravity, 50/50 weight distribution and largest contact patch in the production car world. The Viper TA uses chassis parts developed specifically by the SRT chassis dynamics team to attain the most out of the race-car-like chassis and create the most confidence inspiring Viper ever. SRT developed new spring rates, dampers, sway bars and brake components, combined as a system with the Viper’s available Advanced Aerodynamics Package, to create one of the most track-capable production cars in the world. The changes keep the SRT Viper TA glued to the track, while the brake system is enhanced for improved balance and to resist thermal saturation during track work.

“The new 2014 SRT Viper TA is engineered for the serious performance enthusiast who needs a car that can be driven daily yet has mind-boggling limits on a road course that would rival many track-only cars. As one of the best handling and fastest supercars available on the market today, the TA enables our customers to take their passion for high performance driving to the next level,” said Ralph Gilles, President and CEO — SRT Brand, Chrysler Group LLC. “The SRT engineering team set out to create a world-class supercar that has few competitors on the track or the road at any price.”

Key high-performance equipment for the 2014 SRT Viper TA Special Edition includes:

• Unique race-tuned calibration for the two-mode Bilstein DampTronic suspension system, retuned springs, shocks and road-racing derived sway bars offer firmer levels of damping and a smaller spread between modes than what is found on the Viper GTS
• Lighter, carbon fiber structural X-brace replaces the standard aluminum brace under the hood and ties the four corners of the engine compartment together, contributing to the 50-percent increase in torsional rigidity and stiffness across the Viper lineup
• New Brembo two-piece, 32-millimeters wide, high-thermal capacity rotors and pads that optimize heat dissipation providing improved extreme use
• Advanced Aerodynamics Package includes carbon fiber front splitters and rear spoiler to boost downforce at higher speeds – up to a 700-percent increase at 150 mph 

Standard Pirelli P Zero Corsa tires are mounted on ultra-lightweight, multi-spoke Sidewinder II wheels. The brake calipers feature a black anodized finish with the Viper logo shown in TA Orange.

A carbon fiber rear applique accentuates the rear width proportions and adds another level of detail.

Under the hood of the 2014 SRT Viper TA is the handcrafted, all-aluminum 8.4-liter, mid-front V-10 overhead-valve engine. Performance ratings are 640 horsepower and 600 lb.-ft. of torque – the most torque of any naturally aspirated sports-car engine in the world.

Inside, the performance driver-oriented cabin of the 2014 SRT Viper TA uses the same standard premium ballistic fabric racing seats from Sabelt, featuring a lightweight fiberglass shell created by a state-of-the-art resin transfer molding technology for mass reduction and long-term durability. Both driver and passenger seats can also accommodate a 3- or 6-point harness for racing belts.

The standard black interior combination includes unique orange accent stitching on the cloth seats, instrument panel (through the cowl), center stack, console, pull brake, shifter boot, shifter head, steering wheel and upper doors.

Curb weight is 3,390 pounds.

Production of the 2014 SRT Viper TA is underway at the Conner Avenue Assembly Plant in Detroit.  Vehicles will begin to arrive at dealerships in the fourth quarter of 2013.

About SRT Brand

The Chrysler Group’s Street and Racing Technology (SRT) brand uses a successful product development formula featuring five proven hallmarks: awe-inspiring powertrains; outstanding ride, handling and capability; benchmark braking; aggressive and functional exteriors and race-inspired and high-performance interiors to remain true to its performance roots.

The SRT lineup in the 2013 model year features five vehicles that are world-class performance contenders and bring the latest in safety technologies and creature comforts. The Chrysler 300 SRT8, Dodge Challenger SRT8 392, Dodge Charger SRT8 and Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8 are joined by the SRT flagship Viper and Viper GTS models, which are making their highly anticipated return to the high-performance sports car market.

The 2014 Jeep® Grand Cherokee SRT has been named “SUV of the Year” by Esquire magazine

The 2014 Jeep® Grand Cherokee SRT has been named “SUV of the Year” by Esquire magazine in this year’s Esquire Car Awards.

Vehicles considered for the 2013 Esquire Car Awards were required to be all-new, appealing to Esquire readers, stylish, a good value and most importantly, a vehicle you want to drive.

“The one sonic experience of the year that I will not forget is engaging the ignition on the [Grand Cherokee] SRT,” said David Granger, Esquire magazine editor-in-chief. “This is the sweetest-sounding most reasonably priced engine note of our time.”

Esquire editors drove numerous vehicles to make the selections for the 2013 Esquire Car Awards, which appear in the magazine’s November issue on newsstands now.

“The new 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT combines impressive performance and luxury wrapped in a muscular and stylish exterior,” said Ralph Gilles, President and CEO – SRT Brand and Motorsports, Chrysler Group LLC. “Winning Esquire’s ‘SUV of the Year’ award continues to help set us apart from esteemed competitors by appealing to the passionate, performance-enthusiast consumers with its unique blend of value, technology, power and character.”

Starting with the performance-oriented and functional designs from Chrysler Group’s SRT (Street and Racing Technology) brand, the 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT model builds on that success with new technologies and exterior and interior styling cues that convey an even higher level of opulence and power.

Enhancements for the 2014 model year include an all-new, fully electronic eight-speed automatic transmission that delivers improved fuel economy, significantly improved towing capacity, hardware and software revisions that further heighten Grand Cherokee SRT’s fun-to-drive factor during a daily commute or for more spirited driving on the race track.

The new transmission is mated to the proven and powerful 6.4-liter HEMI® V-8 with Fuel Saver Technology delivering 470 horsepower (351 kW) at 6,000 rpm and 465 lb.-ft. (630 N•m) of torque at 4,300 rpm and helps deliver greatly enhanced towing performance of 7,200 pounds – a 44-percent improvement over the 5,000-lb. towing capacity from the previous model.

Outside, the new 2014 Grand Cherokee SRT sports styling that is even more aggressive than the previous model. Design enhancements for 2014 include a new signature LED character lamp treatment, a brawnier grille, a new, one-touch liftgate and a new rear spoiler.

Inside, Grand Cherokee SRT customers are treated to a new 8.4-inch touchscreen that displays a wealth of SRT-exclusive Performance Pages data. A new launch control button is situated behind the new T-handle shifter on the center console, and a redesigned SRT-exclusive three-spoke, heated steering wheel with more ergonomically efficient paddle shifters, features a host of comfort, convenience and connectivity controls.

About SRT
The Chrysler Group’s SRT (Street and Racing Technology) brand uses a successful product development formula featuring five proven hallmarks: awe-inspiring powertrains; outstanding ride, handling and capability; benchmark braking; aggressive and functional exteriors and race-inspired and high-performance interiors to remain true to its performance roots.

The 2014 SRT lineup features five vehicles that are world-class performance contenders and bring the latest in safety technologies and creature comforts. The Chrysler 300 SRT, Dodge Challenger SRT, Dodge Charger SRT and Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT join the flagship SRT Viper, which made its highly anticipated return to the high-performance sports car market in 2013.