1963 Chrysler Newport on 2040-cars

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Fiat shareholders green-light Chrysler merger, end of an Italian era

Fiat has just taken a major step away from its Italian heritage, as shareholders officially approved the company's merger with Chrysler. That move will lead to the formation of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV, a Dutch company based in Great Britain and listed on the New York Stock Exchange, according to Automotive News Europe.
The company captured the two-thirds majority at a special shareholders meeting, although there are still a few situations that could defeat the movement. According to ANE, roughly eight percent of shareholders opposed the merger, which is a group large enough to defeat the plan, should they all exercise their exit rights outlined in the merger conditions.
Meanwhile, Fiat Chairman John Elkann (pictured above, right, with CEO Sergio Marchionne and Ferrari Chairman Luca Cordero di Montezemolo), the great-great-grandson of Fiat founder Giovanni Agnelli, reaffirmed his family's commitment to the company beyond the merger. Exor, the Agnelli family's holding company, still maintains a 30-percent stake in Fiat.

Dodge Challenger spied exercising supercharged Hellcat Hemi V8

One of the prime complaints against the Dodge Challenger is that, even in SRT8 guise, its 470 horsepower is responsible for hauling over 4,200 pounds of vehicle. For comparison, the 420 hp in the Ford Mustang GT only has to deal with 3,618 lbs. Things only get worse from there, as the higher-performance variants of both the Mustang and the Chevrolet Camaro are far more powerful than an SRT8 without adding on much heft.
So what is Chrysler to do? The correct answer is add a whole lot more grunt to its hefty two-door and even the odds. That's where the all-new Hellcat engine comes into play. We reported on this engine in May, and suggested that the Hellcat, a supercharged powerplant based on a 6.4-liter V8, would easily generate 500 to 570 hp and could likely arrive boasting more than 600 ponies.
Chrysler's ace in its sleeve has now been spied testing, with a number of Hellcat-equipped Challengers running the potent new engine both in more urbanized areas and under the sun of Death Valley. The hoods on these testers have been raised to accommodate the engine, and that camouflage over the fascias of these prototypes is there to hide a larger air intake. We also note what appears to be a new split grille under wraps. As for power output, our spies are now suggesting a Viper-equalling 640 hp from the Hellcat-equipped cars.

Chrysler 300 Glacier edition ready to chill with AWD

It seems that word is finally out on the redone Chrysler 300, as evidenced by the fact that the model's sales almost doubled last year compared to 2011 (when the distinctive sedan was a little slow out of the gates). One thing that's likely helping the car is a growing number of unique models like the 300S, 300 SRT8 and the new 300C John Varvatos Luxury Edition, and now one more trim has joined the lineup. Initially announced back in September, the 300 Glacier is on sale now with a starting price of $36,845 (*not including a $995 destination charge).
Designed with cold-weather climates in mind, the 300 Glacier is only available with all-wheel drive. Chrysler says the Glacier will run an additional $1,500 over the 300S AWD off which this car is based, but that extra money gets unique 19-inch aluminum wheels, an exclusive Glacier Blue Pearl Coat paint job and special interior treatments including piano black accents and fancier leather seats and stitching. Like the 300S, power from the Pentastar V6 has been bumped up to an even 300 horsepower (up from 292 hp) with the aid of a cold-air induction and freer-breathing exhaust. Naturally, the 363-hp Hemi V8 is still available, too.
For more information, scroll down to check out Chrysler's official press release.