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Stellantis And Foxconn Announce Tech-Focused Joint Venture

Earlier this week, Stellantis announced they had struck a strategic partnership with Foxconn. While many believed it would involve electric vehicles, that’s not the case as the alliance is tech-focused.

In particular, the two companies have signed a non-binding memorandum of understanding to create a joint venture named Mobile Drive. The companies will have equal voting rights in the new entity, which is aimed at “accelerating development timelines to bring innovative in-vehicle user experiences enabled by advanced consumer electronics, HMI interfaces and services that will exceed customer expectations.”

The companies went on to say Mobile Drive will combine Stellantis’ design and engineering expertise with Foxconn’s extensive experience with smartphones and consumer electronics. This promises to “deliver a new frontier of in-cabin information and entertainment capabilities, seamlessly connected inside and outside the vehicles in which they are installed.”

Also Read: iPhone Builder Foxconn Unveils EV Platform, Wants To Become The Android Of EVs

Airflow Vision concept

Mobile Drive will be based in the Netherlands and will operate as an automotive supplier. This is interesting as it means their products won’t necessarily be limited to Stellantis vehicles. However, it remains to be seen if other automakers would be interested in using the technology.

Specifics are lacking at this point, but the companies said Mobile Drive will focus on “infotainment, telematics and cloud service platform development with software innovations expected to include artificial intelligence-based applications, 5G communication, upgraded over-the-air services, e-commerce opportunities and smart cockpit integrations.” That isn’t much to go on, but the two companies previously partnered on the Airflow Vision concept which featured a digital instrument cluster, an infotainment system, a secondary lower display, a front passenger display and a rear seat entertainment system.

Stellantis Chief Software Officer Yves Bonnefont remarked the partnership will enable them to “push the boundaries in connected car technology and bring immersive experiences yet to be imagined.” He added, “Mobile Drive ultimately gives us the agility we need to provide the digital experience of the future at the speed our customers demand.”

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Dodge Durango SRT Hellcat Is Officially Sold Out After Less Than 3 Months On The Market

Dodge has officially allocated the entire production of the 2021 Durango SRT Hellcat, so if you were thinking about buying one new, sadly you can’t.

Following the opening of the order books on November 5, 2020, Dodge has announced that they are closing new customer orders for the Durango SRT Hellcat. Not all hope is gone though, as a limited number of dealer-allocated examples will still be available for a limited time.

The Dodge Durango SRT Hellcat was always going to be offered for the 2021 model year, with the carmaker to build a total of 2,000 examples.

“The 2021 Durango Hellcat is only a single model-year run, ensuring that it will be a very special, sought-after performance SUV for years to come,” said Tim Kuniskis, Dodge Brand, and Interim Chrysler Brand Chief Executive Officer – Stellantis. “Based on anticipated demand, all dealer allocations have already been reserved, but there is still some time to secure an unsold dealer order.”

Marketed as the “most powerful SUV ever”, the 2021 Dodge Durango SRT Hellcat is powered by the supercharged 6.2-liter V8 engine producing 710 HP and 645 lb-ft of torque and paired to an eight-speed TorqueFlite automatic transmission. The result is a frankly hilarious 0-60 mph in 3.5 seconds, with the quarter-mile dealt in 11.5 seconds and the top speed set at 180 mph. In a three-row SUV.

In addition, both the Hellcat and the 5.7-liter Hemi V8 variants of the 2021 Dodge Durango offer best-in-class towing capacity, at 8,700 lbs.

The 2021 Dodge Durango SRT Hellcat came with an MSRP of $82,490, including a $1,495 destination fee, but now that the order books are closed, expect to see the last few dealer-allocated examples offered with a significant markup.

PHOTO GALLERY

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FCA And PSA Merger Now Official, Stellantis To Start Trading On Stock Markets

As of this morning, January 16, the long-awaited Stellantis merger between Peugeot S.A. (PSA Group) and Fiat Chrysler Automobiles N.V. (FCA) is official, effective immediately.

Stellantis’ common shares will begin trading on the Paris and Milan stock exchanges starting next Monday, January 18, and on the New York exchange on Tuesday, January 19.

See: Italian Government Open To Owning Stake In Stellantis

Also on Tuesday, Carlos Tavares will hold the new group’s first press conference as Stellantis chief executive officer, laying out the vision for the newly-formed automaker. The challenges ahead are many, and they mainly deal with electrification, the COVID-19 pandemic, and attracting new buyers.

However, this merger probably won’t come without its repercussions. Stellantis will start its life with seven FCA brands and another four from PSA, and as such, they may be stretching themselves out a little thin. Almost every merger results in duplication and can cause the demise of some products or even brands, and it could happen in this case as well.

Read: Chrysler CEO Manley To Run American Arm of Stellantis Following Merger With PSA

Interestingly enough, the brands that seem the most likely to go are allegedly Chrysler and Dodge. Both have suffered from sub-par sales, and are both paring back their lineups. Chrysler only has the Pacifica and Voyager minivans and the aging 300 sedan, and Dodge is left with just the Durango, Charger and Challenger, all of which also ride on old platforms.

Then there are the Italian brands, Fiat, Alfa Romeo and Maserati, who have also fell short of sales expectations in North America. Fiat’s dismal sales, for example, resulted in the discontinuation of the 500, 500L and 124 Spyder, leaving only the 500X sold in the U.S.

More: FCA Investing $250 Million In India To Manufacture Jeep Models

The real powerhouses on FCA’s side are Jeep and Ram, and it seems likely that they’re the reason the merger was considered in the first place. Jeep will only grow in magnitude with greater international presence, and while Ram is likely to remain mostly centered on the North American market, there is now the possibility to increase its market reach, especially with commercial vehicles.

The PSA Group brings with it Peugeot, Citroen, DS Automobiles and Opel, which the group bought from GM in 2017. Before the creation of Stellantis, there were some talks of possibly bringing a PSA Group brand to the U.S. by the middle of the decade, and that brand was later identified as Peugeot.

Also: This Is An Intriguing Electric City Car FCA And PSA Could Produce

Apparently, a small group of executives have been in place in the States to oversee the return of the brand that left in 1991. Peugeot CEO Jean-Philippe Imparato now says plans to re-enter the US by 2026 may be reconsidered, according to an Automotive News Europe report.

What do you think? Would you like to see Peugeot return if it meant the end of Chrysler and/or Dodge? Let us know in the comments.

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