USA - Two FCA models take awards at this years Hispanic Motor Press Awards Ceremony.

• The Hispanic Motor Press Awards® recognize the most outstanding all-new vehicles in the United States to go on sale in the 12 months preceding the award
• Design, comfort, safety, economy, handling, performance, functionality, environmental requirements, driver satisfaction and value are the criteria evaluated by the judges to select segment winners
• The all-new 2017 Chrysler Pacifica reinvents the minivan segment with an unprecedented level of functionality, versatility, technology and bold styling
• Jeep Wrangler 75th Anniversary Edition voted winner of Adventure 4x4 category 

Two FCA US LLC vehicles were recognized within their segments as Autos del Año® (Cars of the Year) during the seventh annual Hispanic Motor Press Awards® (HMPA) at the 2016 Los Angeles Auto Show. 

The all-new 2017 Chrysler Pacifica earned top honors in the minivan segment and the Jeep® Wrangler 75th Anniversary Edition earned the award in the Adventure 4x4 segment.

“There is nothing like the original minivan, and with the Pacifica, Chrysler gets back to the top of the minivan segment,” said Ricardo Rodriguez-Long, president of the Hispanic Motor Press. 

“The all-new Pacifica offers the convenience, safety and value that all Hispanic families are looking for.”

A committee of 16 Hispanic automotive journalists and influencers test drove approximately 100 vehicles for the 2017 HMPA Autos del Año. The jurors seek to find the single model in each category that is the best value in the market for Hispanic families. All facets of the vehicles are evaluated, including design, comfort, safety, economy, handling, performance, functionality, environmental requirements, driver satisfaction and value.

"There is no other 4x4 on the market that can truly embody what adventure means like the Jeep Wrangler,” said Rodriguez-Long. “For the Hispanic consumer, Jeep is all about adventure."

Eligible vehicles considered for the awards must be all-new models and available to consumers in all 50 of the United States. This year’s panel of experts drove new cars throughout the year to evaluate the attributes best suited for the Hispanic consumer.

Enhancements to Jeep Grand Cherokee ‘the world’s most awarded SUV’ make this the best Jeep ever produced.

• Enhancements to Jeep Grand Cherokee ‘the world’s most awarded SUV’
• New 75^th Anniversary limited edition details announced
• SRT Night limited edition revealed

Plans to continue the success of the popular and successful Jeep Grand Cherokee range of SUV vehicles have been announced, with details of a raft of enhancements to the current model for 2016/17.

In addition, and to celebrate the iconic 4x4 brand’s 75^th birthday, Jeep has also revealed details of a 75^thAnniversary limited edition Grand Cherokee for the UK. The car was first revealed at the Geneva Motor Show in March.

Meanwhile, an addition to the SRT range of Grand Cherokees, the SRT Night limited edition – which features exclusive styling – has also been announced for sale in this country.

New Grand Cherokee (MY16)

The premium, large SUV of the Jeep line-up, Grand Cherokee represents the standard in terms of power, comfort, innovation and craftsmanship. After nearly five million sales worldwide, the most awarded SUV ever continues to evolve, with stylish exterior and interior designs, advanced technological features and enhanced on- and off-road capability, courtesy of its eight-speed automatic transmission. The Grand Cherokee was recently named among the Top 10 best cars to own in the UK*.

The latest, model year Grand Cherokee now has a new Start/Stop function and electric steering which helps to achieve a 14 gram reduction in CO2 (to 184g/km), compared with the previous model year. Fuel economy has also been improved to 40.4 mpg on diesel versions.

Unlike conventional power steering, the new electric power steering system, with selectable driving modes, does not draw power from the engine and, with a resultant reduction in fluid weight, fuel savings are made, in conjunction with the new Start/Stop function.

Designed to enhance Grand Cherokee’s striking design, the new model’s bold styling includes a range of new exterior colours: Velvet Red, Redline and Ivory Tri-Coat, while acoustic glass improves the cabin experience.

Inside, a new, more substantial premium gear lever replaces the current aircraft-style e-shift, and a new, revised centre stack includes Sport and Start/Stop buttons. New electric power steering with selectable drive modes (Sport, Comfort or Normal) is introduced and safety features such as a ‘Stop’ function up to 7mph on the Rear Park Assist, and full speed forward collision warning are included for the first time.

The Jeep Grand Cherokee MY16 starts at £45,050 OTR for the 3.0 CRD Limited+, rising to £52,550 OTR for the 3.0 CRD Summit.

Grand Cherokee 75th Anniversary

It is a Jeep tradition to celebrate key anniversaries, or the conquering of inaccessible places, with special editions. And to celebrate its 75 years of history, the legendary brand is introducing a 75th Anniversary special edition offered on all models of the line-up. One of these is the Grand Cherokee 75^th Anniversary version, of which just 125 retailed examples will be available in the UK, with the vehicle available in Jeep showrooms later this month.

Based on the MY16 platform and powered by the same 3.0-litre V6 MultiJet 250 hp engine, it is paired with the eight-speed automatic transmission and the Quadra-Trac II 4x4 system.

Equipment is comprehensive and includes external bronze detailing and 75^th Anniversary badging, 20-inch bronze coloured alloy wheels, a bold new front design, new LED fog lamps, a Safety Technology Pack (adaptive cruise control, forward collision warning with crash mitigation, cross path detection, and bind spot monitoring), Quadra-Lift air suspension, dual pane panoramic sunroof, 75^th Anniversary seat design with 1941 logo, and black leather with tangerine stitching.

Four colours will be available for the new 75^th Anniversary car in the UK: exclusive Recon Green, Bright White, Brilliant Black and Granite.

The Jeep Grand Cherokee 75^th Anniversary costs £50,550 OTR.

Grand Cherokee SRT Night

The new, high performance SRT Night version is even more limited in number - just 30 will be available for sale in the UK, with first units ready this month (July).

This limited edition SRT Night version of the fastest and most powerful Jeep ever, the Grand Cherokee SRT, has a stealth-like appearance with its upper and lower grille mounts, B and C pillars and side window surrounds all coloured Matte Black. The front applique is also Matte Black, as is the ‘Jeep’ and ‘SRT’ badging on the bonnet and tailgate. The rear door features a Matte Black ‘Grand Cherokee’ badge.

Stylish ‘Black Vapor’ 20-inch wheels are finished in an exclusive Satin Black and are designed to showcase the Grand Cherokee SRT Night’s standard Brembo brakes, which give the car enviable stopping power.

Unique interior appointments include the luxurious Black Laguna leather seats with black accent stitching, leather covered door armrests and centre console including light black chrome surround. A steering wheel bezel in anodized silver, a lit ‘SRT’ on the steering wheel DAB cover and ‘SRT’ on the door sill plates are also key features. Available colours for the Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT Night are Brilliant Black and Brilliant White.

The SRT Night is powered by a 6.4-litre V-8 petrol engine delivering 468 hp and 624 Nm of torque. Awesome performance figures include 0-62 mph acceleration in less than five seconds, and a top speed of 160 mph.

The 2016 Grand Cherokee SRT Night comes as standard with exclusive ‘Performance Pages’ in the 8.4-inch UConnect Touchscreen (activated by an SRT button next to the Selec-Trac controls). These have been revised with an expanded array of performance timers and gauge readouts, while all-new drive modes allow owners to personalize their driving experience both on-road and on-track.

In addition, standard launch control mimics a professional driver's inputs to optimise the Grand Cherokee SRT Night's performance by bringing engine, transmission, driveline, stability control, and suspension in line for a textbook launch.

The updated Selec-Trac system on the Grand Cherokee SRT Night uses performance-tuned software to distinguish the five dynamic modes: Auto, Sport, Tow, Track, and Snow, enabling drivers to choose a vehicle setting that ideally meets both their requirements and ambient conditions.

The Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT Night costs £69,865 OTR.

USA - FCA's Jefferson North Assembly Plant has just produced it's 6,000,000th car in just 24 years.

• 2016 Jeep® Grand Cherokee 75th Anniversary Edition marks important milestone
• First vehicle – 1993 Jeep Grand Cherokee – rolled off the line on Jan. 14, 1992
• Jefferson North one of three FCA US facilities to call Detroit home

The FCA US Jefferson North Assembly Plant celebrated a significant milestone today when the 6 millionth vehicle produced at the Detroit facility – a 75th anniversary edition 2016 Jeep Grand Cherokee – rolled off the assembly line. In its 24-year history, the plant has built enough vehicles to circle the globe one and a half times.

The 3.6-liter Pentastar V-6 engine of the granite crystal Grand Cherokee Limited 4x4 roared to life around 8:30 p.m. as Jefferson North employees performed final quality checks and prepared it for delivery to a customer in Michigan.

“Reaching this milestone is a reflection of this plant’s commitment to supporting the continued growth of the Jeep brand around the world and playing a role in the comeback of Detroit,” said Curt Towne, Jefferson North Plant Manager. “Our employees are proud to be part of this unique time in the history of both the Company and the City. They understand that not only are they contributing to the success of FCA US, but they are proving that Detroit will always be the Motor City.”

To keep up with demand, nearly 4,500 people work at the 3-million-square-foot facility on an alternative work schedule, meaning three crews work two 10-hour shifts each day, six days a week. It takes a day and a half for a vehicle to travel from the body shop, where body panels are welded together, to when the vehicle rolls off the assembly line. In 2015, the plant produced 365,542 vehicles. Nearly 25 percent of the plant’s production is shipped to 135 markets around the world.

Twenty-four years of vehicle production in Detroit

One of three FCA US manufacturing facilities located in Detroit (the other two are the Conner Avenue Assembly Plant, home of the Dodge Viper, and the Mack Avenue Engine Complex), Jefferson North has been pumping out vehicles since 1992. Chrysler invested $1.2 billion to bring the first Grand Cherokee to market, which included vehicle research and development, vehicle engineering, and construction of and equipment for the new Jefferson North plant. The groundbreaking for the new plant was on May 31, 1989. The first Jeep Grand Cherokee rolled off the line on Jan. 14, 1992.

In addition to the Jeep Grand Cherokee, Jefferson North also produced the Jeep Commander from 2005-2010 and began production of the Dodge Durango in December 2010. The plant celebrated the 5 millionth vehicle produced – also a Jeep Grand Cherokee – at the plant on Aug. 13, 2013.

The former Jefferson Assembly Plant, built in 1907 by Chalmers Motor Car Company, was twice the size of the current plant’s original footprint (3.6 million square feet compared to 1.75 million square feet, respectively) and produced a total of 8,310,107 vehicles in its 83-year history.

Details on the 6 millionth JNAP-built vehicle

In addition to the standard Trenton, Mich.-built 3.6-liter Pentastar V-6 engine and Kokomo, Ind.-built eight-speed transmission, the 6 millionth Grand Cherokee has the following standard equipment – an 8.4-inch Touch Screen Radio, GPS navigation, Blind Spot Detection and embossed 75th anniversary logo on the seat. In addition, the milestone vehicle was ordered with two optional equipment packages – the 75th Anniversary Luxury group and the Off-Road Adventure II group. These packages include nine amplified speakers with subwoofer, dual-pane panoramic sunroof, leather trim seats, ventilated front seats, Quadra-Drive II 4x4 system, Quadra-Lift air suspension and trailer tow group.