USA - FIAT 500X records highest possible score in every IIHS Crash-worthiness test, so its one of the safest.

• 2016 Fiat 500X records highest possible score in every IIHS crashworthiness test
• Available Forward Collision Warning-Plus driver-assist feature qualifies Fiat 500X for elite rating; system boasts unique application of sensor fusion
• All-new 500X starts at $20,000; Forward Collision Warning-Plus available in vehicle configurations that start under $29,000
• Stylish 500X offers more than 70 available safety and security features

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) today named the all-new 2016 Fiat 500X small crossover a 2015 Top Safety Pick+, its highest rating.

IIHS testing simulates:

• a side impact with a large SUV or pickup truck
• a moderate-offset frontal impact
• a small-offset frontal impact
• roof-crush consistent with a rollover
• a rear collision capable of inducing whiplash

In each test, the all-new Fiat 500X recorded the highest possible score of “good.” Bolstering these results is the availability of Forward Collision Warning-Plus. Only vehicles equipped with such driver-assist technology may qualify for Top Safety Pick+ designation.

“With the all-new 500X, we help make it possible not only for customers to arrive safely at their destinations, but to do so with style,” says Timothy Kuniskis, Head of Passenger Car Brands – Dodge, SRT, Chrysler and FIAT, FCA – North America.

The chic crossover, which starts at $20,000, blends Italian design flair with engaging driving dynamics that are synonymous with the FIAT brand. More significantly, it incorporates extensive use of high-strength steel, which is engineered to manage crash energy and to help minimize cabin intrusion in event of a collision.

The Fiat 500X further benefits from seven air bags that come as standard equipment. These include seat-mounted side pelvic-thorax air bags and full-length side-curtain air bags.

Elevating the 500X to Top Safety Pick+ status is a unique sensor-fusion strategy that is the hallmark of Forward Collision Warning-Plus. Available in the Easy trim level and upward, a 500X equipped with the feature starts at $28,600.

Forward Collision Warning-Plus combines camera and radar technologies and when both agree that a frontal collision is imminent, the system activates. Activation begins with audible and visual warnings. If the driver does not respond, brake application occurs autonomously to slow the vehicle before impact.

“Delivering such features for less than $30,000 in a vehicle segment not known for such sophistication is clear evidence of our commitment to the democratization of advanced safety technology,” says Scott Kunselman, Senior Vice President – Vehicle Safety and Regulatory Compliance.

Additional driver-assist technologies are among the more than 70 available safety and security features (see attached PDF) that make the all-new 500X stand out in its segment. Among these are:

• LaneSense Departure Warning-Plus, which leverages the vehicle’s electronic power steering (EPS) to alert the driver with steering-wheel torque inputs that also accommodate course correction
• Hill-Start Assist, which helps hold a vehicle on an incline if the driver’s foot is momentarily removed from the brake pedal

USA - Chrysler 200 earns full five stars from NHTSA.

• 2015 Chrysler 200 mid-size sedan earns five stars overall, the highest possible score in NHTSA’s safety rating program
• Approximately 65 percent of all-new Chrysler 200’s body structure consists of hot-stamped, high-strength, advanced high-strength and boron steels for greater strength
• 2015 Chrysler 200’s 60 available safety and security features are the most in its class
• All-new mid-size car offers segment-exclusive collision-warning and anti-rollaway systems
• NHTSA five-star rating complements Top Safety Pick+ status given to all-new Chrysler 200 by Insurance Institute of Highway Safety (IIHS)
• All-new 2015 Chrysler 200 starts at $21,700 (excluding destination)

The all-new 2015 Chrysler 200 has earned a five-star overall safety rating from the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Five stars is the highest possible safety rating given by NHTSA.

The Chrysler brand’s all-new midsize sedan scored five stars in NHTSA tests that evaluate performance in:

• Frontal collisions
• Side-impacts simulating a two-vehicle collision
• Side-impacts simulating a single-vehicle collision with a pole

These latest test results complement the Top Safety Pick+ rating previously given to the 2015 Chrysler 200 by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS).

“The Chrysler 200’s superior performance in such safety tests validates our continuing efforts to deliver the latest advancements in both passive and active safety technologies,” says Scott Kunselman, Chrysler Group’s Senior Vice President and Head of Vehicle Safety and Regulatory Compliance.

Passive safety systems help mitigate the effects of a crash; active systems help drivers prevent crashes.

“The 200’s robust construction helps absorb energy in the event of a collision,” Kunselman says. “This benefits occupant protection.”

Approximately 65 percent of the all-new Chrysler 200’s body structure consists of hot-stamped, high-strength, advanced high-strength and boron steels. Such construction helps maintain the vehicle’s integrity during collisions.

“The 200’s active-safety equipment shatters the barrier that once restricted advanced driver-assist systems to expensive luxury-brand vehicles,” Kunselman adds.

Among the active safety systems available on the 2015 Chrysler 200 is Full-speed Forward Collision Warning-Plus. It combines camera and radar technologies, which is a first for a mainstream-brand mid-size sedan.

Such redundancy affords greater object-detection precision. Similar systems on competitive vehicles feature one technology or the other.

Full-speed Forward Collision Warning-Plus provides alerts, autonomous braking and, under certain circumstances, slows or brings the all-new Chrysler 200 to a full stop when a frontal collision appears imminent.

NHTSA’s safety ratings web page awards special designations to vehicles equipped with active safety systems, though the systems do not factor into the ratings. Collision-warning systems are a prerequisite to achieve IIHS Top Safety Pick+ status.

The all-new 2015 Chrysler 200 boasts 60 safety and security features – the most in its class. Among these is the segment-exclusive Electronic Park Brake (EPB) with SafeHold.

Offered as standard equipment, EPB with SafeHold automatically activates the 200’s parking brake if the driver’s seatbelt is unlatched and his or her door is opened while forward or reverse gears are engaged. This feature is designed to prevent rollaway situations.

Other standard and available features include Electronic Stability Control (ESC), electronic roll mitigation, four-wheel anti-lock disc brakes, ParkSense rear backup sensors, ParkView rear backup camera, blind-spot monitoring, Rear Cross Path Detection and LATCH child seat anchors.

The all-new 2015 Chrysler 200 also notched four stars in NHTSA’s rollover resistance evaluation, which is calculated using vehicle dimensions. This result contributed to the car’s overall five-star rating. NHTSA is the only safety agency that evaluates rollover resistance.

Launched in May, the all-new 2015 Chrysler 200 charts a new course for mid-size sedan customers. It leapfrogs expectations for a mid-size car with its elegant exterior design and thoughtful, beautifully crafted interior.

The all-new 2015 Chrysler 200 delivers an exceptional driving experience, enabled by features such as a segment-first nine-speed automatic transmission – which comes as standard equipment – and an available, best-in-class all-wheel-drive system.

Further, it boasts a highway-cycle fuel-economy rating of 36 miles per gallon.

The all-new 2015 Chrysler 200 is designed, engineered and built with pride at Chrysler Group’s Sterling Heights Assembly Plant. Chrysler Group invested more than $1 billion in facility upgrades to produce the all-new 2015 Chrysler 200, including an all-new paint shop and a new, fully robotic body shop.

Hyundai releases third quarter results, with a better forecast for Q4.

• Hyundai Motor sold 3.62 million units worldwide through 2014 third quarter
• Sales revenue and net profit stand at 65.68 trillion won and 5.99 trillion won, respectively  

Hyundai Motor Company, South Korea’s largest automaker, today announced its 2014 third-quarter business results, which show that the company posted an increase in sales due to its strong presence in global markets and the launch of its game-changing models this year, including the all-new Genesis and Sonata. 

For the first nine months of 2014, sales revenue increased 0.5 percent to 65.68 trillion won (auto: 53.33 trillion / finance and others: 12.35 trillion) from a year earlier. Hyundai Motor sold an accumulated 3,624,837 units globally (Korea: 501,184 / overseas: 3,123,653) as of the end of September this year, a 3.6 percent increase from a year earlier. In Korea, Hyundai Motor’s sales went up 4.7 percent, mainly due to strong sales of new models and SUV models, while its overseas sales rose 3.4 percent from the same period a year ago.

However, operating profit and net profit fell 9.7 percent and 12.7 percent to 5.67 trillion won and 5.99 trillion won (including non-controlling interest), respectively, due to the strong won against the U.S. dollar.

In the third quarter alone, sales revenue increased 2.2 percent to 21.28 trillion won (auto: 17.14 trillion / finance and others: 4.14 trillion) with global sales of 1,128,999 units. However, both operating profit and net profit declined 18.0 percent and 28.3 percent to 1.65 trillion won and 1.62 trillion won, respectively, from a year earlier because of fewer working days at its domestic plants and the Korean won’s strongest rate against the U.S. dollar since the second quarter of 2008.

While the global auto industry continues to face uncertainties, Hyundai Motor will keep focusing on reinforcing fundamentals for future growth by further strengthening its quality management as well as enhancing its brand power.

Hyundai Motor’s efforts on quality management have been proven by a variety of third-party agencies. For instance, the company’s all-new Genesis and Sonata were rated as one of the safest cars on the road by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s (IIHS) crash tests in the U.S.

In terms of brand management efforts, Hyundai Motor’s brand value surged 15.6 percent from a year earlier to $10.4 billion, achieving its highest-ever ranking of No. 40 in brand consultancy Interbrand’s 2014 Best 100 Global Brands.

In addition, Hyundai Motor will stay focused on introducing new models at the right times. While the all-new Genesis and Sonata are still in the process of launching in key markets, the company is also pushing forward on the launch of its regionally-strategic models such as Aslan, ix25 and i20.

Overall, Hyundai Motor forecasts that its fourth-quarter performance will improve compared to the recent quarter based on several positive factors such as the weakening of the Korean won against the U.S. dollar, new model launches and stabilized operation at its Korean plants.

USA - Chrysler 200 gains highest possible rating in each of the IIHS tests

• The all-new Chrysler 200 mid-size sedan earns the highest possible rating in each of six Insurance Institute for Highway Safety tests that determine the vehicle safety rating
• Chrysler 200 mid-size sedan is loaded with a comprehensive array of 60 active and passive safety and security features including driver-warning/assist systems and state-of-the-art occupant restraints
• Approximately 65 percent of the 2015 Chrysler 200’s body structure consists hot-stamped, high-strength, advanced high-strength and boron steels for greater strength
• The all-new 2015 Chrysler 200 has a starting U.S. Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price of $21,700 (excluding $995 destination) and is available in dealer showrooms now

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) today named the all-new 2015 Chrysler 200 mid-size sedan a 2014 Top Safety Pick +, its highest rating, when equipped with front crash prevention.

 

“The 200 aced the challenging small overlap front test with a good rating in every measurement category,” said IIHS President Adrian Lund. “Chrysler should also be commended for offering forward collision warning with autonomous braking on this mainstream midsize car. Our research shows that these systems are effective in preventing some kinds of crashes from happening altogether.”

IIHS testing simulates a side impact with a large SUV or pickup truck, front moderate-offset impact, roof-crush consistent with a rollover, a rear collision capable of inducing whiplash, a new small-offset frontal impact and new crash prevention evaluation.  In the small overlap test IIHS notes that “the driver’s space was maintained well, and injury measures recorded on the dummy indicated a low risk of any significant injuries in a real-world crash of this severity.” In each of the tests the 2015 Chrysler 200 recorded the highest ratings.

“The all-new 2015 Chrysler 200 will be the new benchmark for mid-size sedans, offering customers a beautifully-crafted sedan loaded with features drivers and passengers appreciate, an exceptional driving experience, fuel economy of up to 36 mpg highway, all at an exceptional value” said Al Gardner, President and CEO — Chrysler Brand, Chrysler Group LLC.  “With a standard nine-speed transmission, innovative available all-wheel-drive system and 60 safety and security features, the IIHS Top Safety Pick + rating for the new 200 is the icing on the cake for customers, giving them added peace of mind.”

The 2015 Chrysler 200 is all-new from the ground up, charting a new course for mid-size sedan customers.

The 2015 Chrysler 200 debuts a beautiful exterior design featuring the new “face” of the Chrysler brand – a thoughtful, exquisitely crafted interior and an exceptional driving experience, complements of a segment-first nine-speed automatic transmission and full electronic shifting. With the choice of two world-class engines, an innovative all-wheel-drive system, available sport mode and paddle shifters for an engaged driving experience, and highway fuel economy of 36 miles per gallon (mpg), the 2015 Chrysler 200 makes the commute something drivers will look forward to.

The all-new 2015 Chrysler 200 is a showcase of advanced safety and security technology, offering a comprehensive array of driver warning and assist systems and state-of-the-art occupant restraints. The 2015 200 offers the most available safety and security features in the segment with 60.

The new 2015 200 features multiple segment-exclusive features, which utilize sensing elements that leverage available ultrasonic, radar, camera and other technologies for a 360-degree view of the road. Segment-exclusive available features include:

• Adaptive Cruise Control-Plus: that, under certain circumstances can bring the all-new 2015 Chrysler 200 to full stop without driver intervention
• Full-speed Forward Collision Warning-Plus: a Chrysler Group first that provides autonomous braking and, under certain circumstances, slows or brings the vehicle to a full stop when a frontal collision appears imminent
• ParkSense Parallel/Perpendicular Park Assist: uses ultrasonic sensors to guide the driver into parking spaces. The perpendicular park assist function is a segment first

Also unique to the 2015 Chrysler 200 is the segment-exclusive standard electronic park brake with SafeHold, which secures the vehicle if the driver opens the door and unlatches the seat belt while forward or reverse gears are still engaged.

Other standard and available features include electronic stability control, electronic roll mitigation, four-wheel anti-lock disc brakes, ParkSense rear backup sensors, ParkView rear backup camera, blind-spot monitoring, Rear Cross Path Detection and LATCH child seat anchors. In addition, the all-new 200 is constructed with approximately 60 percent advanced-technology steel, which contributes to a strong safety cage and robust crashworthiness.

The all-new 2015 Chrysler 200 offers the most available safety features in the mid-size sedan segment, and state-of-the-art, easy-to-use technology that keeps drivers and passengers connected. With a starting U.S. Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) of just $21,700 (excluding $995 destination) the all-new 2015 Chrysler 200 is a sedan that customers will be proud to own, at a value they will appreciate.

The 2015 Chrysler 200 is designed, engineered and built, with pride, in Michigan. With a major investment of more than $1 billion, Chrysler Group’s Sterling Heights (Mich.) Assembly Plant (SHAP), once slated for closure, sports an all-new paint shop using leading-edge technology, a new, fully robotic body shop and an upgraded assembly area, setting the stage for the world-class craftsmanship found in the all-new 200.