Fiat Chrysler CEO Wants to Keep Building V8s
Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) CEO has no intentions of giving its V8 engines the axe.
Recent rumors suggested that Dodge would axe the HEMI V8 and Hellcat engines from its lineup to meet strict fuel economy regulations. FCA CEO Sergio Marchionne however has no plans of killing the V8, despite lagging behind every other major automaker in fleet fuel economy and emissions. FCA is the industry’s largest buyer of emissions credits for the 2013 model year, purchasing most of its credits from Tesla.
In order to sell cars in the U.S., you must have a certain amount of credits, which can be earned by building fuel-efficient cars or they can be bought.
SEE ALSO: Dodge Might Axe Hellcat, HEMI V8s from SRTs in 2019
“We offset. I mean, every time we do one of these things, we offset,” Marchionne told Automotive News. Rather than looking at downsizing engines, Marchionne admits that his biggest challenge currently is to “find a truly compact and midsize car solution that is actually [greenhouse gas] positive, by a stretch.”
So for now, it at least appears that FCA and more importantly, Dodge, will continue outfitting sports cars with massive V8 engines.
[Source: Automotive News]
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Jason Siu began his career in automotive journalism in 2003 with Modified Magazine, a property previously held by VerticalScope. As the West Coast Editor, he played a pivotal role while also extending his expertise to Modified Luxury & Exotics and Modified Mustangs. Beyond his editorial work, Jason authored two notable Cartech books. His tenure at AutoGuide.com saw him immersed in the daily news cycle, yet his passion for hands-on evaluation led him to focus on testing and product reviews, offering well-rounded recommendations to AutoGuide readers. Currently, as the Content Director for VerticalScope, Jason spearheads the content strategy for an array of online publications, a role that has him at the helm of ensuring quality and consistency across the board.
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You can't beat a naturally aspirated V8 in terms of reliability for muscle cars, trucks, vans, etc. Turbo 4 and Turbo 6 engines just can't compete in the long term.
FCA needs to offer hybrid drive trains as well.