Stellantis CEO Carlos Tavares, in an exclusive interview, said the next steps for his new leadership group will be executing cost-saving ideas and completing bottom-up strategic planning.

By adding optional third-row seating to its redesigned top seller, Jeep is expected to shake up the large-crossover market dominated by the Ford Explorer, Toyota Highlander, Chevrolet Traverse and VW Atlas, and newer entries such as the Hyundai Palisade and Kia Telluride.

Production will begin in the first quarter at a new assembly plant created from a former engine factory in Detroit.

The Wrangler Rubicon 392 is loaded with a V-8 engine that will deliver 470 hp and 470 pound-feet of torque, while jetting from 0 to 60 mph in 4.5 seconds, a time that is 40 per cent faster than the V-6 Wrangler Rubicon.

If you listen closely, you can almost hear the collective sound of Detroit auto executives knocking on wood after third-quarter earnings reports from Ford and FCA shattered expectations.

The automaker, in one of its final earnings reports before its merger with PSA Group, said it earned an adjusted US$3 billion in North America, up 26 per cent from a year earlier.

Ralph Gilles, the global design boss for Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, said the automaker wanted to honor the SUV's heritage but deliver a fresh design. One big change: The concept version unveiled last week features a plug-in hybrid powertrain.

The 2021 Wrangler hybrid is expected to arrive in Canadian showrooms early next year, ushering in Jeep's North America electrification strategy.

The Grand Wagoneer, one of Jeep's storied nameplates, is being resurrected as a tech-laden, plug-in hybrid concept that includes the industry's first passenger infotainment screen in an SUV. It is expected to arrive at dealerships next summer, along with the mainstream Wagoneer.

The TRX, a direct rival to Ford's F-150 Raptor, has a reengineered frame and a wider stance than the standard Ram. The pickup is expected to arrive in stores by the end of the year and dealers can start ordering it on Tuesday.

Jeep is on a new-product wave, reaching into new segments as it expands its global brand presence.

North American vehicle shipments sank 62 per cent. But the company said that was "partially offset by favorable channel and model mix," so the region avoided a loss even as net revenues fell 53 per cent to $9.71 billion.

Fiat Chrysler and PSA said the Stellantis name "will be used exclusively at the group level, as a corporate brand" and that the names and the logos of the group's constituent brands will remain unchanged.

The V-8-powered Wrangler Rubicon 392 Concept, debuting hours before Ford unwraps a new Bronco, tops out at 450 hp and 450 pound-feet of torque, and boasts a 0-60 mph time of less than five seconds.

Conquest opportunities may be slim, but the few brands still selling minivans are working to stand out with bolder styling, hybrid engines and all-wheel-drive capability.