Fiat Chrysler Automobiles and United Auto Workers leaders have reached a tentative agreement on a new contract, setting the stage for similar negotiations with Ford and General Motors.

Specific details of the terms are being kept quiet until the proposal is ratified by the nearly 40,000 union workers employed by FCA, though both sides have previously expressed interest in moving away from two-tier wages and reforming healthcare provisions.

FCA chief executive Sergio Marchionne has hinted that the two-tier pay structure will be phased out “over time,” according to quotes from a joint press conference attended by The Detroit News. It is unlikely the system will be completely eliminated in the fresh contract, though the parties may have negotiated a raise program, expanded profit sharing or other compromise to narrow the wage disparity between top- and bottom-tier workers, which is said to cause friction among factory workers.

The company also agreed to partner with a UAW healthcare co-op program that would pool coverage for all employees. Marchionne has voiced enthusiasm for the idea, arguing that it could both lower costs and improve quality of care. The program may be modeled after the UAW’s Voluntary Employee Beneficiary Association (VEBA), which consolidates healthcare for retirees from the big three US automakers.

Additional details will likely emerge in the coming weeks as UAW leaders pitch the proposal to workers.

Lamborghini is showing the limited-edition 2016 Aventador LP 750-4 Superveloce Roadster at the Frankfurt Motor Show.

The Superveloce Roadster is fitted with the same aggressive-looking body kit as coupe model that was presented at the Geneva Motor Show last March, but it stands out thanks to a two-piece hard top crafted out of carbon fiber. Tipping the scale at just 26 pounds, the hard top can be conveniently stowed in the trunk when not in use, making the Aventador the most user-friendly convertible Lamborghini has ever built.

Another major difference between the two Aventador Superveloces is that the Roadster features a power-operated rear window that, when in the down position, fills the cabin with the 12-cylinder’s music.

Power comes from a hand-built, naturally-aspirated 6.5-liter V12 engine that makes 750 horsepower at 8,400 rpm and 509 lb-ft. of torque at 5,500 rpm. Lamborghini’s first-ever Superveloce-badged convertible lives up to its name by reaching 62 mph from a stop in 2.9 seconds and going on to a top speed of over 217 mph.

Power is sent to all four wheels via a seven-speed ISR transmission that can be left in automatic or controlled by shift paddles, and a Haldex-type four-wheel drive system. Lamborghini Dynamic Steering and Magneto Rheological Suspension help the driver make the most of the V12′s grunt both on and off the track.

The Roadster tips the scale at 3,472 pounds, a figure that makes it 110 pounds heavier than the Superveloce coupe and 110 pounds lighter than the regular-production Aventador Roadster. Model-specific carbon fiber bucket seats are among the components that help keep weight in check.

Lamborghini will build just 500 examples of the Aventador Superveloce Roadster. Each one will cost $530,075, but the Raging Bull’s newest limited-edition model is expected to sell out quickly.

Live images by Ronan Glon.

Mercedes-Benz has lifted the veil on its all new 2017 C-Class Coupe. The C-Class Coupe is scheduled to arrive in U.S. showrooms during Spring 2016.

As you might expect, 2017 Mercedes C-Class Coupe arrives with front end styling lifted from its sedan counterpart. That means a sporty front bumper design with three distinct air inlets, projector headlights with LED accents and a sculpted hood. In order to visually separate the C-Class Coupe from the sedan, the number of bars across the Coupe’s radiator grille has been reduced to one from two.

From the A-pillar back the 2017 C-Class Coupe mimics the larger S-Class coupe. A kinked-up window line at the rear of the car is also reminiscent of the Honda Accord Coupe.

The rear of the C-Class Coupe features a subtle ducktail spoiler and the same taillight treatment seen on other Mercedes coupe models. A pair of exhaust outlets are neatly integrated into the C-Class Coupe’s lower valance.

The interior design of the C-Class Coupe is essentially a carbon copy of what you’ll find inside of the C-Class Sedan. Highlights of the C-Class Coupe’s interior include a high-mounted infotainment screen, available open-pore wood accents and a 2+2 seating arrangement.

Buyers coming from the previous C-Class Coupe will appreciate the larger interior dimensions of the new model. The 2017 C-Class Coupe is longer (+3.7-inches) and wider (+1.6-inches) than the model it replaces, netting additional shoulder, elbow and head room in both rows of seats.

At launch the C-Class Coupe will be available in C300 and C300 4MATIC forms. Both models will use a 2.0L turbocharged engine, rated at 241 horsepower and 273 lb-ft or torque, mated to a seven-speed automatic transmission. The standard C300 will use rear-wheel drive while the 4MATIC model adds the stability of all-wheel drive.

All C300 models will ship standard with a sports suspension that lowers the car’s ride height by 0.6-inches compared to the C300 Sedan. Buyers can also select Mercedes’ AIRMATIC Air Suspension for an additional charge.

On the safety and technology front, the C-Class Coupe will come standard with Collision Prevention Assist Plus, PRE-SAFE, Mbrace Services and keyless start. All C-Class Coupe models will also get 18-inch wheels and a panoramic sunroof.

Advanced autonomous features will also be available. The optional DISTRONIC PLUS with Steering Assist package includes adaptive cruise control and lane keeping assist functions that can be used from 0-124mph. At speeds below 81mph the system is able to follow the vehicle ahead if no lane markings are present.

Pricing for the 2017 Mercedes-Benz C300 and C300 4MATIC will be announced at a later date.

Live images by Ronan Glon.

Audi has lifted the veil on its all-new 2017 A4 sedan and Avant at the Frankfurt Motor Show.

Now riding on Audi’s MLB Evo platform, which first debuted beneath the 2017 Q7 SUV, the A4′s overall length has nudged up slightly, growing from 15.4 feet to 15.5 feet. Wheelbase is also up a hair to 9.3 feet. Despite that added length, the 2017 A4 is up to 264 pound lighter than the model currently in showrooms, thanks to the extensive use of high-strength steel and aluminum in its construction.

In Europe the A4 will be available with seven different engines — three gas burners and four diesels. Here in the United States expect fewer options, with Audi’s 2.0 TFSI four-cylinder gas motor set to be the most popular. A 2.0 TDI diesel is also expected to make an appearance. Audi says that model is capable of hitting 63.6 U.S. mpg.

Further down the road the A4 is expected to be offered with a supercharged 3.0L V6 in S4 guise. A plug-in hybrid model is also in the works.

Transmission options will include a six-speed manual, seven-speed S ironic dual clutch and an eight-speed tiptronic unit. The 2017 A4 will ship with standard front-wheel drive, but Audi’s quattro all-wheel drive system will be available as an optional extra.

Inside the A4 receives a more luxurious interior that is also more spacious than the model it replaces. Front-seat shoulder and head room are up by 0.4 inches and 0.9 inches, respectively, while rear-seat legroom has grown by almost an inch.

In addition to more room, passengers will also enjoy a higher level of technology in the 2017 A4. An optional Audi virtual cockpit replaces the A4′s standard gauge cluster with a high-resolution 12.3 inch LCD screen that provides information for everything from vehicle speed to navigation. Audi virtual cockpit is complimented by a dash-mounted 8.3-inch screen.

Audi connect is also aboard the 2017 A4, providing a high-speed LTE Internet connection. The LTE system not only provides a wireless hotspot for up to eight devices, but also keeps the driver connected to their A4 via Audi’s MMI connect smartphone app.

On the safety and convenience front, the new A4 will be available with Stop&Go adaptive cruise control with traffic-jam assist, active lane assist and rear cross-traffic assist. The 2017 A4 will also boast a new predictive efficiency assistant feature that promises to lowers fuel consumption.

The 2017 Audi A4 will go on sale during the first half of 2016. The A4 sedan will reach our shores, but the Avant wagon isn’t slated to hit U.S. dealerships. A higher-riding A4 allroad, however, could eventually be sold here.

Pricing will be announced closer to the car’s 2016 market launch.

Live images by Ronan Glon.

Mercedes-Benz has unveiled its all-new S-Class Cabriolet, a drop-top that marks Mercedes’ first flagship four-seater convertible since 1971.

The S-Class Cabriolet is largely based on the S-Class Coupe, sharing 60 percent of its body structure with its fixed-top counterpart. Obviously the roof structure is the biggest deviation — in place of the Coupe’s metal hardtop the Cabriolet uses a cloth soft top. The Cabriolet’s roof will be available for order in black, dark blue, beige and dark red. The transformation from closed to open roof, which can be done at speeds up to 37mph, takes about 20 seconds, according to Mercedes-Benz.

In order to save weight, Mercedes designed the S-Class Cabriolet with an aluminum rear floor structure. As a result, the convertible weighs roughly the same as the S-Class Coupe.

The S-Class Cabriolet promises a comfortable ride even with the top down thanks to Mercedes’ AIRCAP wind protection system and the company’s innovative AIRSCARF neck-level heating system. For those colder days, the S-Class Cab can be ordered with heated armrest in addition to its standard heated seats.

The S-Class Cabriolet will also ship with Mercedes’ new THERMOTRONIC automatic climate control system. Intended as a set-it-and-forget-it system, THERMOTRONIC uses not only the ambient temperature to select just the right interior temperature, but also takes into account things like humidity and solar radiation levels. Mercedes says the tech will eventually spread to its other convertible models.

The S-Class Cabriolet will be offered in two different trims — S550 and S63 AMG 4MATIC.

The S550 will use a 449 horsepower, 516 lb-ft of torque version of Mercedes’ 4.7L biturbo V8. The S550 will be capable of accelerating from 0-60 in 4.5 seconds.

The step-up S63 will use a 5.5L biturbo V8 sourced from AMG. It’ll be good for 577 horsepower and 664 lb-ft of torque and a 0-60 time of 3.9 seconds.

“After 44 years we are once again able to offer Mercedes aficionados an open-top car in the S-Class,” said Ola Källenius, Board Member of Daimler AG, Mercedes-Benz Cars Sales. “The new S-Class Cabriolet symbolizes our passion for individual and timelessly exclusive mobility, which we share with our customers.”

Both the S550 Cabriolet and S63 4MATIC Cabriolet will go on sale during Spring 2016. Pricing will be announced closer to that market launch.

Live images by Ronan Glon.

After retooling F-150 factories last year for the jump to aluminum, Ford is already revamping its production processes to take advantage of another metallurgical development.

The automaker has teamed with Alcoa to commercialize the supplier’s new ‘Micromill’ technology, used to create aluminum sheet that is claimed to bring 40 percent greater formability and 30 percent greater strength than current alternatives.

As the name implies, the advancement is billed as a milling breakthrough rather than an entirely new alloy, though it could be used to produce next-generation alloys. Alcoa suggests molten metal can transition to production-ready coil in just 20 minutes, compared to a weeks-long process at some traditional rolling mills.

Perhaps more importantly for automakers, the metal’s unique crystal structure can reportedly be stamped into complex shapes, such as the inside of door panels, that previously required steel sheet. Strength improvement equates to better dent resistance for thinner sheet, allowing vehicles to shed even more weight.

“We believe the technology can be used to develop new alloys that will improve our ability to form complex parts, which will help in both design and efficiency,” said Ford’s structures and stamping manager, Peter Friedman.

Ford will begin using Micromill aluminum later this year for a few parts in the 2016 F-150, with plans to expand its use to new vehicle platforms in the coming years. The company did not mention which pickup parts will be made from the technology, or if the 2016-model-year pickup will shed even more weight than the 2015 edition.

German tuner Brabus has traveled to the Frankfurt Motor Show to introduce a new model dubbed 850 Widestar. The 850 Widestar is based on the Mercedes-AMG G63, but it gains a long list of upgrades inside, outside and under the hood that make it worthy of wearing the Brabus emblem.

Mechanically, it packs a 5.9-liter version of the G63′s twin-turbocharged, hand-built 5.5-liter V8 that has been tuned to make 838 horsepower and 1,069 lb-ft. of torque. It can reach 60 mph from a stop in four seconds flat and go on to an electronically-limited top speed of 162 mph.

Brabus has fully rebuilt the eight-cylinder with forged pistons, billet connecting rods, a billet crankshaft, optimized cylinder heads and a new ECU. It is also fitted with a redesigned exhaust manifold and a full stainless steel sport exhaust system. Power is sent to all four wheels via a seven-speed automatic transmission controlled by shift paddles.

Outside, the Widestar gains 23-inch alloys tucked under flared fenders, a carbon fiber scoop built into the hood, new bumpers on both ends and a sprinkling of Brabus-specific emblems all around. All told, the 850 Widestar is more discreet-looking than other members of the Brabus family.

Buyers who’d rather let their chauffeur handle the 838 ponies can sit in the back and relax thanks to power-folding tray tables, numerous USB ports, an iPhone charging dock, a built-in fridge and a 15.6-inch LCD screen built into the headliner. The Widestar boasts leather upholstery on the seats and the door panels, aluminum pedals and real carbon fiber trim on the center console.

Pricing information hasn’t been announced yet. For what it’s worth, the base G63 starts at over $137,000.

Live images by Ronan Glon.