News
Fiat Could Build Model 3 Rival in 12 Months Claims Its CEO
FiatChrysler chairman Sergio Marchionne said at the company’s annual meeting last Friday that if the Model 3 is profitable, Fiat could build a car like it with Italian styling in 12 months.
Sergio Marchionne at FCA annual meeting in Amsterdam on April 15. Credit: FCA
Sergio Marchionne, CEO of FiatChrysler, said during the company’s annual meeting in Amsterdam last Friday that if Tesla can make money on the Model 3, Fiat will build a competitor and have it on the market within 12 months. Those are brave words for a man whose Chrysler division is planning to stop making mid size sedans entirely.
Saying he has nothing but the highest regard for Elon Musk, Marchionne also said, “I am not surprised by the high number of reservations” (400,000 and counting) for the Model 3. “But then the hard reality comes in … making cars, selling them and making money doing so.”He added, if Elon “can show me that the car will be profitable at that price, I will copy the formula, add the Italian design flair, and get it to the market within 12 months.”
Unlike most car company CEOs, who tend to speak in measured terms, Marchionne has a reputation for blurting out whatever is on his mind. His remarks are viewed by many as proof that he has little to no understanding of how the automotive market is shifting beneath his feet.
They see him as the poster boy for how most automakers are still clueless about the electric car revolution and have no effective plans to join it. Several compare traditional car companies to the likes of Kodak and Polaroid — industry giants who simply could not adapt fast enough to digital photography tehcnology. IBM is another prime example of a once mighty company decimated by technological change.
Just a few years ago, Marchionne was begging people not to buy the Fiat 500e electric car because his company lost $14,000 on every car sold. Earlier last week, he told Automotive News that he sees Toyota, Ford, or Volkswagen as companies that could potential merge with FiatChryler. In other words, Marchionne is looking for a suitor who will buy the company while it still has value.
The decision to stop building the Dodge Dart and Chrysler 200 is instructive. By all accounts, both are pretty good cars that match up well against the competition. Neither has been particularly profitable, but the decision to stop making them is rooted in the arcane provisions of the federal regulations. Under the CAFE rules, the average fuel economy a company has to achieve varies according to the “footprint” of its fleet. The larger the vehicle it sells, the lower its CAFE numbers can be.
In this era of low gas prices, Chrysler is killing it with its Jeep lineup and sales of hulking pickup trucks. By ditching mid size sedans, it can sell more vehicles with atrocious gas mileage and be in compliance with CAFE mandates. At the very least, it will have to buy fewer credits from other companies. Does that sound like a company that it looking to the future?
There are so many problems with Marchionne’s position, it’s hard to know where to begin. The thought of a Model 3 clone that looks like an Alfa Romeo may have some surface appeal, but where is the network of recharging stations for customers travelling away from home? Where are the autonomous driving systems or the interior that will “feel like a spaceship,” in Elon’s words?
Is anyone at Tesla worried by Marchionne’s idle boast? If they are, they aren’t showing it.
Source: Fortune, Photo credit: FCA.com
Cybertruck
Tesla confirms date when new Cybertruck trim will go up in price
Tesla has officially revealed that this price will only be available until February 28, as the company has placed a banner atop the Design Configurator on its website reflecting this.
Tesla has confirmed the date when its newest Cybertruck trim level will increase in price, after CEO Elon Musk noted that the All-Wheel-Drive configuration of the all-electric pickup would only be priced at its near-bargain level for ten days.
Last week, Tesla launched the All-Wheel-Drive configuration of the Cybertruck. Priced at $59,990, the Cybertruck featured many excellent features and has seemingly brought some demand to the pickup, which has been underwhelming in terms of sales figures over the past couple of years.
Tesla launches new Cybertruck trim with more features than ever for a low price
When Tesla launched it, many fans and current owners mulled the possibility of ordering it. However, Musk came out and said just hours after launching the pickup that Tesla would only keep it at the $59,990 price level for ten days.
What it would be priced at subsequently was totally dependent on how much demand Tesla felt for the new trim level, which is labeled as a “Dual Motor All-Wheel-Drive” configuration.
Tesla has officially revealed that this price will only be available until February 28, as the company has placed a banner atop the Design Configurator on its website reflecting this:
NEWS: Tesla has officially announced that the price of the new Cybertruck Dual-Motor AWD will be increasing after February 28th. pic.twitter.com/vZpA521ZwC
— Sawyer Merritt (@SawyerMerritt) February 24, 2026
Many fans and owners have criticized Tesla’s decision to unveil a trim this way, and then price it at something, only to change that price a few days later based on how well it sells.
Awful way to treat customers – particularly when they already sent out a marketing email announcing the $59,990 truck…with zero mention of it being a limited-time offer.
— Ryan McCaffrey (@DMC_Ryan) February 24, 2026
It seems the most ideal increase in price would be somewhere between $5,000 and $10,000, but it truly depends on how many orders Tesla sees for this new trim level. The next step up in configuration is the Premium All-Wheel-Drive, which is priced at $79,990.
The difference between the Dual Motor AWD Cybertruck and the Premium AWD configuration comes down to towing, interior quality, and general features. The base package is only capable of towing up to 7,500 pounds, while the Premium can handle 11,000 pounds. Additionally, the seats in the Premium build are Vegan Leather, while the base trim gets the textile seats.
It also has only 7 speakers compared to the 15 that the Premium trim has. Additionally, the base model does not have an adjustable ride height, although it does have a coil spring with an adaptive damping suspension package.
Cybertruck
Tesla set to activate long-awaited Cybertruck feature
Tesla will officially activate the Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) feature on Cybertruck soon, as the company has officially added the feature to its list of features by trim on its website.
Tesla is set to activate a long-awaited Cybertruck feature, and no matter when you bought your all-electric pickup, it has the hardware capable of achieving what it is designed to do.
Tesla simply has to flip the switch, and it plans to do so in the near future.
Tesla will officially activate the Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) feature on Cybertruck soon, according to Not a Tesla App, as the company has officially added the feature to its list of features by trim on its website.
Tesla rolls out Active Road Noise Reduction for new Model S and Model X
The ANC feature suddenly appeared on the spec sheet for the Premium All-Wheel-Drive and Cyberbeast trims, which are the two configurations that have been delivered since November 2023.
However, those trims have both had the ANC disabled, and although they are found in the Model S and Model X, and are active in those vehicles, Tesla is planning to activate them.
In Tesla’s Service Toolbox, it wrote:
“ANC software is not enabled on Cybertruck even though the hardware is installed.”
Tesla has utilized an ANC system in the Model S and Model X since 2021. The system uses microphones embedded in the front seat headrests to detect low-frequency road noise entering the cabin. It then generates anti-noise through phase-inverted sound waves to cancel out or reduce that noise, creating quieter zones, particularly around the vehicle’s front occupants.
The Model S and Model X utilize six microphones to achieve this noise cancellation, while the Cybertruck has just four.
Tesla Cybertruck Dual Motor AWD estimated delivery slips to early fall 2026
As previously mentioned, this will be activated through a software update, as the hardware is already available within Cybertruck and can simply be activated at Tesla’s leisure.
The delays in activating the system are likely due to Tesla Cybertruck’s unique design, which is unlike anything before. In the Model S and Model X, Tesla did not have to do too much, but the Cybertruck has heavier all-terrain tires and potentially issues from the aluminum castings that make up the vehicle’s chassis, which are probably presenting some challenges.
Unfortunately, this feature will not be available on the new Dual Motor All-Wheel-Drive configuration, which was released last week.
News
Tesla Model S and X customization options begin to thin as their closure nears
Tesla’s Online Design Studio for both vehicles now shows the first color option to be listed as “Sold Out,” as Lunar Silver is officially no longer available for the Model S or Model X. This color is exclusive to these cars and not available on the Model S or Model X.
Tesla Model S and Model X customization options are beginning to thin for the first time as the closure of the two “sentimental” vehicles nears.
We are officially seeing the first options disappear as Tesla begins to work toward ending production of the two cars and the options that are available to those vehicles specifically.
Tesla’s Online Design Studio for both vehicles now shows the first color option to be listed as “Sold Out,” as Lunar Silver is officially no longer available for the Model S or Model X. This color is exclusive to these cars and not available on the Model S or Model X.
🚨 Tesla Model S and Model X availability is thinning, as Tesla has officially shown that the Lunar Silver color option on both vehicles is officially sold out
To be fair, Frost Blue is still available so no need to freak out pic.twitter.com/YnwsDbsFOv
— TESLARATI (@Teslarati) February 25, 2026
Tesla is making way for the Optimus humanoid robot project at the Fremont Factory, where the Model S and Model X are produced. The two cars are low-volume models and do not contribute more than a few percent to Tesla’s yearly delivery figures.
With CEO Elon Musk confirming that the Model S and Model X would officially be phased out at the end of the quarter, some of the options are being thinned out.
This is an expected move considering Tesla’s plans for the two vehicles, as it will make for an easier process of transitioning that portion of the Fremont plant to cater to Optimus manufacturing. Additionally, this is likely one of the least popular colors, and Tesla is choosing to only keep around what it is seeing routine demand for.
During the Q4 Earnings Call in January, Musk confirmed the end of the Model S and Model X:
“It is time to bring the Model S and Model X programs to an end with an honorable discharge. It is time to bring the S/X programs to an end. It’s part of our overall shift to an autonomous future.”
Fremont will now build one million Optimus units per year as production is ramped.
Tesla confirms date when new Cybertruck trim will go up in price
Tesla set to activate long-awaited Cybertruck feature
