Fiat Americanizes its 500, complete with cupholders

Auto Week ^ | 11/15/2010 | BRADFORD WERNLE

[Seizethecarp]

Nearly 27 years after leaving the United States, Fiat returns at the Los Angeles auto show this week with the 500. The U.S. car will have the same 1.4-liter engine as in Europe but will add "MultiAir," a Fiat engine-breathing system that the company says improves power 10 percent and cuts emissions 10 percent.

The 500 will be manufactured in Chrysler Group's plant in Toluca, Mexico. Dealers will get their first cars in December, and the 500 will go on sale in January. The market launch is scheduled for March.

The 500 will be sold in about 165 stores. As of last week, Chrysler had not identified the entire network and still was in discussions with some dealers. The first dealers, named in October, were Chrysler dealers. The company also is holding discussions with some non-Chrysler dealers.

The showrooms will be called Fiat Studios. Chrysler wants the showrooms to be showcases for modern Italian design.

[Seizethecarp]

IIRC, Obama takes over Chrysler, wipes out a lot of dealers, screws the bondholders giving majority control to the UAW pension fund, but gives the management of the company over to Fiat and a 20% ownership stake for free...so Fiat can make the 500 model in Mexico to sell at Chrysler dealers in the US as a new "green" clown car.

[Halgr]

Go look up the price.....I had to laugh.

[ataDude]

Hot dang! Can’t wait. /s

[SeeSharp]

Nearly 27 years after leaving the United States,

Fiat was run out of the US. They were making junk.

[Michael.SF.]

I almost bought a Fiat once, then I heard a comedian on Leno joke about "Fix-It-Again-Tony".

Decided that there just might be something to that joke, so we passed.

[Last Dakotan]

IIRC, Obama takes over Chrysler, wipes out a lot of dealers, screws the bondholders giving majority control to the UAW pension fund, but gives the management of the company over to Fiat and a 20% ownership stake for free...so Fiat can make the 500 model in Mexico to sell at Chrysler dealers in the US as a new "green" clown car.

Ain't democracy grand?

[shotdog]

The number one caveat: Lucas...prince of darkness. sd

[RJR_fan]

we had two Fiats. The first one was a dream, the second, a nightmare.

[rickmichaels]

The 500 will be manufactured in Chrysler Group's plant in Toluca, Mexico.

A win-win for America. If the workers show up everyday clean and sober, they'll keep their jobs and stay in Mexico. If they show up drunk and stoned, they'll be too inebriated to hop the border after they get fired.

[perfect_rovian_storm]

Johnny Carson was still on when Fiat left the US.

[tubebender]

I traded in a low milage perfectly fine 89 Chevy pickup for a newer model just for the cup holders but no thank you.

FIAT = Fix It Again Tony

[Michael.SF.]

It was a used car.

[Redbob]

They want to “Americanize” that little piece of scheiss, they’ll need to (a) make it run 80 mph, and (b) run for more than 1000 miles without a breakdown.
Part (b) will be the greatest challenge for Fiat, home of the world’s least-reliable cars.

BTW: did you know the much- and justly-maligned Yugo was a Fiat built by skilled labor?

[MamaDearest]

What car names really stand for

Examples:
Fiat

Failure in Automotive Technology
Feeble Italian Attempt at Transportation
Fix It Again Tony?

Pontiac

Poor Old Nut Thinks It's A Cadillac

Saab

Swedish Automobile - Always Broken

[Farmer Dean]

I heard that Lucas’ motto was”Try to get home before dark.”

[ColdOne]

F fix I it A again T Tom. That is how I remember FIAT back in the day!

[HardStarboard]

LOTUS

Lots of Trouble, Usually Serious....

[ColdOne]

Fix It Again Tony? I hadn't seen your post.. I had forgotten if it was Tom or Tony..

[ThisLittleLightofMine]

My mom had a fiat, my Dad called it her little piece of shiat.

[ColdOne]

Go look up the price.....I had to laugh. I did not see one in the article. How much do they want for this little..Gem?