Fiat
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William Maley Editor/Reporter - CheersandGears.com January 17, 2012 You have to wonder what Sergio Marchionne was thinking when he set a goal of 50,000 500s to be sold for 2011. Marchionne said he was "incredibly naive" to pick that goal. Fiat only sold 19,769 500s for 2011 (39.5% difference). So what was Marchionne thinking when he came up with that number. In a interview with CNN Money, Marchionne said the goal wasn’t based on anything but wanting to beat Mini, noting sales for the Mini brand totaled 45,644 vehicles. “It was a number that we said would be in excess of what Mini was selling in the United States. It was that simple,” Marchionne said. Critics point o…
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William Maley Editor/Reporter - CheersandGears.com February 2, 2012 Fiat has pulled back the curtain on the new 500L, which will make its world debut at the Geneva Motor Show in March. The 500L meaures 162.9 inches long, a 70 inches wide, and 65.3 inches tall. Fiat says the 500L combines a driving experience of a SUV with the fuel efficiency of B-segment vehicle. As we reported earlier this week, Fiat will offer two models of the 500L; a five-seat and seven-seat version. The 500L will go into production in the last quarter for the European market. Fiat hasn't said when the U.S. will be getting the 500L. Press Release is on Page 2 Fiat 500L to Debut at Geneva…
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William Maley Editor/Reporter - CheersandGears.com January 29, 2012 Fiat has finally come up with a name for their new five-door 500 - the 500L. The new 500L will make its official debut at March’s Geneva Motor Show. The 500L will be wider and about 2.4 inches longer than the regular the 500. That’s due to the 500L being based on Fiat’s Punto subcompact.. The 500L will be offered in two models; a five-seat and seven-seat model. The U.S. will get the five-seat model only. Fiat will begin sales of the 500L in Europe beginning in July. The U.S. sales will begin sometime next year. Source: Autoweek View full article
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William Maley Editor/Reporter - CheersandGears.com January 12, 2012 Fiat has announced pricing for the new 500 Abarth. The small hot hatch will begin at $22,000, plus a $700 destination charge. That’s a $4700 difference between this and lower end 500 Sport model, but you do get a lot for that extra coin. The 500 Abarth comes with a modified version of Fiat’s 1.4L MultiAir Turbo engine, which delivers 160 HP and 170 lb-ft of torque. Other bits include a an Abarth-tuned suspension and brakes, tuned dual exhaust system, and 16-inch alloy wheels. Inside, the Abarth performance seats, accent stitching, Bluetooth connectivity and a Bose premium audio system with steering-wh…
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William Maley Editor/Reporter - CheersandGears.com January 2, 2011 If there is one thing Fiat needs in the US besides sales is another model. And if a report from Inside Line is to be believed, we could be seeing a new model next year. Inside Line reports that Fiat is readying a new small crossover code-named Ellezero. Ellezero will be based on Fiat's SUSW (Small U.S. Wide) platform, which also will underpin a new compact Jeep crossover. Design will borrow from the 500 with it's rounded look. Power will come from the 1.4L engine found in the 500. The new crossover will make it's debut at the Geneva Motor Show in March. Source: Inside Line View full article
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When the first Fiat 500s starting arriving at dealers, the questions of if and when the Abarth version began. Well the questions can end as Fiat us showing off the 500 Abarth for the US today at the LA Auto Show. Starting underneath the hood, the naturally-aspirated 1.4L MultiAir engine in the standard Fiat 500 has been turbocharged and intercooled up to 160 HP and 170 lb-ft of torque. Abarth also upgraded the brakes, suspension, and steering. Outside, the 500 Abarth wears a new aero package, sixteen-inch alloys (or optional seventeens, available painted in black or white) wrapped in Pirelli rubber, racing stripes in white, black or red, and dual exhaust tips give the c…
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New 2012 Fiat 500 Abarth to Debut at the L.A. Auto Show http://www.cheersandgears.com/index.php?app=gallery&module=images§ion=img_ctrl&img=3787&tn=1 Album: Fiat 500 Abarth 6 images 0 comments October 31, 2011 , Auburn Hills, Mich. - Faithful to the ‘small but wicked’ saying coined for Karl Abarth’s cars in the 1960s, the new 2012 Fiat 500 Abarth arrives in America with the racing traditions that have made it a success on European roadways and racetracks — world-class performance and precision, purposeful and aggressive styling, high power-to-weight ratio and limited-production volume. Building on the excitement of the new 2…
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Fiat 500 Abarth To Make US Appearance In LA William Maley - Editor/Reporter - CheersandGears.com July 25, 2011 Since the Fiat 500 was introduced last year, we have been asking this question; When is the Abarth 500 coming out? Well, Fiat has a answer for you. On the Fiat America Twitter page today, they said, "From our friends FIAT USA - The FIAT 500 Abarth will be officially unveiled at this year's LA Auto Show. Get excited, get very excited!!" Fiat hasn't said much about the Abarth 500 that will go on sale in the US. We're expecting Abarth versions of the 500 and 500c to be offered. A upgraded version of the 1.4-liter turbo with Multiair technology prod…
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The Future Of Fiat's Lineup William Maley - Editor/Reporter - CheersandGears.com May 31, 2011 Fiat has been exceeding expectations in the US since being introduced this year. Concerns about selling a small model (Fiat 500) have been washed away, helped by gas prices on the rise. Now, Fiat readying more models for their lineup. The 500c is now arriving into Fiat showrooms and the EV and Abarth versions are getting ready for their appearance. But will there be any more models that are a bit larger? “Fiat will be the small car brand. It will never have anything larger than a C [segment],” said Laura Soaves, Head of Fiat USA. That means the largest vehicle w…
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Fiat's Dealer Rollout Running Behind William Maley - Editor/Reporter - CheersandGears.com February 27, 2011 By the end of February 2011, Fiat was to have all 130 planned dealerships open. Now, their goal has been pushed back to September. Laura Soave, head of Fiat said about the delays, "We've approved all of the dealers' plans. So now it's just a matter of going through the process." She explained some of delays come from dealers waiting on approvals on permits from local governments. Right now, a dozen Fiat dealers are open with another eight to open by the end of February. By March, thirty to forty dealers will be open. Perfect timing since first …
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Inside Line Fiat 500 Sport first drive
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Fiat Sports Up its Strada Pickup Truck in Brazil TUESDAY, DECEMBER 28, 2010 Passenger car-based pickup trucks represent a significant proportion of sales in Brazil taking up some 7 per cent of the total market, so it comes to no surprise that major players in the segment like Fiat are always on the lookout to expand their offerings. This time, Fiat has revealed a more athletic version of its Strada compact pickup truck called Sporting. The Strada Sporting is distinguished on the outside by the new aero kit, which comprises of a front spoiler, side skirts and wheel arch add-ons - all painted in the same color as the body, as well as the 16-inch alloy wheels dressed in…
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Fiat's success in U.S. depends on this woman 08:44 AM If Fiat doesn't succeed in the U.S., blame Laura Soave. She's the point woman on Fiat's attempt to reestablish an American beachhead, coming as the company runs Chrysler. First, she has to the sell the bug-like Fiat 500 to college students and other small-car fanatics. Then, it's whatever else Fiat brings to the U.S. How did she get the job? She hit it off with Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne about a year ago over about 30 minutes, the Detroit Free Press reports in a profile of the up-and-comer. "We disagreed on a few things," Soave told the Free Press. "Probably not anything I want to elaborate on, but he appreci…
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Fiat will sell a rebadged Dodge Journey in Europe Minivan will be renamed Freemont The Dodge Journey, shown, will be sold as the Fiat Freemont in Europe with a powerful diesel engine. Luca Ciferri Automotive News -- December 27, 2010 - 12:01 am ET TURIN -- Chrysler Group will stop selling the Dodge Journey in Europe and will instead market the minivan with a Fiat badge, Fiat sources said. The Fiat version of the large minivan will be called the Freemont, the sources said. The Freemont is a key part of Fiat-Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne's plan to cut development costs and boost capacity utilization at the automakers' factories by cross selling vehicles from Fiat g…
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Fiat's brand new experience Soave takes unconventional path to market new Fiat 500 in U.S. BY GREG GARDNER FREE PRESS BUSINESS WRITER Laura Soave wasn't job-hunting when Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne called her about a year ago. He had 30 minutes. Soave was visiting family and friends in Detroit. Something clicked between the two. Marchionne, whose ricocheting travel schedule leaves little room for idle chit-chat, extended the interview for an extra three hours. "We disagreed on a few things," Soave said. "Probably not anything I want to elaborate on, but he appreciated the passion and experience I had in blending European culture with American consumers." Soave t…
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Reintroducing Fiat to the U.S. Michigan native determined to revive brand after long absence By GREG GARDNER Free Press Business Writer For Laura Soave and 135 carefully selected Fiat dealers, this is showtime. The first Fiat 500s -- Cinquecentos to Europhiles -- will begin rolling into dealerships early next year. By March, those dealers will open about 160 new or remodeled showrooms. Some own more than one. "You used to have to be pretty wealthy to appreciate an Italian automobile such as a Ferrari or Maserati," said Soave, head of the Fiat brand for North America. "Now we can bring that experience into another category." Soave, who grew up in Sterling Heights, i…
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Fiat Banking on Natural Gas Engines in the US, Thinks Hybrids and EVs Present Too Many Obstacles MONDAY, DECEMBER 06, 2010 Fiat’s comeback to the U.S. with the 500 is just the first piece of a larger puzzle. The company’s CEO, Sergio Marchionne, may give the green light for natural gas-powered cars to be sold in the Land of the Free, as they offer a cheaper way to cut emissions. In an interview with Bloomberg News, Mr. Marchionne noted that electric cars, favored by GM and Toyota, present “too many obstacles” with long recharge time for batteries being one of them. Another company official, Constantinos Vafidis, who oversees transmission and hybrid development for t…
Last reply by NINETY EIGHT REGENCY, -
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What Americans want (according to Fiat's design boss) Luca Ciferri Automotive News -- December 6, 2010 - 12:01 am ET Lorenzo Ramaciotti, Fiat Group: "In Europe, we drive cars; thus I have never taken on board a coffee mug in my life." American cars are big; European cars are small. And it's always been that way. But that old distinction may be diminishing, says Fiat Group design boss Lorenzo Ramaciotti. In fact, he thinks that the size of U.S. and European vehicles eventually will converge as fuel economy standards become more strict. Still, other differences will remain. Interior packaging, for example. Ramaciotti (rah-mah-CHOHT'-tee) says Americans want more spac…
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Will Ford's Sync lose ground to Fiat's Blue & Me? by Chris Shunk (RSS feed) on Nov 30th 2010 at 6:01PM It recognizes hundreds of voice commands. It will interface with your Bluetooth-enabled smart phone. It was co-developed with Microsoft. Sounds like Ford's popular SYNC tech, right? Sure does, but it also smacks of Fiat's Blue & Me system that has been in production in Europe since 2007. The technology will be available stateside when the tiny Fiat 500 goes on sale early in 2011. The cost? $500 in a base 500, and the system is standard on uplevel Sport and Lounge models. Like the Fiat 500 itself, Blue & Me certainly sound compelling, but it's one small nic…
Last reply by NINETY EIGHT REGENCY, -
Fiat seeks inspiration from the past to give its auto business a new identity Luca Ciferri Automotive News Europe -- November 29, 2010 06:15 CET TURIN – Fiat Group today unveiled new logos that will identify the Italian conglomerate's automotive and industrial companies after the operations are separated in a Jan. 1 demerger. The new logo for Fiat S.p.A., the demerged company that will focus on the automobile sector, was inspired by a Fiat logo used at the beginning of the 20th century. The design has the word Fiat in condensed blue lettering on a white background. Fiat said the reinterpretation of an iconic earlier logo is intended to create a visual identity that …
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Video: First U.S. ad for the Fiat 500 is... kinda bland by Jonathon Ramsey (RSS feed) on Nov 27th 2010 at 3:36PM The enthusiast hordes have been gearing up for the arrival of the Fiat 500 for some time now. At last, Fiat has prepared its ad campaign to let the more casual car fan know what's about to hit, and the initial result feels, to us, a lot less exciting than the car itself. Think Anthony Robbins meets a Target commercial, with a little bit of a white 500 thrown in. Or just think Moby since, with no disrespect to the musician himself, his tunes have become the soundtrack to tapioca advertising. The 1:47 spot you'll find after the jump will supposedly be cut up…
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Special edition Fiat 500 sells out in 12 hours in Canada Alisa Priddle / The Detroit News Chrysler Canada said Tuesday it sold out its supply of special edition Fiat 500 or Cinquecentos in 12 hours. The Canadian subsidiary had 500 Fiat 500 Prima Edizione models offered for sale online, which could be secured with a $500 deposit. In July, a similar offer was made for U.S. customers who wanted the first vehicles off the line, complete with a numbered badge. Fiat returns to the North American market after 27 years with the tiny 500. Dealers have been chosen on both sides of the border — including three in Metro Detroit and two in Windsor, Ontario — and are preparing to…
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Confirmed: Fiat 500 Abarth coming to U.S., all-electric 500 BEV to launch first by Jeff Glucker (RSS feed) on Nov 18th 2010 at 4:58PM The other day we told you to bone up on your Italian because the Fiat 500 configurator came online. Now you should seriously start saving your Lira because the high-performance 500 Abarth model has been confirmed for the U.S. market. No date has been confirmed, but we've been told that the launch of all 500 models will be staggered and the Abarth is last in the queue. Those other variations include the standard 500 that you can start ordering now, the 500C drop-top and a 500 that runs on all-electric battery power. Still, the one we're…
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Fiat’s Back with Cinquecento, that’s Italian for 500 Subcompact has upscale features, low price. by Bryan Laviolette on Nov.18, 2010 Laura Soave, head of Fiat Brand North America, introduces the 2012 Fiat 500. Twenty-six years ago, Fiat left the U.S. market amid claims of poor quality. Now, with the help of its new American partner, Chrysler, the Italian automaker is back with a stylish subcompact, the 500, or Cinquecento. Fiat officially revealed the U.S. version of the 2012 Fiat 500 at the Los Angeles International Auto Show on Wednesday. In addition, Fiat announced the first 130 Chrysler dealers chosen to sell the 500. See the list of dealers at the end of the …
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Filed under: Car Buying, Coupe, Hatchback, Fiat 2011 Fiat 500 - Click above for high-res image gallery Break out your wallet and start learning Italian, the 2011 Fiat 500 configurator is attivo e funzionante! Pricing for the 500 starts at $15,500 for the base model, which is referred to as the Fiat 500 Pop. The 500 Sport is priced at $17,500 and the top-shelf 500 Lounge will cost you $19,500... before options. We tried as hard as we could to fully outfit our "own" 2011 Fiat 500, but this little coupe has managed to differentiate itself a bit from the MINI Cooper in a very good way. Our final sticker price after ticking all the boxes? $25,236. We're sure we will be able…
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