coolmazda5
06-10-2009, 12:46 PM
Americans could see some fresh Italian faces as Chrylser's deal with Fiat takes shape
Chrysler's future is now tied up with that of Italy's Fiat as the two carmakers move forward with their plan to form a new company.
Chrysler has been scrambling to meet the U.S. government's mandate that, in part, requires it to sell more low emission vehicles.The Treasury Dept. has given Chrysler's new partner, Fiat, incentives to help Chrysler do that quickly with products that will manufactured in U.S. factories.
According to a product plan submitted to the Treasury Dept. in February, Chrysler planned to have Fiat products here as soon as next year. It remains to be seen if the two companies can make this happen that quickly.
Take a look at some of the cars Fiat can offer American buyers.
Fiat 500
Chrysler's product plan calls for a subcompact hatchback from Fiat to enter the market late next year.
Chrysler could redesign the 500 a little and rebadge it as a Chrysler, but that probably wouldn't make a lot of sense.
"I don't think they want to, because everybody loves that damned thing," said James Bell, publisher of the Automotive website Intellichoice.com
It also would also mean a lot of work to make this car anything other than a Fiat. The design is supposed to remind you of the cars you might have seen driving around Rome in the 1960s. Slapping a Chrysler badge on it just wouldn't make sense.
Chrysler's plan also calls for a plug-in electric mini car from Fiat to come out shortly before the gasoline-powered one. That could be a 500, or 500-based vehicle, as well.
While the Fiat may look cute, though, it's much smaller than most cars Americans are used to. It's about six inches shorter than a Mini Cooper.
The 500 feels bigger once you're inside it, though, said Matt Stone, executive editor of Motor Trend magazine. You don't sit as low to the ground and there's more glass to see out of than in the Mini.
"I think people would totally dig it," he said. "It's terminally cute."
http://i2.cdn.turner.com/money/galleries/2009/autos/0904/gallery.chrysler_fiat_product/images/fiat_500.jpg
Fiat Panda
They would have to do something about the name - much too slow-moving and herbivorous for American tastes - but the Panda could fill the bill for a small hatchback Chrysler has said it hopes to introduce in late 2010. It could also make it here, believe it or not, as a Jeep.
The four-wheel-drive version of the Panda could fill the bill as a Jeep-branded subcompact that Chrysler hopes to introduce in the U.S. in 2011. If so, it will be the smallest Jeep ever, almost three feet shorter than today's Jeep Compass crossover.
Unlike the Compass, which sells as strictly an on-road Jeep-like vehicle, Fiat touts the Panda 4x4 as the real off-road deal. This one probably won't be tackling serious boulder-strewn trails, though.
http://i2.cdn.turner.com/money/galleries/2009/autos/0904/gallery.chrysler_fiat_product/images/fiat_panda_4x4.jpg
Fiat Grande Punto
Translated literally, the name means "big dot" but Americans would find this car to be rather on the small side. it's about the size of a Honda Fit or Chevrolet Aveo
It's available as a small hatchback car, a body style that's popular in Europe, but not as popular in the U.S. Chrysler does have a slot in its product line for a small hatchback car, though, something smaller than the the Dodge Caliber.
The Grande Punto isn't really Fiat's best, but it's better than what Chrysler currently offers small car buyers, said Matt Stone, executive editor of Motor Trend.
"It would be an obvious quick-and-dirty choice," he said.
Add a trunk, something car companies frequently do to sell a car in the hatch-phobic American market, and the Grande Punto also fill in as a compact sedan. That's something Chrysler hopes to have in late 2011.
http://i2.cdn.turner.com/money/galleries/2009/autos/0904/gallery.chrysler_fiat_product/images/fiat_grande_punto.jpg
Fiat Bravo
About the size of a Pontiac Vibe small wagon, the slick-looking Bravo could also be basis of a compact wagon or even a sedan for the American market.
"They'll have to do a quick patch job and put a trunk on it," said James Bell, publisher of Intellichoice.com
They might not need to that, though, thinks Matt Stone, executive editor of Motor Trend. Younger buyers have caught onto the idea that hatchbacks and wagons make for efficient use of space in a small car.
The Bravo is a stylish car and it's fairly new on the market, said Stone.
"I'd take that over a Dodge Cailber in a second," he said.
http://i2.cdn.turner.com/money/galleries/2009/autos/0904/gallery.chrysler_fiat_product/images/fiat_bravo.jpg
Alfa Romeo 159
A Fiat-Chrysler deal wouldn't be to Chrysler's benefit alone, of course. Fiat's getting something here, too. Specifically, Chrysler is opening the door for Fiat to enter the American car market with brands other than the ultra-high-end Ferrari and Maserati. In particular, Fiat sees an opportunity to finally re-introduce its Alfa Romeo luxury brand here.
If it does, Americans should be pleasantly surprised to see a line of sharp-looking cars that won't readily be confused with anything else on the road.
Matt Stone, executive editor of Motor Trend magazine, called the Alfa Romeo 159 "very stylish, inside and out." It also drives much, much better than any product Chrysler now offers.
It's probably won't come here until after it's redesigned or at least updated, though, he said.
A car like the 159 could also form the basis of mid-size sedan for Chrysler to replace the less-than-competitive Chrysler Sebring.
http://i2.cdn.turner.com/money/galleries/2009/autos/0904/gallery.chrysler_fiat_product/images/alfa_romeo_159.jpg
Source:
http://money.cnn.com/galleries/2009/autos/0904/gallery.chrysler_fiat_product/index.html
Chrysler's future is now tied up with that of Italy's Fiat as the two carmakers move forward with their plan to form a new company.
Chrysler has been scrambling to meet the U.S. government's mandate that, in part, requires it to sell more low emission vehicles.The Treasury Dept. has given Chrysler's new partner, Fiat, incentives to help Chrysler do that quickly with products that will manufactured in U.S. factories.
According to a product plan submitted to the Treasury Dept. in February, Chrysler planned to have Fiat products here as soon as next year. It remains to be seen if the two companies can make this happen that quickly.
Take a look at some of the cars Fiat can offer American buyers.
Fiat 500
Chrysler's product plan calls for a subcompact hatchback from Fiat to enter the market late next year.
Chrysler could redesign the 500 a little and rebadge it as a Chrysler, but that probably wouldn't make a lot of sense.
"I don't think they want to, because everybody loves that damned thing," said James Bell, publisher of the Automotive website Intellichoice.com
It also would also mean a lot of work to make this car anything other than a Fiat. The design is supposed to remind you of the cars you might have seen driving around Rome in the 1960s. Slapping a Chrysler badge on it just wouldn't make sense.
Chrysler's plan also calls for a plug-in electric mini car from Fiat to come out shortly before the gasoline-powered one. That could be a 500, or 500-based vehicle, as well.
While the Fiat may look cute, though, it's much smaller than most cars Americans are used to. It's about six inches shorter than a Mini Cooper.
The 500 feels bigger once you're inside it, though, said Matt Stone, executive editor of Motor Trend magazine. You don't sit as low to the ground and there's more glass to see out of than in the Mini.
"I think people would totally dig it," he said. "It's terminally cute."
http://i2.cdn.turner.com/money/galleries/2009/autos/0904/gallery.chrysler_fiat_product/images/fiat_500.jpg
Fiat Panda
They would have to do something about the name - much too slow-moving and herbivorous for American tastes - but the Panda could fill the bill for a small hatchback Chrysler has said it hopes to introduce in late 2010. It could also make it here, believe it or not, as a Jeep.
The four-wheel-drive version of the Panda could fill the bill as a Jeep-branded subcompact that Chrysler hopes to introduce in the U.S. in 2011. If so, it will be the smallest Jeep ever, almost three feet shorter than today's Jeep Compass crossover.
Unlike the Compass, which sells as strictly an on-road Jeep-like vehicle, Fiat touts the Panda 4x4 as the real off-road deal. This one probably won't be tackling serious boulder-strewn trails, though.
http://i2.cdn.turner.com/money/galleries/2009/autos/0904/gallery.chrysler_fiat_product/images/fiat_panda_4x4.jpg
Fiat Grande Punto
Translated literally, the name means "big dot" but Americans would find this car to be rather on the small side. it's about the size of a Honda Fit or Chevrolet Aveo
It's available as a small hatchback car, a body style that's popular in Europe, but not as popular in the U.S. Chrysler does have a slot in its product line for a small hatchback car, though, something smaller than the the Dodge Caliber.
The Grande Punto isn't really Fiat's best, but it's better than what Chrysler currently offers small car buyers, said Matt Stone, executive editor of Motor Trend.
"It would be an obvious quick-and-dirty choice," he said.
Add a trunk, something car companies frequently do to sell a car in the hatch-phobic American market, and the Grande Punto also fill in as a compact sedan. That's something Chrysler hopes to have in late 2011.
http://i2.cdn.turner.com/money/galleries/2009/autos/0904/gallery.chrysler_fiat_product/images/fiat_grande_punto.jpg
Fiat Bravo
About the size of a Pontiac Vibe small wagon, the slick-looking Bravo could also be basis of a compact wagon or even a sedan for the American market.
"They'll have to do a quick patch job and put a trunk on it," said James Bell, publisher of Intellichoice.com
They might not need to that, though, thinks Matt Stone, executive editor of Motor Trend. Younger buyers have caught onto the idea that hatchbacks and wagons make for efficient use of space in a small car.
The Bravo is a stylish car and it's fairly new on the market, said Stone.
"I'd take that over a Dodge Cailber in a second," he said.
http://i2.cdn.turner.com/money/galleries/2009/autos/0904/gallery.chrysler_fiat_product/images/fiat_bravo.jpg
Alfa Romeo 159
A Fiat-Chrysler deal wouldn't be to Chrysler's benefit alone, of course. Fiat's getting something here, too. Specifically, Chrysler is opening the door for Fiat to enter the American car market with brands other than the ultra-high-end Ferrari and Maserati. In particular, Fiat sees an opportunity to finally re-introduce its Alfa Romeo luxury brand here.
If it does, Americans should be pleasantly surprised to see a line of sharp-looking cars that won't readily be confused with anything else on the road.
Matt Stone, executive editor of Motor Trend magazine, called the Alfa Romeo 159 "very stylish, inside and out." It also drives much, much better than any product Chrysler now offers.
It's probably won't come here until after it's redesigned or at least updated, though, he said.
A car like the 159 could also form the basis of mid-size sedan for Chrysler to replace the less-than-competitive Chrysler Sebring.
http://i2.cdn.turner.com/money/galleries/2009/autos/0904/gallery.chrysler_fiat_product/images/alfa_romeo_159.jpg
Source:
http://money.cnn.com/galleries/2009/autos/0904/gallery.chrysler_fiat_product/index.html