Fiat 500 - Chrysler, Fiat to Bring Cinquecento Stateside

Fiat’s tiny 500, or Cinquecento, was produced in Europe from 1957-1975 as a post-war effort to get Italians off their motor scooters and into something more substantial. Like Britain’s Mini and Germany’s VW, the 500 was a basic, yet efficient funster that became an emotional endeavor. Fiat re-introduced the 500 in 2007. Through the impending partnership of Chrysler and Fiat, Automotive News reports the 500 will arrive stateside in 2011.

We’re not kidding; Chrysler Co-CEO Jim Press rolled onto stage during this spring’s New York Auto Show in one. Chrysler’s rehabilitation plans include redesigning Fiat and Alfa Romeo vehicles to replace the Dodge Caliber, Dodge Avenger, Chrysler Sebring and add a small Jeep and Honda Fit competitor. Most of these vehicles will be built in North America, although the 500 is built in Poland on a platform shared with the European Ford Ka. The 500 is the only Fiat badged vehicle currently expected to be sold through Chrysler dealers in the U.S.

It is hard not to love the 500’s puggy cute front with round headlamps or its slant back hatch. It looks like a Vespa consummated a relationship with a crossover and out came this little four-seat fun wagon. The interior is basic like a Mini, but is dressed up with a painted body color dash panel, digital speedometer, thick three-spoke leather-wrapped steering wheel, and dash-mounted shifter. All you want to do is find a curvy mountain road and have your way with it.

In Europe, base models come with a choice of 69-horsepower 1.2-litre, 75-horsepower 1.3-litre turbo diesel, or 85-horsepower 1.4-litre 16-valve four-cylinder engines – all connected to six-speed manual transmissions. A special Abarth edition will produce a spirited 135-horsepower. Americans should expect the 69- and 85-horsepower gasoline engines, with the Abarth being a possibility later.

Are Chrysler and Fiat crazy? I once thought bringing the Mini and Smart to the U.S. was a bridge too far, but they have sold in surprising numbers. Americans are ready for well-made compacts that are a lot more fun than just getting commuting chores underwheel. Expect prices to start under $20,000, making the 500 competitive with the Mini Cooper, Smart ForTwo, VW Beetle, and Ford Fiesta.
By Casey Williams
MyCarData

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Fiat 500 - Chrysler Begins Selection for Fiat Dealers

Americans once bought a lot of Fiats. The little Italian cars were efficient and handsome, if not particularly reliable. As Chrysler’s parent, Fiat has designs once again on selling its wares in the U.S. Thankfully, these cars are beautiful and well-built. Chrysler has begun the process of selecting dealers for Fiat’s entry.
“The Fiat dealer network will be appropriately sized to serve the market opportunity,” said Peter Grady, Vice President of Network Development and Fleet, Chrysler Group LLC. “Our vision is to establish a dealer network that will reflect and enhance the brand’s reputation for innovation and fun, and will offer a unique, personalized customer experience.”

Chrysler Group would like to select dealers in 125 markets that have a high potential for growth in small cars. It is expected that Fiat stores will be located in about 41 states. Dealers wishing to sell the Italian cars will have to submit a proposal, create separate facilities to service and sell the brand, train a dedicated team, and prove they have the financial resources necessary to introduce a new brand. Chrysler’s best performing dealers will be given preference in the selection process.

No matter how many dealers sign up, Fiat will not soon have a full line of vehicles. Its first model will be a Mexican-built version of the company’s popular Fiat 500. About the size of a Mini Cooper, and styled like its 1960s ancestor, the 500 will give Chrysler dealers a fun and efficient car to help replace the PT Cruiser. Base coupes will arrive later this year and will be joined by a Cabrio in 2011. Sporty Abarth editions are expected to follow as competitors for the Mini Cooper S and Smart Brabus.

This is only a start. Chrysler’s next-generation small- and mid-size cars are expected to borrow much from European-market Fiats. This could be a fun ride for Fiat and America.
By Casey Williams - MyCarData

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2011 Fiat 500 Coupé Zagato Concept

This year's edition of the Geneva Motor Show is buzzing with concept models of all sorts of sizes and shapes. The one you see pictured above is based on the popular Fiat 500 mini and is the result of the collaboration between the Fiat Group Automobiles' Centro Stile and the Zagato design house.

Showcased at the Fiat stand, the "500 Coupé Zagato" is said to have been inspired by the namesake predecessor built in the 1950 by the famous Italian bodyworker on the chassis of the original 500.

From the window line and below, the 500 concept is identical to the standard three-door hatchback model. However, the concept gets a completely new top with a sloping coupe-like roof featuring Zagato's trademark double-bubble design.

Other features include the burnished chrome exterior elements, 17-inch chrome shadow alloy wheelss with a brand new double spoked shape and synthetic inserts wrapped in 205/40 R17 tires and 4 perforated brake discs.

The concept is 3,550 mm long, 1,630 mm wide and 1,490 mm high, with a 2,300 mm wheelbase. Inside, Fiat says the 500 Coupe gets a 2+2 seating layout and a bespoke interior with sporty "diamond" seats trimmed in black and yellow two-tone leathers and other unique features.

Power for the 500 Coupé Zagato is provided by Fiat's turbocharged two-cylinder gasoline unit with 105 HP at 5,500 rpm and 155 Nm (114 lb-ft) of peak torque at 2,500 rpm, which promises reduced fuel consumption and CO2 emissions of just 95 g/km.

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Ferrari CEO Made €8.7 Million in 2010 or Twice as Much as Fiat Group CEO Sergio Marchionne

It's no secret that top car executives make big money, but the situation at the Fiat Group is particularly interesting. How else could one describe the fact that in 2010, Ferrari's chairman, Luca Cordero di Montezemolo, was paid more than twice the amount of money than the CEO of the entire Fiat Group, Sergio Marchionne?

The Ferrari boss pocketed €8.7 million in 2010 (US$12 million), while Marchionne received a paycheck of €3.5 million ($4.8 million). For his role at Ferrari, di Montezemolo received €7.549 million, with the rest of the amount being awarded for his contribution as Fiat CEO between 2004 and 2010. Marchionne's compensation was €3.05 million as head of Fiat and €423,300 for his role at Fiat's Swiss branch.

Let's face it, running a business like Ferrari can't be twice as difficult as running the entire Fiat Group. But it sure pays a whole lot better. The third best paid executive in the group last year was Angelli heir and Fiat Group chairman, John Elkann, who earned €589,000, while all other board members made between €65,000 and €95,000 each.

By Dan Mihalascu

Source: AutonewsEurope

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Très Chic: New Special Edition of the Fiat 500 by Gucci Heads to Geneva

As they say, good marketing always finds a reason to celebrate. This time, Fiat's marketing team is feeling festive about the 150th anniversary of the unification of Italy and Gucci's 90th anniversary. As a result, the automaker has joined forces with Gucci for the creation of a new special edition version of the 500 mini that will be showcased at next week's Geneva Salon in a dedicated Gucci pop-up store within the Fiat stand.

The limited edition version of the 500 was customized by Gucci Creative Director Frida Giannini in partnership with Fiat's Centro Stile. It will be available in two flavors, either in black with detailing in shiny chrome, and a two-tone black and white interior, or with a white exterior paint with satin chrome detailing, and ivory and black interior.

Both versions get 16-inch alloy wheels wrapped around 195/45 R16 tires with the hubcaps featuring the interlocking GG logo in the same color of the body of the car, plus the Italian fashion house's signature on the rear hatch and B-column, and Gucci’s signature green-red-green stripe, which runs along the entire perimeter of the car. In addition, the version equipped with the 100HP 1.4-liter engine comes with rear break callipers in Gucci green.

The Italian fashion house's stripe also appears inside on the seats, on the gear shift, the key-cover, the carpets, and on the seatbelts.

The new '500 by Gucci' will be initially be available from April 1st to June 30th exclusively by pre-order online at www.500bygucci.com, with pricing in Italy starting from €17,000 (equal to US$23,300). Regular sales will start in Europe in July, followed by the rest of the world at the end of 2011.

And for those buyers that would like complete the look with some personal goodies, Fiat has also collaborated with Gucci to create a special collection for the 500, including travel accessories, small leather goods, drivers, tracksuits, driver gloves, sunglasses and a watch, which will all be available in select Gucci stores and online at www.gucci.com from April 2011.

_______________________________GALLERY_______________________________

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Très Chic: New Special Edition of the Fiat 500 by Gucci Heads to Geneva

As they say, good marketing always finds a reason to celebrate. This time, Fiat's marketing team is feeling festive about the 150th anniversary of the unification of Italy and Gucci's 90th anniversary. As a result, the automaker has joined forces with Gucci for the creation of a new special edition version of the 500 mini that will be showcased at next week's Geneva Salon in a dedicated Gucci pop-up store within the Fiat stand.

The limited edition version of the 500 was customized by Gucci Creative Director Frida Giannini in partnership with Fiat's Centro Stile. It will be available in two flavors, either in black with detailing in shiny chrome, and a two-tone black and white interior, or with a white exterior paint with satin chrome detailing, and ivory and black interior.

Both versions get 16-inch alloy wheels wrapped around 195/45 R16 tires with the hubcaps featuring the interlocking GG logo in the same color of the body of the car, plus the Italian fashion house's signature on the rear hatch and B-column, and Gucci’s signature green-red-green stripe, which runs along the entire perimeter of the car. In addition, the version equipped with the 100HP 1.4-liter engine comes with rear break callipers in Gucci green.

The Italian fashion house's stripe also appears inside on the seats, on the gear shift, the key-cover, the carpets, and on the seatbelts.

The new '500 by Gucci' will be initially be available from April 1st to June 30th exclusively by pre-order online at www.500bygucci.com, with pricing in Italy starting from €17,000 (equal to US$23,300). Regular sales will start in Europe in July, followed by the rest of the world at the end of 2011.

And for those buyers that would like complete the look with some personal goodies, Fiat has also collaborated with Gucci to create a special collection for the 500, including travel accessories, small leather goods, drivers, tracksuits, driver gloves, sunglasses and a watch, which will all be available in select Gucci stores and online at www.gucci.com from April 2011.

_______________________________GALLERY_______________________________

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Abarth Scorp-Ion Sports Coupe Concept

Even though Fiat executives have been coy on a stand-alone sports car for the Abarth brand, the Italian firm went ahead and collaborated with the Istituto Europeo di Design of Turin (IED) for the creation of design study that will receive its grand premiere at the Geneva Motor Show in about a week's time.

The sports coupe is named Abarth Scorp-Ion and it was designed by seven IED students who worked under the supervision of designers Luca Borgogno from Pininfarina, and Luigi Giampaolo from Maserati.

The goal was to design a bespoke compact-sized sports car with lines that evoke the scorpion (the official symbol of Abarth) without any references to the Fiat brand, with which Abarth is often identified.

The result is a futuristic looking two-seater coupe that measures 4,010 mm in length, 1,905 mm in width, 1,192 mm in height, and rides on a 2,350 mm long wheelbase.

The Scorp-Ion is motivated by four electric motors, one on each wheel, but that's about all Abarth had to share with us for now. Further details are to be released at the Geneva Motor Show.

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