fiat
Fiat Experiences Best Sales to Date in US
Funny little Italian cars are finally coming into vogue, or so it seems after Fiat reported its best month of U.S. sales to date in February. “I’m holding my breath, but to beat February would be a big, big win for us,” Fiat brand head Timothy Kuniskis told the Detroit Free Press. With 3,227 units sold last month,…
Sub-Compact and Compact Sales Growing in US
It might not make sense to trade your gas guzzler in for a more fuel-efficient car, but that doesn’t seem to be stopping people. Sub-compact and compact car sales are spiking this year, according to J.D. Power and Associates. It seems that both segments are growing, but the smaller sibling is winning out among American…
No Plans for Ferrari IPO Says Chairman
Earlier this month, Italian exotic automaker Ferrari debuted its new F12 Berlinetta at the 2012 Geneva Motor Show. Ferrari Chairman Luca Cordero di Montezemolo was responsible for the unveiling of the F12 Berlinetta, and now he is once again denying reports of a Ferrari IPO. Despite addressing these rumors last month about Ferrari going public,…
Fiat 500 Abarth Venom Debuts, Won’t be Sold in America – Video
The Fiat 500 Abarth Venom is the culmination of American and Italian minds working together. Mopar partnered up with Italian parts manufacturer Magneti Marelli to create the Venom variant of the Fiat 500 Abarth model. The demo vehicle was debuted out in Las Vegas and even had a surprise visit by supermodel Catrinel Menghia that…
Fiat Planning Third Model for American Lineup
The Fiat brand has had a bumpy start in the U.S. market, but the Italian automaker hopes to change things around now that its dealer network has finally expanded. Last year, Fiat 500 sales only hit 19,769 cars, way below its target goal of 50,000. But now with the Abarth 500 on the horizon, the…
Fiat Airs New Commercials Starting Tonight
Cocaine, beautiful women and tiger blood — these things can compel a man to insane acts, not the least of which is driving a Fiat 500 at speed through a house. That’s one image Italian automaker, Fiat, is hoping to portray (fun and youth not drugs and depravity), but the Charlie Sheen “House Arrest” commercial is…
Fiat-Volvo Partnership a New Possibility
A few years ago, Italian auto giant Fiat was very close to partnering up with General Motors. However, that deal went sour at the last minute and a few years after that, Fiat bought a big chunk of Chrysler in its quest to have a large slice of the American market. More recently, the company…
Fiat/Chrysler CEO Declines Salary and Bonus From Chrysler Group
Earlier, we reported that Ford CEO Alan Mulally had been awarded $58.3 Million worth of company stock for meeting company performance targets. Fiat/Chrysler‘s Sergio Marchionne, on the other hand, has declined a salary and bonus for the work he’s done for Chrysler Group in 2011. Although Marchionne is compensated for his work at Fiat S.p.A,…
Fiat-Chrysler Could Join Forces With Mazda or Suzuki
Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne is open to the possibility of a partnership with another automaker to help Chrysler-Fiat’s ailing sales in Europe, with Suzuki and Mazda being cited by the CEO as viable options. Speaking about the possibility of new partners, Marchionne said, “We’re not looking, but we are open [to offers],” at a discussion with…
Maserati TC Could be Revived by Chrysler
Back in 1989, the TC by Maserati was released and was supposed to be Lee Iacocca’s triumphant model for Chrysler. Instead, the Italian-designed two-seat convertible only sold 7,300 units before it got the axe a mere two years later. The original TC by Maserati was based on the economy K-Car platform by Chrysler and most…
First Fiat 500L Video Released: Geneva Motor Show Preview
The Fiat 500L was revealed ahead of its Geneva Motor Show debut last month, but now on the eve of its debut the Italian automaker has released its first video showcasing the vehicle bumper to bumper. The wagon variant of the Fiat 500 has the “L” in its name for “Large” and is the replacement…
Charlie Sheen Stars in New Fiat 500 Abarth Ad – Video
The marketing department has certainly switched gears over at Fiat. From the female-targeted J-Lo ads for the cutsie 500 to the sultry Fiat 500 Abarth spot featuring lingerie model Catrinel Menghia. Another step in that direction, the Fiat 500 Abarth is back in a new commercial titled “House Arrest” featuring legendary bad boy Charlie Sheen….
Fiat-Chrysler Still Seeking Partners According to CEO Sergio Marchionne
Fiat–Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne isn’t one to sit idle. The head of both automakers recently said that he is actively searching for possible automotive alliances. Marchionne has always been a firm believer that automakers should collaborate in sharing development and production costs. “We’re on the move,” Marchionne said on the sidelines of an industry event in…
Abarth Special Edition Trio Showcases Italian Speed: Geneva Motor Show Preview
Abarth is having a four-car party at this year’s Geneva Motor Show, with a trio of special edition models joining the already mentioned 695 Tributo Maserati. The three special edition Fiats from Abarth all made their debut back at the Bologna Motor Show in 2011, and the 695 Assetto Corse, 595 Competizione, and Punto Scorpione…
2013 Dodge Dart to Stay Sedan-Only, For Now
Based on the C-Evo platform from the Alfa Romeo Giulietta hatchback, the American-twin 2013 Dodge Dart will only be available in a four-door body style. During an interview with Chrysler Canada president and Dodge brand CEO Reid Bigland, he noted that sedans make up 90 percent of the compact segment, and are 25 percent of…
Audi A1 Convertible to Get Fiat 500C Style Roof
America might not be blessed with the current-generation Audi A1 anytime soon, but Europeans may be getting a convertible variant with a retractable roof. The A1 Convertible wouldn’t exactly be a full blown convertible, but a semi-convertible could be in the works sporting a retractable cloth top similar to what’s seen on the Fiat 500C….
Mopar Fiat 500 Stinger: 2012 Chicago Auto Show
Mopar is making an appearance at the Chicago Auto Show featuring four cars they’ve decked out with loads of visual goodies including the Mopar Fiat 500 “Stinger,” pictured above. Photos hit the media last week, along with the equipment list for the Stinger, which plays up the black and yellow paint scheme you might expect…
What Did Model Catrinel Menghia Really Say in Abarth Super Bowl Ad
Sex sells, even if you don’t quite know what that pretty lady is saying. Luckily we’ve got the subbed version of the popular Fiat 500 Abarth advertisement, right here! This spot, which was proved to be one of the most successful ads seen during the superbowl, was first seen way back in November. That doesn’t…
Next Toyota Avalon Will Meet or Beat Fiat 500 33-MPG Rating
Last month, Toyota alluded to the possibility that an Avalon Hybrid was in the works, claiming that a car under development would have “more space than a BMW X5, faster than a Volkswagen TDI and higher MPG than a Fiat 500.” And now we pretty much have confirmation that the vehicle Toyota Division Group Vice President and General Manager…
2013 Chrysler 100 Confirmed
It was only a matter of time until Fiat‘s small car DNA seeped into Chrysler‘s veins and morphed a small car capable of competing with the Ford Focus and Honda Civic, the Chrysler 100. Truth be told, that already happened with the Dodge Dart, which we reported on during the Detroit International Auto Show last…
Fiat-Based Mini-Jeep Delayed
Plans for a new Jeep model below the Compass and Patriot have been pushed back as part of a larger financial reorganization within Chrysler parent company Fiat. The new model, code named B-SUV, was to be built at the automaker’s Mirafiori plant in Italy, but a $1.3 billion expansion of that facility has been pushed…
2013 Fiat 500L Revealed Ahead of Geneva Motor Show Debut
Fiat has released pictures of its new 500 “wagon” ahead of the car’s big reveal at the Geneva Motor Show this March. Called the 500L, it’s a replacement product for the infamously ugly Multipla. The “L” stands for “Large” and helps expand the Fiat 500 range to four models. As for sizing, the 500L measures…
Chrysler CEO Applauds Employees in Internal Memo
Sergio Marchionne, the CEO of Chrysler Group LLC, has been in the media a lot lately thanks to his successful reinvention of Fiat and Chrysler as profitable companies. Announcing a $183 million net income for 2011 was a good way to start off the day for the surely elated Marchionne. Having brought the company back…
Chrysler Generates 2011 Net Income of $183 Million
Considering that a year ago, Chrysler reported a net loss of $652 million and that 2011’s income exceeded estimates, the report represents rather good news.
