fiat
Pogea Racing FIAT 500 Ferrari Dealers Edition Makes 264 Horsepower, Tons Of Torque Steer
1
Front wheel drive cars and big power are usually a winning formula to make a car handle like your worst nightmare. If well engineered cars from the factory, like the Mazdaspeed3, have unpleasant torque steer from a 263 horsepower four-cylinder engine, how will a diminutive FIAT 500 deal with similar levels of power? To be…
Fiat 500 Limousine Spotted in Germany
When we first set our eyes (in person) on the Fiat 500 in Abarth form at Tokyo Auto Salon, we couldn’t help but wonder how awesome it would be to see the Fiat 500 on American soil. And now that we’ve spotted it in Detroit and know it’ll be making its way to dealerships by…
Chris Bangle To Return To Fiat?
Before he set the BMW world on edge with his controversial aesthetics, Chris Bangle had a comfortable post at Fiat, where he designed the Fiat Coupe, a car never sold in North America but regarded as an iconic and revolutionary design. French auto website Cardisiac is reporting that Bangle, who quit BMW in 2009, may be…
Attention Armchair Auto Execs: Fiat Lets You Pick The 500’s North American Logo
A favorite past time of computer literate car fans is to log on to automotive-related internet forums and criticize the decisions of auto industry types with decades of experience in the field. Everything from marketing campaigns to product choices are questioned, and while this right may be a cornerstone of our free society, often the…
Fiat 600: Four-Door Fiat 500 Model to Get New Name?
Fiat’s cute 500 model is set to hit the streets in North America by the end of this year followed by numerous other versions of the Italian mini car. We’ve already reported on the upcoming 4-door 500 model but now there’s word of a name change. According to Car & Driver, the 4-door 500 will…
Chrysler Moves Fiat-Based Compact Car Launch Up To Q4 2011
Chrysler had previously announced that a selection of Fiat-based compact cars was slated to hit the market in early 2012. But in a sign of rapid progress at Chrysler (or anxiety over the supposed apocalypse), CEO Sergio Marchionne said in a conference call that work on the vehicles is advancing sooner than the company anticipated, and…
From Brazil, With Love: the New Fiat Uno
We love (well, a few of us here love) superminis more than the latest and greatest supercars. Why? They’re honest, unpretentious, and the literal background of many countries across the globe. In South America, there is no typical two-car garage — everything a family does is done in a small car, like the new Fiat…
Fiat 500 Abarth Race Car Gets Up on Two Wheels [Video]
Anyone who races a Honda Civic, Volkswagen GTI or other high performance front drive car is familiar with lifting the inside wheel when cornering hard. But these Fiat 500 racers take front-wheel drive handling dynamics to a new level. The video in question, taken at the Oulton Park circuit, shows how dangerous oversteer can be….
Report: Fiat 500 Wagon To Bow Next Year
Fiat is taking dead aim at the MINI brand and is set to introduce two new versions, a three-door estate (a long wheelbase 500 modeled after the Clubman) and a proper five-door hatchback with more interior room. Not surprisingly, these versions will be offered in North America, where the increased space and practicality should broaden the…
Citroen Nemo Latest Rollover Casualty Of The Elk Test [Video]
The elk test is one of the most infamous procedures used to evaluate new cars. A double lane change at 50 mph, the elk test was designed to help Scandinavian auto journalists evaluate the highway speed stability of a car, when the threat of a large animal in the road is a very real safety…
Report: Viper to Live On Beyond Final Edition?
Are Viper loyalists perhaps mourning the death of the venomous snake too soon? Maybe, as Fiat CEO Sergio Marchionne has announced that as a part of Fiat’s 5-year plan he intends to position Dodge internationally as an “American performance brand,” anchored by the Charger, Challenger, and Viper. Marchionne mentioned that the Charger and Challenger’s platforms…
Report: Dodge Nitro May Be Sold In Europe As A Fiat
. The Dodge Nitro is already sold in Europe, but parent company Fiat appears to be looking for a piece of the action. Industry journal Automotive News reports that the Jeep Liberty-based SUV could be badged as a Fiat product by the end of this year. The export model would presumably be manufactured in Chrysler’s…
New Alfa Romeo Spider to Be Built on Rear-Drive Chrysler Platform?
Earlier today Fiat CEO Sergio Marchionne outlined his company’s 5-year plan, even going to far as to discuss what products each brand in the Fiat family will deliver in the future. But Marchionne didn’t give all the details, leaving many to speculate and fill in the blanks. One such speculation comes from MotorTrend, which claims…
Report: Four New Ferraris Coming in Next Three Years Says Fiat CEO
As a part of a larger press conference held today Fiat CEO Sergio Marchionne outlined the product plans for each of the Italian automakers brands – including Ferrari. In an unprecedented move, Marchionne laid bare his plans, likely in an attempt to shore up support for a company that continues to lose money and which…
Report: Maserati Adding Two More Affordable Models to Lineup
Maserati is looking to expand down-market, with plans to introduce two new models in the next five years. The two models will span a rather significant price point, ranging from 55,000 to 70,000 Euros (roughly $74,000 to $94,000 U.S.). Currently the lowest price Maserati in the brand’s lineup is the GranTurismo, which starts at $118,000….
Fiat Chairman Luca di Montezemolo to Step Down on Eve of Company Reorganization
Fiat chairman Luca di Montezemolo will step down from his primary position at the Italian automaker today ahead of a company restructuring that will begin tomorrow. He will, however, retain a position on Fiat’s board of governors and will remain the Chairman of Ferrari. Fiat CEO Sergio Marchionne has announced he will draw out the…
Report: Fiat 500 Four-Door Coming Next Year; Will be Offered in North America
Fiat will bring to market a 4-door version of its cute 500 mini car next year and reports indicate it will be sold in North America. Word of a 4-door 500 model makes perfect sense for the North American market – especially as it will no doubt be a stretched wheelbase model with added room…
Chrysler Already Marketing Fiat 500 to Women in Michigan [with Video]
With the Fiat 500 (Cinquecento) set to go into production at the end of this year, Chrysler is already working to drum-up interest in the car and the demographic they’re targeting isn’t surprising – it’s women. But not just any women, but well-off women interested in the finer things in life – like the sort…
Chrysler to Build Alfa Romeos in North America, Cutting 5,000 Jobs in Italy
Fiat will cut u to 5,000 jobs at its Italian plants by moving production of several Alfa Romeo models to North America. According to a report by Automotive News Europe, the cuts will affect three Italian plants. Parent company Fiat hasn’t released the specific details, but it is expected that the models slated to be…
Fiat 500 EV Heading to Production in 2012, for Sale in the U.S.
Fiat will bring a fully-electric version of the 500 to market, with production starting in 2012. The result of the Fiat/Chrysler alliance, the Fiat 500 EV will use a high-tech lithium-ion battery pack. It will also be developed and engineered by Chrysler at the company’s headquarters in Auburn Hills, Mich. No information regarding power, acceleration,…
Report: U.S. Fiat 500 Getting New and Improved Platform Compared to European Models
Fiat has made the decision to use an entirely new platform for its tiny 500 model when it debuts in the U.S later this year. The new mini car A platform, which is also scheduled to be used for the upcoming 2011 Fiat Panda and Lancia Ypsilon, is an improvement over the current European offering….
Report: Leaked Chrysler Plans Show Long List of Revised 2011 Models Hitting Production This Year
The folks at AllPar seem to have gotten hold of a list of production dates for all Chrysler products this year, including everything from a revised Chrysler 300 to the Fiat 500. The AllPar team is also claiming to have some pretty big news on future Chrysler engines, including the elimination of the HEMI 6.1-liter…
Geneva Preview: Abarth 500C, Punto Evo Set to Debut
Fiat’s performance-minded Abarth brand will unveil two new models, based off of Fiat products that were introduced last year. Up first is the Abarth 500C, an upgraded version of the Fiat 500C (the C, standing for convertible). The car isn’t technically a convertible, but rather features a retractable cloth top and retains the roof rails….
Report: Alfa Romeo to Return to North America by 2012 Says CEO
According to Fiat CEO Sergio Marchionne, his company’s stylish Alfa Romeo brand will return to North America in the next 24 months, meaning that models should be on sale in 2012. “I’m a lot more confident now that Alfa Romeo will reconstitute a product offering that is acceptable globally, and more in particular in the…
