The Audi A1 will have a rolling cloth top in 2013, though further details are limited. According to a report by German Auto Motor Und Sport, the company decided to go with a rolling roof instead of a convertible to save cost. The setup will be similar to what we’ve already seen in the Fiat 500c,...
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In 1989, Rick Moranis played a nerdy dad who accidentally downsized his children to an insect scale in Honey, I Shrunk The Kids. He probably wouldn’t have believed it if someone told him that 23 years later automakers would be doing the same thing to their cars. For those of us living in the North...
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While past reports have suggested that the Dodge Avenger is dead, speculation has apparently been a bit premature. Chrysler/Fiat have plans for a number of new cars in the future including the introduction of new midsize sedans which will update the Chrysler 200 and Dodge Avenger for 2013. The new Avenger and 200 will be...
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Look, we get it. Everyone wants to be a little optimistic when a new model hits the streets, especially when it’s one of Italy’s most iconic compact cars. When Chrysler first introduced the Fiat 500 (read out review here) to the American market, they might have been a little too optimistic by estimating that they’d...
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Fiat has finally announced the pricing on their 500 Abarth model for the American market, starting at $22,000 and will include a segment-exclusive, full-day Abarth driving experience. The 500 model that’s been “designed for track-day enthusiasts and driving purists who want the ultimate high-performance small car at an attainable price,” the 500 Abarth is powered...
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Italian coachbuilder Castagna Milano has their eyes set on the American market, and to lead their entrance is a stretched Fiat 500 limo in three different variants: LimoSun, LimoCity and LimoCity Presidential. To be frank, we’re a little skeptical that the American market would even have a demand for a Fiat 500 limousine, considering that...
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It’s no surprise that the 500’s return to North America did not make the splash that Fiat expected. Having sold less than 20,000 vehicles in its first model year in the United States, the 500 only did half as well as the company initially forecasted. The success of the 500 is essential to the Italian...
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It appears that the Japanese have also embraced Italy’s compact Fiat 500, but this was hardly what we expected from a Japanese tuner. Office-K out in Japan got their hands on a limited edition Fiat Abarth 695 Tributo Ferrari and figured it’d look a whole lot better in chrome. The Abarth 695 Tributo Ferrari comes...
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The fuel wars are heating up as automakers search for new ways to squeeze more mileage out of their cars. While some might take this chance to preach doom and gloom for future cars, Chrysler–Fiat CEO Sergio Marchionne isn’t ready to call the Road Warrior just yet. Some companies are turning to electric vehicles, others...
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When there’s blood in the water, sharks start to bite. If the automotive industry does nothing else, it fosters ruthless competition and a winner-takes-all mentality akin to professional sports. That’s exactly why reporters were peppering Chrysler–Fiat CEO Sergio Marchionne with questions about his company wanting to buy GM’s struggling German subsidiary, Opel. Outside scheduled announcements,...
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Pricing for the Fiat 500 Abarth model has finally been announced, starting at $22,000 making it cheaper than the Volkswagen GTI, MINI Cooper S and (presumably) the Hyundai Veloster Turbo. Though the comparisons with the other models aren’t exactly apples to apples on paper, Fiat’s 500 Abarth has the most impressive power-to-weight ratio compared. With...
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Oh how compact cars have changed… Chrysler, or Fiat as it were, is taking a march through the elephant graveyard and bringing new life to some old bones. At least that’s what the badge might get you to think. Fiat now owns 58.5 percent of Chrysler, up from their initial 20 percent holding in 2009....
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Efficiency is the new black for automakers and consumers alike. Even Porsche customers can get their gas guzzling Cayenne fix in a more efficient hybrid now or diesel soon, which is why it might come as a surprise that two new fuel-efficient guppies in the veritable ocean that is the U.S. car market seem to be floundering....
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As another calendar year draws to a close it’s time to take a look back at the top 10 biggest stories of the year in the auto industry. It’s been a busy 12 months, starting all the way back in March when the Fiat 500 officially went on sale, marking the return of the brand...
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Rather than a version of the Alfa Romeo 4C, Abarth‘s upcoming sports car will be a front-drive machine. Rumors of a stand-alone model for the Fiat performance brand have been circiling for months, with initial speculation that Fiat would share the 4C among brands. Not so, says the latest report, claiming instead that the Abarth...
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While America anxiously awaits Alfa Romeo’s return, Fiat has been getting busy deciding to produce the 4C sports coupe, packing plenty of lightweight carbon fiber, a turbocharged four-cylinder powerplant with 230-hp, rear-wheel-drive and a 4.5-second 0-60 mph time. The concept originally debuted at last year’s Geneva Motor Show in a matte red finish (pictured above)...
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Fiat reported that its sales forecast for 2012 have fallen a staggering 500,000 units, adjusting the initial forecast from 2.7 million to a more modest target of 2.2 million units. Its Chrysler arm is forecasted to sell 2.4 million units next year. Yet while forecasts have lowered, Fiat CEO Sergio Marchionne’s target remains high and...
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Fiat‘s iconic assembly plant on the Island of Sicily closed on November 24th and has been taken over by an investor. The plant, which opened in 1970 and manufactured primarily Fiat 500s was sold for a token single euro. Massimo Di Risio, one of Italy’s largest car dealers, is that investor. He plans to re-open the...
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The slow-selling Fiat 500 hit another snag after NHTSA gave the compact car a three-star crash test rating, a dismal score in an era where five-star ratings are practically ubiquitous. While the 500 got four stars in the frontal crash and rollover tests, the side impact result was a poor two stars. Only the now-dead...
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Sergio Marchionne, CEO of Fiat–Chrysler, is looking forward to 2013 for being a big year for the Italian-American brand. Marchionne is looking ahead to a collection of new Chrysler products, the reintroduction of Alfa Romeo back to America and have a chance to fully combine Fiat and Chrysler into one company. Fiat, who now owns...
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While the revival of the Fiat brand in North America and the acquisition of Chrysler suggested financial strength within the automaker, it seems no company is immune to the current global economic downturn. According to Fiat CEO Sergio Marchionne, “a better line of sight” into Europe’s financial situation and its future is required before resuming Fiat’s...
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You might find it strange, but in Europe when automakers release a new model, they don’t always retire the old one. That’s the case with Fiat‘s Panda 2, which will now run under the new “Panda Classic” title. Fiat debuted the new model at last September’s Geneva Motor Show, where it seemed likely the old...
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Dodge revealed teaser shots of their Dart compact car, designed to replace the wretched Caliber crossover, and so far it looks to be the first hit of Alfa Romeo-inspired product for North America. Using the underpinings of the lovely Alfa Giulietta compact, the Dart will use a 1.4L turbocharged Fiat MultiAir engine – good for...
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There’s no arguing with it— the Dodge Viper is a badass beast that churns out tire smoke faster than a hillbilly bonfire. That’s why it was such a disappointment when it briefly disappeared from the Dodge lineup, but fear not for the snake will be back soon. Chrysler has been pretty careful about keeping their...
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