consider those tax dollars flushed...The Fiat 500 Nuova is the first announced vehicle to come over to the U.S. as part of Fiat's ownership/control of Chrysler. Supposedly filling a niche that Chrysler does not possess a model for, the 500 is a small urban runabout, popular in Europe.
Sorry...that garbage isn't going to work here...
First off, the design of the vehicle will be five years old at the time of its introduction here. Five years is about the maximum length of time any modern model lasts before a complete redesign and yet Fiat wants to dump this aging model into what is the most competitive auto market in the world.
Next you have the looks of the vehicle itself. Right away you notice its only available in a two door. Sorry, we Americans only want two doors in our sports coupes and convertibles. The 500 is neither. Oh, and don't forget the downright horridly cheap and childish golf like look. This model just SCREAMS "Hi, I'm like my beers light and my loafers lighter...", any self respecting American male found driving one of these should be shot on sight out of respect for the male gene pool.
Bottom line: The Fiat 500 (and by proxy) Chrysler will be disasters of historic proportions. I just hope that the Polish factory workers building these "cars" destined for American shores, have solid, union backed, socialist society driven contracts...And just ask yourself...Do you remember the last far Eastern European built car to come to these shores?? I do...
The 500 will be manufactured on this continent, with the engines asemblied right here in the USA. There will be a Mini Cooper equivalent model, the Abarth, that will appeal to a great many would be racers. The rise of gasoline prices will have a great many Americans driving small cars. The car will also be sold in both North and South America. The engines for the car being produced in the good ole USA and vehicle assembly in Mexico.
ReplyDeleteThr 500 is of course only one of the many parts of the plan for Chrysler to be revived by combioning the technologies of Chrysler and Fiat.
Latest reports are that the initial batch of 500's to arrive on these shores WILL be from Poland...yes, eventually they will be produced here but not the initial vehicles.
ReplyDeleteIf you've noticed, gas prices have stablized and the F150 is still the best selling vehicle in America. Nissan dealers in particular are clamoring for more truck/SUV production. I don't doubt that the small car has its place in America, just not dominent one at this point.
The Fiat 500 on the other hand is likely to be received about as well as the Smart...an interesting curiosity but nothing more...worse, it will establish such a negative trend for Fiat here, it will not recover and you will see the exit of Chrysler/Fiat from the American market in short order with Dodge/Jeep operating on their own or spun off by Fiat in an attempt to recoup its losses...