Fiat May Take 35% Interest in Chrysler

[Rolf]

Originally Posted By: javacontour
I'm not sure if I'd buy a Fiat/Chrysler, but it certainly adds something to the Chrysler stable which needs more fuel efficient vehicles.


At the time Chrysler made the decision to build the Neon, it had been planning to go into a joint venture with Fiat to build a car for sale in the US.

This would have been along the lines of the deal with AMC that Renault made that resulted in the AMC Renault Alliance (leading, of course, to the moniker of "Franco-American Motors").

Some of the Chrysler folks made a presentation to Lee Iacocca which began with some shots of the desolation near closed auto plants in Detroit, and then to a presentation on building a new subcompact in the Belvedere plant.

So, about 15 years later, the deal that wasn't made then is about to be.



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[rjundi]

I have rented a few FIAT vehicles and an Alpha Romeo recently and can only say its a great thing for Chrysler's current lineup. If they offer a diesel in the mix it would work well.

Reliability is pretty good actually. If they get some Alpha models over they have what US and Japanese car makers lack, style combined with driving spirit.

Good move on FIAT.

 

[Rolf]

Originally Posted By: rjundi
I have rented a few FIAT vehicles and an Alpha Romeo recently and can only say its a great thing for Chrysler's current lineup.


Fiat has a less than sterling reputation in the US.

I concur that the lineup currently sold in Europe seems pretty decent.



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[Mustang2008Z]

Fiat's reliability is as good as the "Yugo." By the way, the "Yugo" was a Fiat model car...See many of them around lately?

I think Fiat is given money by the Italian government to keep it going......Oh yes....Wonderful government subsidies, lots of "lira".............lol

 

[Rolf]

Originally Posted By: Mustang2008Z
Fiat's reliability is as good as the "Yugo." By the way, the "Yugo" was a Fiat model car...See many of them around lately?


The Yugo was *based* on a Fiat 128, circa 1969 to 1985, but it was not the same car. Assembly quality at Zastava in what is now Serbia was simply horrid. A 1987 Consumer Reports review of the car concluded that buyers would be "better off buying a good used car than a new Yugo", and also stated that it "barely qualified as a car." A Car & Driver magazine review called it "The Disposable Car by Bic" and said its manual transmission was "like trying to shift a baseball bat stuck inside a barrel full of coconuts."

Production finally ended on November 11, 2008 - Veterans Day in the US and Armistice Day elsewhere. The war against drivers ended.

A similar vehicle was the Russian Lada, based on the Fiat 124 circa 1966 - 1974, which thank the Lord was never imported into the US officially. Canadians had a chance to enjoy its Russian-designed tractor engine, and the car featured a hole in the grille for the hand crank (!), which apparently was a requirement in Russia.

Russian assembly quality rivaled the Serbian, and there are horror stories of various parts leaving the vehicle while under power.

The Fiats suffered from three problems: dicey tempermental carburetors, especially in the multi-carbureted cars; a completely lousy parts and dealer network that made trying to get replacements like playing a slot machine; and like the early Japanese cars a tremendous dislike for American road salt, which they exhibited by immediately developing rust almost everywhere.

The engines and transmissions were fine, and the electricals were miles ahead of the Brits.




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[ffracer]

I'm not sure which is worse, since Chrysler is our US version of Fiat. Fiat has some great diesel technology and certainly knows how to make a car that handles and is fun to drive - beyond just a straight line. Diesel + Chrysler may be something good. Now only if Chrysler could get its reliability and quality up - they could be competitive.

 

[hinterlander]

Anyone who has been to Italy since about 2005 and has driven a Punto, Bravo or 500 knows that these are pretty good little cars. I spoke with many Italians about cars in general, and they only have one thing in common - they HATE asian vehicles; no style, boring to drive and have the charm of a dead cockroach. American cars, however, they do like, especially Jeeps, Corvettes and our pickups. Fiat, just like American cars, still suffer from quality problems from the 1970's and 1980's. As for the strategic alliance Chrysler plans with Fiat, there is virtually no overlap in products, Fiat has the international distribution network that Chrysler needs and Chrysler has the U.S. distribution network that Fiat needs. As a bonus, the Fiat CEO announced today that he has no intention of running Chrysler, regardless of Fiat's share of ownership.

 

[Quattro Pete]

Originally Posted By: hinterlander
Anyone who has been to Italy since about 2005 and has driven a Punto, Bravo or 500 knows that these are pretty good little cars.

Having driven a company Punto (2005 model year IIRC), I wasn't impressed in the least bit. Significantly underpowered and a ton of cheap plastics inside. Then again, we are talking about entry level cars here, so if there are buyers here in the US for cars such as Chevy Aveo, then a car like Punto should sell similarly well.

 

[bruno]

First off ... The Lada engine was a Fiat block with a single cam head that was unique to the Soviet car . The Canadians liked them because they start well in very cold weather and they stood up to bad roads well . The Yugo on the other hand was bad news every which way .

As for Fiats I had two of them and the main problem was an indifferent dealer network ... really the same thing that afflicts VW today ! As far as reliability goes ... no problems and a hoot to drive . If you want lousy electrics buy British .

 

[John_K]

From Crysler's perspective:

F**k It's Another Takeover

Quote:
Having driven a company Punto (2005 model year IIRC), I wasn't impressed in the least bit. Significantly underpowered and a ton of cheap plastics inside.


Hey, perfect fit!

John

 

[moribundman]

Originally Posted By: Rolf
Fiat has a less than sterling reputation in the US.


Mickey Mouse would look good driving a Fiat Spyder.

 

[ToyotaNSaturn]

New company, new acronymn. Someone please help me finish this one...

Fix
It
Again
Tony
Cuz my
Hemi...
R
Y
S
L
E
R

 

[John_K]

Fix
It
Again
Tony
Cuz my
Hemi's
Really
Yucky
So
Let
Er
Rot

 

[Papa Bear]

Mama Bear and I would be able to pick up one of THESE at the local Chryco dealer.

 

[javacontour]

I think the new 500 got a favorable review on Top Gear in a episode I saw recently on BBC America.

No telling how old the review was, but probably in the last 3 years.

I dunno if the following link works as I'm at home, but Capt Slow raced with some BMX'er in Budapest in the 500

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eZmGv-ecm3I

 

[StevieC]

The new Abartha is very sexy in my opinion and if Chrysler sold them here I would buy one.

My dad is a retiree so I would get a really good discount, and he said the old 500's were a hoot to drive. Gutless but a hoot!

 

[Drew99GT]

Originally Posted By: moribundman
Originally Posted By: Rolf
Fiat has a less than sterling reputation in the US.


Mickey Mouse would look good driving a Fiat Spyder.

Sponsored by Mobil 1.

 

[Kestas]

I heard that Fiat will somehow become part owner in Chrysler while Fiat has no cash. Yet the American public has set aside billions for loan guarantees to Chrysler. Why aren't we - the American public - part owners in Chrysler instead of Fiat? How does Fiat get ownership? This was pointed out in Congress recently.

 

[rszappa1]

and the new Hemi is really not a true Hemi.....

 

[ToyotaNSaturn]

Originally Posted By: Kestas
I heard that Fiat will somehow become part owner in Chrysler while Fiat has no cash. Yet the American public has set aside billions for loan guarantees to Chrysler. Why aren't we - the American public - part owners in Chrysler instead of Fiat? How does Fiat get ownership? This was pointed out in Congress recently.


It's not about us, it's about a select few who control us.