Fiat Doblo headed to U.S. as rebadged RAM in 2013

In a move that truly shows how entwined Fiat and Chrysler have become, the Italian automaker, along with its U.S. sidekick Chrysler, confirmed today the launch a Ram-badged version of the Fiat Doblo van in the U.S.

The Chrysler Group has not released photos or specifications for the Ram-badged Doblo, but says the van will be imported from Turkey as it will be built by Fiat Group's Turkish joint-venture partner TOFAS. Chrysler adds that TOFAS will invest over $160 million for the necessary U.S. and Canadian homologation of the front-wheel-drive work van. TOFAS will set aside some of that cash to cover any North American, customer-specific modifications for the Doblo.

Chrysler says the seven-year deal with TOFAS calls for 190,000 Doblos to be shipped to North America. Look for the first Ram-badged Doblos to hit dealer showrooms in early 2013.

Source: Autoblog

Read More

Fiat bringing three new 500s to the U.S.

We already know that Fiat plans to bring a hotter version of the 500 sometime next year, with the 175-horsepower Abarth variant likely to come in both coupe and cabrio flavors. Now comes word that two other 500-branded models are on their way and one of them will be squarely aimed at families.

According to AutoWeek, we can expect to see a fully electric version of the 500 next year, packing a lithium-ion battery pack and carrying a sticker of around $30,000. Development mules are currently testing at Chrysler's Technical Center in Auburn Hills, Michigan, and it's assumed that the 500 EV will have a range of around 100 miles.

More interestingly, the previously confirmed Fiat crossover will be branded as a 500 and will come equipped with four doors, five seats and a new four-cylinder. The platform, however, will not be based on the current 500's underpinnings and instead use a new compact architecture that will underpin the Compass replacement, two other Jeeps and a new pint-sized crossover from Chrysler. Expect the mini 'ute to debut at next year's Geneva Motor Show, with sales beginning in Europe late next year with the U.S. version arriving in 2013.

Source: Autoblog

Read More

Fiat and Ferrari dominate 2011 International Engine of the Year Awards

Italy knows how to put an engine together – at least, according to the International Engine of the Year voting committee. The votes have been tallied, and Fiat has taken home four out of 12 awards. The company's 875-cc TwinAir mill has earned the title of Best New Engine of 2011, Green Engine of the Year, Sub 1.0-liter Engine of the Year and International Engine of the Year. Ferrari helped Italy earn two more awards, with the 458's 4.5-liter V8 unit being crowned Best Engine Above 4.0-liters and Best Performance engine. All told, Italian powerplants claimed half of the awards handed out.

BMW was no slouch, however, with the German automaker acquiring four awards in the competition. Audi and Volkswagen also earned recognition. A great showing, but the Italians earn the win thanks to Fiat taking the top prize. Click past the jump to read the full press release and learn more about the International Engine of the Year awards.

Source: Autoblog

Read More

2012 Fiat 500 Abarth

Covering the automotive business is rife with surprises. Case in point: On a recent trip to the stunning Algarve region of Portugal to test Continental Tire's new ContiEcoContact 5 (verdict: they're very good), we had the chance to sample a bit of forbidden fruit.

In the process of learning about the German company's doughnut-making capabilities (which included a journeyman's seminar on velocity-excited short- and long-chain polymers, the CEC5's three-percent fuel economy bump and improved wet-braking capabilities), one test car fitted with Continental's new rubber was a EU-spec 2011 aFiat 500 Abarth.

Knowing that the factory-fettled 500 is headed our way in two year's time, we snagged the keys to see if Italy's hottest hatch was ready to bring the pain to the John Cooper Works-infused offerings from Mini.


The 500 Abarth (pronounced "aah-bart" by the cognoscenti) is to the 500 as the Mini Cooper S JCW is to the plain Cooper. The association between the tuner Abarth and Fiat began in 1952 and has resulted in dozens of high-performance variants that add guts to the Fiat line-up.

According to the North American PR people at Chrysler, we'll be getting an American version of the 500 Abarth at the end of 2012 as a 2013 model. And it can't come soon enough.

Before diving into the experience at the magnificent Autodromo Internacional do Algarve (a.k.a. the Portimao Circuit) in Faro, Portugal, note this important caveat: The Abarth you're looking at isn't exactly like America's Abarth.

Here's why: According to Chrysler and Fiat engineers, our built-in-Mexico 500 Abarth will meet tougher U.S. crash standards. The European Union doesn't require that vehicles meet a rear crash standard, and the U.S.-spec 500 Abarth will ride over a superior rear axle design based on the one developed for the so-called NAFTA (North American Free Trade Agreement) 500 and run with a more powerful turbo engine featuring Fiat's Multiair valvetrain.

The NAFTA 500 Abarth's 1.4-liter turbo engine (to be produced by Chrysler in Trenton, Michigan) is expected to produce 175 horsepower; slightly more than the EU-produced 1.4-turbo with Multiair currently makes in the Alfa Romeo MiTo and Giulietta.

The Abarth we drove was pure EU, meaning its non-Multiair 1.4-liter turbo produced 160 hp at 5,750 rpm and peak torque of 170 pound-feet at three grand. With double overhead cams and standard fuel injection, the engine emits a fantastic growl.

The power comes on smoothly, and provided you keep the engine above 2,500 RPMs, acceleration is brisk. There is a bit of turbo lag, but nothing grievous.

There's a funny thing about driving on a racetrack, cars often feel slower than they do on the street. You'll note that there was no traffic on the circuit. The wide-open asphalt removes normal reference points that drivers unconsciously use to gauge speed. While the 500 Abarth felt okay-quick at Portimao (definitely not a track monster like a BMW M3 or a Ford Mustang Boss 302), we expect it to feel much quicker on the street as it squirts through traffic and blasts past familiar markers.

The Abarth's chassis is surprisingly well balanced. It tends to understeer at the limit, but not like a V6 Toyota Camry with 100,000 miles and worn-out soles. There is some push, but the 500 Abarth is basically neutral, carving through the curves smoothly and directly. Even with the stability control switched off, lifting throttle mid-corner couldn't instigate much rotation, a characteristic that we'd enjoy more of, as it would improve the car's tossability. Of course, lawyers hate this kind of handling because stupid drivers hang themselves with it (turn late, lift throttle, spin, crash, sue manufacturer), and if it isn't present in a European version, it's not likely to crop up in a model destined for the Land of the Free and the Home of the Brave Flesh-Eating Lawyers.

The chassis does exhibit some roll, but it takes a quick set and responds well during side-to-side transitions. This is critical on a circuit where back-to-back corners can destabilize a car quickly with ugly results.

The 500 Abarth's electric power steering communicates constantly with easily intelligible signals. You know when the wheels are grappling for traction at wide open throttle or struggling with grip approaching an apex. The feeling is light, but never overboosted.

The cross-drilled front and rear discs were up to mild track duty. Driven in anger, the brakes did fade, but that's to be expected. There shouldn't be any issue on the streets, while the heavily bolstered, Alcantra-clad seats work well to keep the driver in place.

The gauges were the interior's lone low spot, looking cute and funky, but not designed for quick reads while flying at 9/10ths on a racetrack. Shifting by ear and feel became the tactic of the day.

Of course, the track's smooth surface told us nothing about how the stiffer suspension reacts to potholes. Non-Abarth NAFTA 500s have softer suspension calibrations than their EU cousins, and that tuning may carry over to the U.S. Abarth. We caught up with some Fiat representatives at the New York Auto Show, but they remained mum on potential suspension settings, noting that calibrations and specifications are still under development.

Even without final specifications, we can assume that our 500 Abarth should be quieter than the EU version, as the NAFTA 500 has more sound insulation designed into the structure. Lets hope they don't tune out too much of the engine note.

If you're curious about the differences between 500s on either side of the Atlantic, here's a quick crib sheet:

Front and Rear Fascias
Because European license plates are considerably wider and narrower than those in North America, NAFTA fascias are designed to meet our plate proportions. We also receive projector beam headlights and foglamps while the EU has simple halogen low beams (the big lenses) and separate high beams (below and outside of the low beams).

Front-Seat Folding Mechanism
The EU 500 is encumbered by a clumsy front seat lifted from the four-door Punto. Our 500 gets a seat designed for a two-door, so it folds more easily to allow better access to the rear seats.

Cup Holders and Glove Box
The U.S. get spots for Big Gulps and junk. EU vehicles don't.

Steering Wheel
The steering wheel on NAFTA 500s include cruise control buttons. No such buttons exist on EU vehicles.

A-Pillar Trim
Due to differences in crash standards, NAFTA 500s use a differently shaped A-Pillar trim than EU models. Foreheads everywhere can sigh in relief.

Airbags
Side-curtain airbags in the NAFTA 500 extend protection rearward to the second-row. EU side bags do not.

For the moment, this is the intel that's available on the 500 Abarth. In the 18 months between now and the Abarth's introduction in the U.S., Fiat and Chrysler should have a good idea of whether Americans are open to the Fiat 500. If they are, the Abarth will be a welcomed expansion of the line. If not, it will be another footnote in Fiat's unsuccessful bid to reenter the North American market.

Given our wheel time, we wouldn't bet against them. The 500 is no Smart ForTwo.

As for how Continental factors into future Fiat 500 models, it's an Original Equipment supplier to Chrysler. As for whether the ContiEcoSport 5 will be standard fitment on the US 500 Abarth, the final contracts haven't been signed. But don't be surprised if they do...

Source: Autoblog

Read More

Fiat workers agree to concessions at former Bertone plant

Fiat CEO Sergio Marchionne has been working hard to improve the automaker's labor situation in Italy, and it appears the effort is begining to pay off. Automotive News report that Fiat has come to an agreement with the union at the former Bertone plant, with increased work shift and more flexible overtime as part of the agreement. The union initially turned down an offer from Fiat, which prompted the Italian automaker to suspend plans to rebuild the plant.

The agreement, which was agreed to by 88% of the workforce, makes way for Fiat to invest $739 million to overhaul the facility. Fiat plans to make the next generation Maserati Quattroporte at the facility, which has a reported launch date of mid 2013. The plant is also scheduled to build a midsize Maserati that will be tasked to take on the likes of the Mercedes Benz E Class and the BMW 5 series. The sedan is scheduled to begin production in the fourth quarter of 2012


Source: Autoblog

Read More

Fiat redefines "trunk space" for MillionTreesNYC initiative

Narrowing down the list of things for which New York City is known can be a daunting task, but its parks are arguably up there. Now the city is planning to plant a million new trees across its five boroughs over the course of the next decade, and Fiat has signed on to help.

As part of the MillionTreesNYC initiative, Fiat North America has donated eight 500C mock-ups with 12-foot pear trees planted in them to be installed along Canal Street and Avenue of the Americas. Eventually, the cars will be towed removed, after which the trees will be permanently planted, sans the Italian wheels. Feel free to read through the very short press release after the break.
Source: Autoblog

Read More