Chrysler intends to sell all three available versions of the Fiat 500 in the USA, including the base hatchback, the rag-top convertible and the sporty Abarth, according to the Detroit automaker's five-year business plan that was revealed to the press on Wednesday. As was the case with BMW and the launch of its MINI brand in the turn of the 21st century, the Italian mini will be sold in the States (as a Fiat) at Chrysler's dealerships.But not all dealers will get the 500, as the company's Vice President of Network Development & Fleet, Peter M. Grady revealed. The Italian mini will be sold mainly in metro areas at select dealers that house all Chrysler Group LLC brands and will include a dedicated salon inside the dealership.
First up will be the North American version of the basic three-door model that will be powered by Fiat's new 1.4-liter Multiair 4-cylinder gasoline engine. Sales of this model will start in the U.S. in fourth quarter of 2010.
The three-door hatchback will be followed in 2011 by the partially drop-top 500 Convertible that features a rather simple rollback canvas retaining the car's roofline and C-pillar. The range will be completed in 2012 with the North American launch of the sporty 500 Abarth powered by a turbocharged four-cylinder engine.
While neither Fiat or Chrysler disclosed any other details on the North American 500s, buyers should expect to see many special and limited edition versions of all three models making their way to showrooms.
Fiat plans to build the North American Fiat 500 at a Chrysler plant in Mexico.
FIAT 500 HATCH
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FIAT 500 CONVERTIBLE [INCLUDING SPECIAL EDITION MODELS]
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ABARTH 500 [INCLUDING SPECIAL EDITION MODELS]
38 Comments:
Yeah, the base model will cost as much as a Golf and the Abarth will be more expensive than a Camaro V6. No thank you. Chrysler can stuff this one up their along with the Caliber
F*** off, Fiat 500. We dont need this thing in the States
Great idea Chrysler. An Italian engineered car that was developed for the needs of European city dwellers and will be made in Mexico. Who would want to buy this Mickey mouse of a car?
Finally, a reason to say Fix It Again, Tony.
Is Carscoop full of 80 year old curmudgeons. (my apologies to 80 year olds that aren't curmudgeons)
You guys sound like a bunch of people that are stuck in the 50s insisting that things not change from the supposedly Golden Era of American prominence.
There will be interesting (to me) small cars like this one. There will be hybrids, electrics, hybrid sports cars, dual clutch transmissions, much more carbon fiber and other plastics etc. etc.
Cars will be safer than your '59 Bel Air. Cars will pollute less and be faster than in the past. Environmentally more friendly and yet more performance than before. Better handling and better braking etc. etc.
I find this automotive conservativism symptomatic of slowness to adapt to changes in the world itself.
You will go into the future kicking and screaming as the world changes around you.
Some of you may just not like this car which is fine, but some of you just don't like change...
which is actually fine for you also, but I'm just saying...
Do not deny the power of cute.These are all the same remarks made when the first BMW Minis
U mean cute like the Smart For-Nothing? How many of these did you see on the road? Plus, the MINI is a sharp handling driver's car. The 500 aint
awesome! i have always loved this car since it got reintroduced or redesigned....i forgot! the abarth got tested by Top Gear and it was an awesome car! this is on my list of favorite cars!
In big cities like NYC,LA or SF are perfect!
All of these sporty adornments take away from its classic retro look and could make this car flop fast in the U.S. It is a car that will attract mostly females and not the tuner crowd.
Many Americans, and indeed consumers worldwide, myself included, favor small, subcompact cars such as this 500 - a category generally referred to as "city cars".
There are many reasons for their popularity with those of us who favor them, including economy, size, cute factor, and this list goes on and on.
For some of the above commenters to denigrate this vehicle because of their disapproval of it, belies their bias. For them to assume that no one likes, or should favor, these city cars because they themselves do not - is ludicrous.
I've been owning and driving city cars for decades, and I will continue to do so. For consumers like myself who favor such cars, I welcome the 500 to America.
Wow, on my 22 inch monitor, the car is actual size.
Cool stuff!! I'll definitely take a look when they hit the States. Can you imagine the look of disbelief when you outrun some of the current overweight so-called muscle cars in a tuned Abarth version!
"It is a car that will attract mostly females and not the tuner crowd"
like HELLO....even in the US half the population are female??
"There are many reasons for their popularity with those of us who favor them,......cute factor,"
I hereby revoke your rights to be a man. Turn in your man card now.
If anyone buys a car because it looks 'cute' then I have a not so subtle pink VW Beetle I can sell you becasue it looks cute in barbie's eyes.
'Cute factor'; you sounds like an advertising copywritter...especally if you use a metric like that when buying a car.
And here I thought that the ignorance and narrowmindedness as displayed by some of the posters here had already died out with the rest of the automotive Dinosaurs. My mistake. Your stupidity is truly alive and kicking. You don't like the car? Don't buy it, but don't judge it until you you drive one.
Re: "Is Carscoop full of 80 year old curmudgeons. (my apologies to 80 year olds that aren't curmudgeons)"
I suspect that you have picked the wrong demographic, as I suspect most of the negative commentators are young with very unsophisticated opinions...20's & 30's. Curmudgeons would not be looking at CARSCOOP.
I'm 62, and will be putting a Red Convertible in my garage, hopefully an Abarth model.
Small Fiat's were probably the original tuner cars, and Abarth one of, if not the first, established tuner company.
3Deuce27
3Deuce27,
You are right about the demographics; it's just that many of the comments sounded to me to be coming from the stereotype of an old grumpy person even though I know they are not.
The other thing is how threatening a small attractive car is to many men.
Somehow they think that a small car, small dog or holding their wife's purse means that they have a small penis or no penis at all.
Really it doesn't. Just like it doesn't mean you have a big one if you have a big car or a small one if you drive a Porsche.
Porsche drivers like Ferrari drivers or any other car drivers will have penis sizes just like the general population of men...
I like small cars with brio. I like to drive with alacrity - not usually fast just zippy. You can drive a small car "fast" without really going that fast - brake late, take corners fast, accelerate with brio. You move through traffic efficiently and in an entertaining way.
As for a favorite conveyance of the American driver - the "sport" utility vehicle - there is nothing sport about most of those machines.
Asking utility vehicle to brake hard or go around a corner quickly is like asking a really heavy person to get up off the sofa... there is a lot of moaning and groaning and questioning – do I really have to? – followed by more groaning and moaning. (my apologies to heavy people that don’t do that)
Anon. Above;
'Brio' and 'Finesse' are not faux 'Manly' men attributes. And 'real' men don't give a shit about what the pseudo macho wannabes think.
Like you I have always enjoyed small bore Performance machines whether it be my 18.000 RPM 125cc Honda Twins or single, or my 93' Miata and 68' AH Midget.
Late braking or no braking, hitting the apex and then the gas(With the occasional 4-wheel drift at speed thrown in) are entertaining ways to enjoy small bore vehicles and you can do it anywhere.
I have had my share of very fast big and small block automobiles and motorcycles(And still have some), I just enjoy(ed)
them in a different way.
As for Sporty SUV's... The Infiniti models simply top the list when it comes to handling. Particularly the FX-35, though the FX-45 has the sound(V-8) to go with it's performance. Though when you get out of those and back into a Miata it becomes clear what they can never provide ... Brio! Finesse! Panache!
Thanks for the well written comment Anon.
Additional evidence of intelligent life on CARSCOOP.
3Deuce27
In October, the Fiat 500 was the 10th best selling car in the UK! While that aint gonna happen in the States, it could sell in reasomable numbers in the major cities
Smarter than smart dumber than mini.Look good but pricewise I can buy a good used BMW M3 E46.Come on 100hp vs 340hp, you decide.
the looks are retro cute like the Mini, as such it will sell well in the same demographic (young women and nostalgia fans who want a third or fourth car in their garage). these are a refreshing change from the ageing Minis and the usual blandness offered by most of the market, but no-one is suggesting they offer value for money -- they are not for everyone, and the price ensures most people could never justify the price of what amounts to an executive toy.
Okey dokie, as Michigan and Detroit suffer from unemployment, Chrysler decided to build this crap in Mexico. Screw them! Buy Made In America!
Wow, you readers are boring and unimaginative. On a recent trip to England I was lamenting the fact that we have nowhere near as many stylish and fun to drive compact cars as they do on the streets of London. And, this American city-dweller would happily drive a 500 or a Fiesta any day over hands-down ANY car currently available in the states. And when are we going to have access to the Golf TDI and other amazing diesels already available in Europe. I will buy cars made in America when American car companies start manufacturing a car I want (and can afford) to drive. At least Ford is finally bringing their best car back home... long live the Fiesta!
Drove one in Italy this summer. Terrific little car, great fun, cute and practical. This is not your father's Cinquicento (thank God!).
Should make Chrysler some money and should sell to similar audience as Mini.
If you like the European pocket rocket (some versions more rocket-like than others) this is worth a look.
I reckon you pull women in this car when you're one of the only ones around. You can probably pull women with a Maserati too, but this has a better ROI in that dept.
I love it . Where's the base models, the diesel and the turbo twin. .9 litres . It's always more fun to drive a slow car fast.
Quote from above idiot:
"Finally a reason to say Fix It Again Tony"
This guy's proof that every gene pool has a shallow end.
I'm an American living in Italy and bought this car about a year ago, I LOVE IT! It is a great small car, easy to park, great on gas, drives well, and has great features for a low price. Mine has a smaller engine that will be offered in the states,I have a 1.2L engine...the 1.4 should offer more power, but even the 1.2 is great on the freeway.
I Love the 500!! Sad to be moving back to the US where I can't get a 1.3L Turbo Diesel. The only reason we haven't bought one here in Europe is that we were waiting until we move. However, the US version does not have the Turbo Diesel option ...now I just won't get one unless I bring one over from Italy.
I would like to see if the 500 is "all that" like described on "Top Gear." I am not a fan of GM or Chrysler for taking bail out money, but it would be nice if this car catches on and makes them some money. I laughed at the Mini until I recently drove one. I gotta say it was fun. It would be great if the car was built in the USA instead of Mexico. I don't see how building the car in Mexico is going to help the country or the company.
The Abarth is a great drive and I can't wait to try it out over here. I'm glad we're finally getting some of the brilliant stuff the rest of the world has to offer in the states. Now if we could just get the Focus RS...
Any guess on MPG per newish testing method. Even if it is a bit more expensive I'd buy it if the MPG is attractive. I've heard they think the "multiair" engine is a real clever design ...
Whaaat?! Easy on gas, fun to drive, quick around town, easy to park??? Get this POS outta here!
But talk my wife into buying the ABART version in stripped red and sport bucket seats PLEEEEAAAASE!!!
reading these comments is upsetting to see some people making jokes about smaller cars ! you dont see whats goig on in thid f...ing world stop waisting gas!!!!!!! big cars a great true but times have changed many of you guys don't even want them in diesel !! but prefer waisting gas and having oil companies laughing all way to the bank !!! wakeeeee upppp dudes !! we wanna drives our big cars and the tell the world what to do !! and any how hope you guys will get up tomorrow with some common sence !!
Italian paper engineering paired with Mexican attention to detail assembly, with the price tag of a: GTi, Volvo C30, Mini S, Honda Civic, or even Prius? Sorry but this car doesn’t match up to a Kia or Hundai not to mention those cars above... You'd have to be a total ignorant loonie to purchase this car for this price.
A car for women!? Tuner crowd won't be interested!? If a Fiat 500 Abarth is good enough for Michael-almighty-Schumacher I think it'll be good enough for any guy that likes to go fast in a good handling, good looking (not "cute") car. Put an Abarth up against that Camaro V-6 on any twisty road and that Camaro will have it's ass handed to it & sent humiliated to it's natural habitat...a gas station.
WRT MPG, I converted the L/100Km into MPG and calculated the following for the 1.4 ltr engine: City: 28 MPG, Highway: 45 MPG, Mixed: 37 MP. Not too shabby! MPG is much better for the smaller engines that won't be available in the States.
Is there any real hard confirmation on when it will be at the dealerships?
I am in the market when I move back to the states in Sept.
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