Posted on 09/25/2009 8:16:43 PM PDT by PilotDave
Chrysler thinks its future may be in a new lineup of smaller cars based on models from Italian partner Fiat. The question is how to make them for Americans put off by stiff suspensions, firm seats and - perish the thought - not enough cupholders.
The problem is further complicated because Americans generally are plumper and taller than Western Europeans, and they're used to driving fatter and longer cars.
It's a dilemma faced by nearly all automakers as they try to hold down development costs by tailoring cars to sell around the globe. But at no company is the problem more acute than Chrysler.
(Excerpt) Read more at thesunnews.com ...
Fix
It
Again,
Tony.
Yugo II ... yeah, that’ll work
Fix
It
Again,
Tony.
Right,and remember that Fiat got it’s stake in Chrysler for it’s ‘technology.’ Fiat put no money into the deal.
The obne piece of halfway good news in this gloomy picture is that the Alfa Romeo might be sold in America again.
“Americans generally are plumper and taller than Western Europeans’
Go Vikings!
Why does this company still exist again? oh right. government “bail out”
maybe democrats will like it
Americans drive mushy cars with crappy seats because that is all we are used to. That is all we could get back in the day. As a result I think most people don't know any better but would like better if they drove it.
Automakers need to stop this crap of “Americanizing” cars so they can sell them here.
Ford did the same thing with the Focus. They make a great one for Europe and England, based on the Mazda3. Here they sell the old one and they even went backwards and made it less crisp in the handling department, less power, and bloated it up while dulling down the looks. I Had a Focus...it was pre 2005 when they ruined the car..loved it...totaled it, bought the Mazda3 to replace it. Then I bought an MX-5. (Another small, stiff, firm seated car)
So go ahead Chrysler-Fiat, take the only good thing the Fiats have going for them out of them, then scratch your heads a few years later when you can't figure out why they don't sell.
I am convinced that most American auto executives are clueless about driving.
Hell, I already can NOT enter a Chrysler Crossfire!
6’6” or as I like to answer people that ask me, 5’18”.
It may be my overactive imagination but the people in those little German `Smart for Two’ micro-cars, when they go past in the opposite direction the expressions on their faces, well, I’m reminded of Aztec sacrificial victims in the movie Apocalypto at the moment their hearts are torn from their chests.
Well Americans won’t be so tall in the future with our population becoming increasingly Hispanic.
So, frankly, I don't care if they're selling gold-plated SUVs that get 200 mpg for a dollar a dozen, I'm not interested. They're not ever getting a penny of my wealth voluntarily. If they're the last car companies on earth, I'll walk. Period.
They bring back the Bertone X1/9 I might be interested. Favorite car I ever owned.
The Fiat 500 will probably sell well in the Northeast US cities and in places like Seattle, Chicago, and Southern Calif. It’s very popular in Europe. It’s getting 41.5 mpg excellent safety rating and good handling. Insufficient data for reliability although the Panda is rated average.
This is from the July Consumer Reports. It quotes from a review from Which? the European version of Consumers:
“Which?, a U.K. publication that like Consumer Reports does not accept advertising, recently tested a 500 and offered some thoughts from their review to share with our readers. (For the full original test, visit the Which? new car buyer’s guide, a premium service.)
In a nutshell, ***Which? found the 500 to be a decent enough small car, but one best suited for cities.*** Its small size makes it easy to maneuver and park, but its stiff suspension made for a bumpy ride and testers found it tiring over long distances. They also found engine noise intrusive. The 500 did earn points for its handling, with responsive steering, little body lean, and plenty of grip. Brakes were also very good.
Our Which? counterparts tested a 500 with the most powerful engine available in their market, a gas-powered, 1.4-liter, 100-hp, four-cylinder. Which? recorded 41.5 mpg overall.
Electronic stability control is standard with the 1.4-liter engine, but optional with the 1.2-liter gasoline or 1.3-liter diesel-powered engines. Crashworthiness is a strong suit, and the 500 earned the top five-star rating in European safety testing. Room for two passengers up front is adequate, but limited in the rear— not altogether surprising for a car seven inches shorter than a Mini.
Unfortunately, Fiat reliability remains an area of concern. Like Consumer Reports, Which? conducts an annual reliability survey of car owners—the largest of its kind in the U.K. Their methods differ from ours, and some of the manufacturers and models are different, but Fiat, overall, ranks 35th out of 38 manufacturers. Because it is a relatively new model, there is insufficient data on the 500 for our colleagues to make a determination on its reliability. The larger, less expensive Panda on which it is based gets an average rating. “
I had a 1970’s FIAT 850 Spider. What a POS!
Yeah, I had an Alfa Romeo once.
Combined the reliability of a Fiat with the repair costs of a Ferrari.
Ditto!
First in automotive trouble.
“Yeah, I had an Alfa Romeo once.
Combined the reliability of a Fiat with the repair costs of a Ferrari.”
I always hear that about Alfas. Pity though. I always thought Alfa Romeo made some of the most beautiful looking cars on the planet. Too bad they are so temperamental.
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