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Chrysler trying to refit Fiats to sell in U.S(I'll take 2 - not)
The Sun News AP ^ | 25 Sep 09 | Tom Krisher

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 ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Government; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: automakers; chrysler; chryslerobama; fiat
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To: William Tell 2
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.

After looking over a convertible Mini in a parking lot, at 6'2" I'm not sure I'd fit in a Mini, let alone something seven inches shorter.

21 posted on 09/25/2009 9:36:35 PM PDT by RJL
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To: PilotDave

38 mpg. 70 mph top speed. Could probably be built for few thousand dollars each. With the depression coming, who knows?

http://www.treehugger.com/files/2008/01/wayback_machine_11.php

parsy, who wonders


22 posted on 09/25/2009 9:54:38 PM PDT by parsifal (Abatis: Rubbish in front of a fort, to prevent the rubbish outside from molesting the rubbish inside)
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To: bicyclerepair

LOL, that’s good stuff. To reply to this thread in general, I would never own another GM or Chrysler product. I’ve never owned a Ford, but you can bet your ass I’ll buy one after I finish my degree.


23 posted on 09/25/2009 9:58:15 PM PDT by xplodingboy07
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To: PilotDave
I had a Fiat Ritmo (POS)

Something was always breaking on that thing.

24 posted on 09/25/2009 11:00:58 PM PDT by VeniVidiVici (Hey Obama. Where is Osama Bin Laden?)
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To: A. Patriot

Spiders were junk. Key to the X1/9 was Bertone. Only repair problem I really had with mine was the small engine compartment was a pain to work around even with just regular maintenance.


25 posted on 09/25/2009 11:05:24 PM PDT by Domandred (Fdisk, format, and reinstall the entire .gov system. I am Jim Thompson.)
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To: wendy1946
...good news in this gloomy picture is that the Alfa Romeo might be sold in America again.
This is not the ultimate Italian sports car in my mind.
26 posted on 09/26/2009 12:23:37 AM PDT by carumba (The secret of life is honesty and fair dealing. If you can fake that, you've got it made. Groucho)
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To: William Tell 2

Sounds like a pork-and-bean can to me. No thanks...


27 posted on 09/26/2009 1:16:23 AM PDT by snuffy smiff (the most pathetic thing about libs is not that they lie, but that they lie unto themselves....)
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To: snuffy smiff
Sounds like a pork-and-bean can to me. No thanks...

I've been living in Italy for the past two months... these things are all over the place, and that's a pretty fair description.

About the only thing much smaller is the Smart car. That is a pork-and-bean can. Every time I see one I feel like I need to try to find the wind-up key.

28 posted on 09/26/2009 2:32:46 AM PDT by GCC Catholic (0bama, what are you hiding? Just show us the birth certificate...)
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To: PilotDave

Yeah, I’m going to over pay for this crap.
Yo, auto unions, F U


29 posted on 09/26/2009 3:23:53 AM PDT by Joe Boucher (google; operation garden spot and REX84 (FUBO))
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To: PilotDave

Chrysler doesn’t need to build cars to fit Americans’ tastes.

Chrysler needs to build cars to fit Obama’s tastes.


30 posted on 09/26/2009 3:24:10 AM PDT by mike-zed
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To: RJL

You’re right, it’s not made for someone like you.


31 posted on 09/26/2009 6:23:14 AM PDT by William Tell 2
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To: A. Patriot

You’re a dinosaur. This is the 500 not the 850.


32 posted on 09/26/2009 6:24:45 AM PDT by William Tell 2
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To: snuffy smiff

OK, nobody’s putting a gun to your head to buy one. Plenty of others will.


33 posted on 09/26/2009 6:26:39 AM PDT by William Tell 2
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To: GCC Catholic

Where in Italy? I hear the 500 is extremely popular in Europe. It sounds like the 500 will be popular here with city dwellers as long as the reliability is the same as the Panda.

From what I understand the Fiat 500’s reliability is average.

What do you hear?


34 posted on 09/26/2009 6:29:43 AM PDT by William Tell 2
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To: PilotDave

Remember: Fiat designed the YUGO!


35 posted on 09/26/2009 1:56:32 PM PDT by SERKIT ("Blazing Saddles" explains it all.....)
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