My colleagues in the US have been pushing 'Road & Track' Magazine to test drive my 500 in LA but after some long negotiations this is the response...
Bit disappointing really....
Jim
Jim,
I had a long, interesting conversation with Engineering Editor Dennis Simanaitis at Road & Track, early this afternoon. He was very welcoming in inviting you to drop in if you will be in the area (1 hour south of Los Angeles ), but indicated several reasons why they would not be interested to run testing or an article on your new 500:
1) Foremost, there are no plans for Fiat to market the car in the USA , so an article on the Fiat 500 would not get much of an audience in the USA , which is the primary market audience of their magazine. Of course, we Fiat enthusiasts think differently, but that could be foolish thinking on our part.
2) They typically look to the future to have all their testing done on a timely basis, so that the article airs at the time the car is introduced, so any testing for this vehicle would already be done (before the introduction of the car to Europe)
3) He was confident that their European partners, had long since done their research on this car already (he mentioned Ampersand??? Have you heard of that one?)
He was very cordial, and would have talked to me for 2 hours if I had time, and was very interested from a personal basis to meet you and your car. However, he was careful to indicate that any interest would be on a personal basis, and unfortunately not from the magazine.
We discussed the challenges of bringing your car into this country, a car which was not designed to meet the safety and environmental standards for US vehicles (since it isn’t intended for market in the US ). I’m sure that you’ve already covered all these concerns, but he wishes to express his advice that you be sure that you are clear with all the customs and regulations that would be needed for you to be able to drive your 500 in the US.
I was hoping for a different response. But, I can see his perspective.
Alvon
Bit disappointing really....
Jim