Beginning to wonder if the Credit Crunch is already having and is going to have yet more of an impact on the 500 Abarth launch date.

What with Mini, the darling of the car market, reporting a fall in sales of 58% in the UK in November and the factory having to have an enforced extended Xmas break I'm starting to wonder what might be going on at Fiat/Abarth.

For example I saw this quote "As the economic downturn continues to impact hard on the automobile manufacturing sector worldwide, Fiat Group Vice-Chairman John Elkann has admitted in a newspaper interview today that it would be open to talks on the idea of a positive merger or partnership." This coming from a company that was making excellent profits only last year.

Of more specific interest to us, how is the Tychy plant doing?

Are sales of the 500, Panda and Ka going to be sufficient to keep it going without a protracted shutdown?

If there is a shutdown how much is this going to further delay the launch of the 500A?

What was meant to be a January launch seems to be slipping to February and now March - how far will it have to slip before Fiat will have been holding onto our deposits for a full year?

What is most frustrating is that there has been no communication from Abarth, even dealers seem to be in the dark - constantly being told that the prices will be confirmed and order book will be opened "next week".

I hope I'm wrong but this CC is getting me worried - does anyone else know more than me or have a view?

I think there will b a slow down in build of any cars, even lower priced 500s and Pandas - factory output will just be tailored to meet demand. When i bought my GFs Panda back in August there were 6 unsold 500s on the dealer forecourt. No discounts then of course, but the market is such now that discounts on 500s are available. Abarth production should in theory be a little better as there will be orders placed already and the car will appeal to the petrolheads and not just the normal buyers. Abarth orders should hold up better than the general 500 as a result.

All car manufacturers are in the doodoo right now - Lotus sales down 73% Nov 08 vs Nov 07 !. Mitsubishi no better at 70% down. Honda are renting an airfiled local to me for storing thousands of Civics. Fiat as a volume and lower cost supplier will suffer a lot less, their 'greenness' and lower prices drawing new buyers in from other brands.

Abarth factory is in Turin Italy, not Tychy Poland

Abarth 500 is already on sale in Europe, UK deliveries starting February

Thanks Rob but it doesn't really answer my questions re the launch and how the factory is going. Just because it is already on the market in Italy and Germany doesn't meant that they won't shut the factory for 2 months and further delay the UK launch.

These still doesn't seem to be any CONCRETE info on the UK launch or prices - it is all very vague and getting later in the year by the day.

I know that Abarth is based in Turin but I'm highly doubtful if they have much involvement in actual 500 Abarth manufacture. Perhaps they gather together the SS kits there but I would be surprised if it was much more than that.

I think when you hear about honda putting up their F1 race team for sale when they had a $500Mill a year budget I wouldn't right anything off.

I have just read that stocks the US Gov have in Banks over there have lost $9Billion over the last month and these stocks were supposed to be paying back the tax payers investment

Also Merc and BMW could be next in line to be in trouble as they both apparently have a huge amount of cars on Lease that are coming back next year and what with the current market value of big engined cars taking a beating with the big depreciation stick it's not looking good. Neither of these two have good selling small cars (I may be wrong) with the exception of the mini and even thats in a slump. That will maybe teach them to try and sell a small car with poor basic trim and charge the earth for it. Good when you can get away with it however not work now is it.

This is one of the reasons Porsche is trying to buy/Bought VW smaller more economical cars will keep the money trickling in.

simer said:

I know that Abarth is based in Turin but I'm highly doubtful if they have much involvement in actual 500 Abarth manufacture. Perhaps they gather together the SS kits there but I would be surprised if it was much more than that.

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No - Abarths are made at the Abarth factory in Turin

the 500 Abarth is not a Fiat http://www.italiaspeed.com/2008/cars/abarth/07/500_abarth/introduction.html

they will only scale down production if there are no orders...

I agree with the above. There is no logic in worsening the situation by not producing the cars that have been ordered, but I do agree with you that abarth uk are useless in keeping their customers (their sales force) informed. i had the salesman write down that the deposit was refundable if the car was not delivered by march on the order form!! If I have to wait that long I'll get a black one or even build my own, especially if there are cheaper 1.4 going around.

RobW said:

No - Abarths are made at the Abarth factory in Turin

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No, the 500 Abarth is made in Tychy.

As envisaged by the plans to revive the brand, the Abarth & C. Spa company has set up new premises in the Mirafiori complex in Turin, bringing together the manufacturing, design and management functions for the whole company, as well as the staff of the Racing Team who were formerly housed in the historical plant in the nearby town of Chivasso. This fully-fledged industrial structure was put up in record time, just eight months, and stands in an area of more than 23,000 square metres, where all the brand’s activities are concentrated. It employs more than 100 people.

http://www.duemotori.com/news/auto_news/23071_New_500_Abarth.php

alainmengoli said:

If I have to wait that long I'll get a black one or even build my own, especially if there are cheaper 1.4 going around.

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exactly what i have decided to do mate, develop my 1.4 Sport in the spirit of Carlo Abarth

Only race-prep work is carried out in the new Abarth facility, Rob.

AlexK said:

Only race-prep work is carried out in the new Abarth facility, Rob.

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cool, thanks for clairifying - looks like the marketing peeps have been economical with the truth...