Today's deal between FIAT and Chrysler

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Today's deal between FIAT and Chrysler

Reaperman

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I've got to confess, I was starting to doubt this day would come. Who would have thought the unions would actually come through, and the last-minute drama with chrysler's creditors, government loans and the bankruptcy.

But somehow out of all that, we did get our deal with FIAT. Today's a good day--for me anyway.

The circumstances aren't the happiest--chrysler used to make some of this country's best small cars themselves, but somehow they lost their way. Still, after this bankruptcy, with a new FIAT deal, prospects aren't looking terribly bad for Chrysler. I guess the big questions I have left are 'what's comming?', and 'when?'

I'm looking at the sportier 500's myself.
 
Fiat did request that Chrysler would have to change its working methods in order for the deal to go ahead. Obviously Chrysler came to some kind of agreement.
Also Fiat said Chrysler would have to look at changing the sizes of some of its cars from SUVs and 4x4s to smaller, more economical vehicles.

The 500 won't be coming to you guys until 2010! =/
 
chrysler has to totally change, drop it's entire range:

http://www.chrysler.com/en/

dull, boring, overweight, poorly designed, and from what i saw in one dealership, so badly made, with awful materials, makes my uno look like a bentley.

all the stone age "tech" has to be binned, and the unions given a kick in the backside, play by the new masters rules, or the factories close, and you get shafted. they had a chance with mercedes, and that was less than awesome.

the chance here is to make something totally new, not like "saturn" or any of that lip service cack people like iaccoca, mays and ford have been talking up for so long the american public actually believe the **** sandwich they eating is good. a whole new brand, new product, new production, new style, new union, everything, drop the past, it's dead, chrysler has proved it's past is not strong enough to secure its future, cut the ties and give yourself a chance.

or of course, you can keep spouting the same old line, and you can follow rover in oblivion
 
Well, the fact that they bought out Daewoo in the UK probably didn't give them any advantages either. I know it was years ago, but it didn't really help them, as the cars they [Daewoo] designed weren't really decent either. :p

However I am looking forward to Fiat going out into the States. I know the FIAT Freakout lot will be impressed.
 
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chrysler has to totally change, drop it's entire range:
oh it's worse than just that link--Chrysler's other brands, Dodge and Jeep have really gone downhill over the last decade too. There actually are no compacts or subcompacts in *any* of chrysler's lines anymore. I can't think how they expected to survive. Especially in a world where gas prices can more than double at any time.

The wife recently got rid of a Chrysler product--a 1997 Plymouth Neon Expresso. It was cheap, light and quick. It lacked a certain reliability, but aside from that, it was good fun. Can't think why they stopped making them. We had one heck of a time finding a suitable replacement--hatchbacks, coupes and cars under 3,000 lbs in general have gotten scarce. Maybe with FIAT engines and drivetrains Chrysler can again come up with small but fun.

doesn't much matter much to me what else chrysler ends up doing with their new FIAT technology though. As long as I get a chance to buy a 500.
 
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Well, the fact that they bought out Daewoo in the UK probably didn't give them any advantages either. I know it was years ago, but it didn't really help them, as the cars they [Daewoo] designed weren't really decent either. :p

However I am looking forward to Fiat going out into the States. I know the FIAT Freakout lot will be impressed.



Daewoo was re badged as Chevrolet.
 
Daewoo was re badged as Chevrolet.

Yes - GM not Chrysler. There just isn't a place in the 21st century for traditional large American cars. In my stupid way I can't understand why GM and Ford don't sell more of their Euro range in the US. They are damned good cars and ready to roll.
 
I reckon it will take them a year to tool up for the US market, and modify some of the products they intend to sell there. By that time the new Multiar engines and dual clutch transmissions will be on stream and Fiat will be able to offer cars which should really appeal to Americans.

Looks like they'll get the the 500 and a Bravo based car, maybe on the longer Lancia Delta wheelbase, plus a couple of Alfas of course.

Then add the improved Chrysler/Jeep engines and you have the recipe for recovery. Oh, and the new Chrysler V6 looks like a pretty good engine for Alfa's big car too.
 
I hope they give them the Grande Punto and maybe the Multipla, I know there's someone on here that wants to import one into the States (a resident in the USA, not Jim Magill!)... Maybe they look too european for the American market, though?
 
Yes - GM not Chrysler. There just isn't a place in the 21st century for traditional large American cars. In my stupid way I can't understand why GM and Ford don't sell more of their Euro range in the US. They are damned good cars and ready to roll.
I agree, but generally I think US carmakers are still a little worried they won't sell. For example Saturn tried selling rebadged Astras--which might have worked better had the rebadging not been so ugly. And ford's bringing us the new Fiesta.

Back when they were new, I even looked into importing a lastgen Fiesta ST from Mexico. But even with free-trade agreements, that would have been a lot harder than one would think. Mexico actually does get quite a number of european compacts, odd that the US sees so few.

I believe US carmakers have recently come to understand that they were completely wrong in anticipating what car models Americans wanted to buy. Chrysler didn't go broke by selling through all their muscle cars. They certainly do have a fanbase, but there is entirely too much selection in that segment.

Oh and we have that chevrolet (and Pontiac) badged daewoo too. Not too many on the road though. Awfully expensive for a joyless korean car.
 
The Grande Punto is getting on a bit, but as Americans like boots they might get the Linea, which is a long wheelbase GP with a boot, and quite handsome.

Sadly the Multipla is too odd looking for America, and here for that matter, but they might get the replacement due maybe later this year. The thing is, the number of Americans who appreciate hatchbacks and anything slightly unusual is relatively small; they tend to be very conservative buyers.

I'd say the Bravo, the 500 and maybe the Linea, with modified components to comply with American regulations, and the new engines and gearboxes. Fiat needs to get the product to market as soon as possible, but not to get the wrong quality and spec for want of taking time to get it right first time. There will be no second time.
 
Maybe they could make some exclusives for America, or is that unlikely also?

[ OT: I wonder if Fiat are planning a Grande Punto MK2 ? ]
 
The Gp is getting on a bit? Its just coming up for 3yrs old this year and facelift is due out next year with new dash etc etc to rein in the fiesta.
Really? Thanks for letting me know that. :p Sounds good.
 
It just seems to have been around for ages.

I see more and more new Fiestas, and already the shape is looking very fussy and ordinary. They simply reveal the design quality of the GP: I hope the revision doesn't mess it up.

I wonder though if a Bravo and a GP don't cover the same ground?
 
One hurdle to overcome is how to get a highly tuned italian stallion to feed off american premium 93ron and not go crazy....

I remember asking the same question when Jim took the 500 stateside. Apparently American petrol is marked in a different way to ours.

American Octane numbers and ours are different. There is a converter here:

http://www.csgnetwork.com/octaneratecalc.html

95 octane in Europe is 89 in the states

Or maybe this post from another froum might help (although slightly contradictory):

US 91 octane (RON+MON/2) is the same as EU 95 octane (RON). Use the 91 octane for best performance. Note the EU 95 RON is the lowest we get here in the UK, hence the usual advice in the EU is to use the cheapest available - this doesn't apply in the US.


Doesn't Chrysler have a funky new V6 on the way?
Might see a technical move from America to Europe I seem to recall thinking it might sit nicely in a GTA engine bay after some Alfa fettling.
 
In some ways the GP and the Bravo do cover the same ground. 4/5 seater hatchbacks. If you were tooling up for production in a new country, which has an aversion to hatchbacks anyway, would you build both? I'd go for the Bravo and add the Linea, possibly with a new dash.

Oh, and the new Chrysler V6 looks like a pretty good engine for Alfa's big car too.

This is the 'funky' new engine I was talking about. Add Multiair and you probably have something really useful.
 
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