Jay Leno's Garage: 2012 Fiat 500 Abarth

"This Car Is Phenomenal"

In-Depth Look at the Abarth

"Time to Get Rorty"

". . a lot of rorty fun."

Car and Driver

2014 Fiat 500e Named "Best Electric" by Road & Track

"It is deeply satisfying that Road & Track editors are so taken with the 500e. The combination of modern Italian style, sporty feel and a zero-emissions powertrain makes the 500e a truly unique proposition in the marketplace."

Jason Stoicevich

head FIAT Brand North America

Road & Track's "The Best of Everything" feature will be on newsstands November 19.

2013 Fiat Abarth: Chicago Tribune Review

"I just didn’t get the Abarth until I took it to the city. By myself. Without my typical suburban anxieties of practicality, versatility and space. 

In the city, at stoplights with narrow gaps to get pole position, in passing situations with a lane blocked by a bus, down alleys used as byways, the Abarth took over. This was not cautious, hypermiling, how my-kids-see-me-driving dad; the Abarth made me gun it off the line, made me see how quickly second gear would cause headlights in the rearview to fade, made me find gaps in traffic like a Manilla motor-scooterist. It was for the job, I swear; I drove like a jerk out of journalistic integrity. 

Forget the functional: The Abarth’s singular purpose was fun."

Robert Duffer, Chicago Tribune

Plan for Alfa Due Early 2014

Alfa Romeo sold 100k units worldwide last year, a tenth what BMW and Mercedes move. Alfa is product starved--the only models the MiTo subcompact, Giulietta compact, and the low-volume 4C coupe--and it deals almost exclusively in Europe.

A developing plan for Alfa focuses on a new RWD and AWD architecture, being worked up by a crack team of engineers who report directly to Harald Wester,* that will be flexible enough for Chrysler and Dodge vehicles. Alfa wants to compete better with German rivals.

The new architecture will underpin the Giulia mid-sized sedan and wagon, a large flagship sedan, and a mid-sized SUV/crossover. The first of these should debut in Europe late 2015/early 2016. All models built on the new chassis will be sold in the U.S. Replacements for the Chrysler 300 and Dodge Charger large sedans, as well as the future Dodge Challenger coupe, could be based on the new architecture.

*Fiat-Chrysler's chief technical officer as well as CEO at Alfa and Maserati.

FROM: Automotive News

Model of the Week

Hemi Fiat Topolino Model

SEE: AUTOWEEK

2013 Fiat 500e "one of the best small cars I've ever driven, electric or otherwise"

With more horsepower than the gas-powered base model, spirited ride, and handling, funky styling, and an 80-mile range, the 500e delivers.

Read Cars.com review here.

Marchionne Hopes Chrysler IPO Process Yields Clear Valuation Reuters

Because Fiat wants to go from 58.5% ownership of Chrysler to all of it, but the union-affiliated healthcare trust VEBA doesn't agree on share value, Chrysler filed for a flotation of the union shares last week.

"One of the things I hope is that it will become very clear exactly what the markets think Chrysler is worth, which is the only real reference point. There's a pretty clear process that leads to the IPO, and it places clear road markers that can be recognized by both sides." 

Sergio Marchionne, CEO Chrysler and Fiat

Sergio Marchionne

See all stories on this topic »

Chrysler/Fiat News (10.2.13)

Chrysler September Sales: Fiat and Jeep Have Tough MonthMotorTrend Magazine Chrysler's proud that its September 2013 sales results mark the company's best September figures since 2007, but they're not exactly stellar results, either. See all stories on this topic »	abc40
Chrysler files for stock offering Fiat seeks to avoidNew Straits Times US automaker Chrysler reluctantly filed papers for an initial public stock offering after Italian parent Fiat failed to reach a deal to purchase the stake of a workers' ... See all stories on this topic »
Little Fiat still eager to pleaseBT.com Thank goodness for Fiat. Such an exclamation is not something you hear very often, which is a shame because the Italian firm is back concentrating on what it ... See all stories on this topic »

"I'm a citizen of the world. I was born in the United States. I'm a global Italian. I want to export what Italians do best: design, style, taste, innovation and food."

Lapo Elkann, Fiat heir

FIAT-CHRYSLER ALLIANCEExaminer.com

The next few years are going to be the Fiat's announced targets for the separation of its automotive business which includes Alfa Romeo, Lancia, Ferrari, and ...

See all stories on this topic »

Chrysler News (9.27.13)

Chrysler float would mean different relationship with FiatReuters Chrysler, 58.5 percent-owned by Fiat, filed paperwork for a flotation of shares ... Auto Workers, which owns the rest of Chrysler through its retirees' healthcare ... See all stories on this topic »	ValueWalk
Chrysler's IPO pitch sends mixed messageGreen Bay Press Gazette Chrysler and Fiat CEO Sergio Marchionne is interviewed by the Detroit Free Press in his conference room at Chrysler headquarters in Auburn Hills, Mich., ... See all stories on this topic »
Chrysler IPO filing: 10 interesting findings on the Detroit automakerMLive.com DETROIT, MI- Chrysler Group LLC starting the process to once again become a public company with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission Monday ... See all stories on this topic »
Chrysler says it will resume Jeep Cherokee production on 2nd shift ...Toledo Blade Chrysler Group LLC said today that it will resume production of the Jeep Cherokee on two shifts starting Monday. The company temporarily idled the afternoon ... See all stories on this topic »
Chrysler prepares for IPO at trust's requestMadison Daily Leader DETROIT (AP) -- Chrysler Group is reluctantly preparing for an initial public ... Chrysler shares haven't been publicly traded since 1998, when the company ... See all stories on this topic »
Chrysler's IPO Game Pits Fiat Against Unions and ShortsValueWalk Chrysler's step to file for an IPO last week was an effort to shake one of its majority owners into doing what they did not want to do before. The Italian automaker ... See all stories on this topic »

Chrysler News (9.27.13)

Fiat chairman: Chrysler IPO puts alliance at riskAutomotive News MILAN, Italy (Bloomberg) -- Fiat S.p.A.'s relationship with Chrysler Group will change if a health-care trust succeeds in selling a minority stake in the U.S. ... See all stories on this topic »
Chrysler Unveils All-New 2014 Dodge DurangoThe News Wheel 2013 Dodge Durango It was back in 2011 when Chrysler reintroduced the Dodge Durango after a two-year hiatus. Now, Chrysler is unveiling the next ... See all stories on this topic »	The News Wheel
Chrysler Scales Back 2014 Jeep Cherokee ProductionAutoMedia.com - Auto News (blog) Production of the 2014 Jeep Cherokee has been temporarily scaled back, according to a report from Edmunds. Dealers are expected to receive the new ... See all stories on this topic »
Chrysler Restarts Second Shift at Toledo Plant Making Jeep CherokeeINAUTONEWS Chrysler announced that the second shift for the production of the 2014 Jeep Cherokee SUV at the Ohio plant will restart on Monday, September 30th, after it ... See all stories on this topic »

Fiat News (9.27.13)

Fiat chairman says Chrysler IPO changes business situationReuters MILAN, Sept 26 (Reuters) - The listing of Chrysler creates a different business situation for the Fiat group to operate in, the chairman of the Italian automaker said ... See all stories on this topic »
Fiat Plans to Take Full Control of VM MotoriNitrobahn Fiat plans to take full control of VM Motori, an Italian manufacturer whose ownership is currently shared between General Motors and Fiat equally. Fiat is ... See all stories on this topic »
Fiat to sell more cars in south America than Europe in 2013 - Elkanneuronews MILAN (Reuters) – Italian carmaker Fiat <FIA.MI> will sell more cars in south America than in Europe this year, Italian newspaper Il Corriere della Sera quoted ... See all stories on this topic »

Chrysler/Fiat News (9.26.13)

Fiat and Chrysler Play Chicken Over IPOBloomberg The Fiat-Chrysler deal has entered a new financial transaction into the annals of finance: the involuntary initial public offering. Basically, when the U.S. bailed out ... See all stories on this topic »	Bloomberg
Does Chrysler need Fiat?Fox Business Does Chrysler need Fiat? Advertisement. Details. Description. IHS senior principal economist George Magliano on the feud between Sergio Marchionne and the ... See all stories on this topic »

Fiat News (9.26.13)

2013 Fiat 500c Abarth CabrioThe Times Weekly Fun can come in small packages and in this case it is the Fiat 500c Abarth Cabrio. A 160 horsepower 1.4-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine that made 170 ... See all stories on this topic »
Fiat threatens Chrysler pullback if trust sells stake in IPOSTLtoday.com Fiat SpA, the majority owner of Chrysler Group LLC, threatened to pull back from future commitments to the American carmaker if a union-backed health-care ... See all stories on this topic »

Chrysler News (9.25.13)

Chrysler's Strength and its Weakness: Relying on AmericaWall Street Journal (blog) Chrysler Group LLC sells 90% of the vehicles it makes in the U.S. That is both a good and a bad thing, depending on which section you read of the Detroit auto ... See all stories on this topic »	Wall Street Journal (blog)
Chrysler IPO saying 'first ever' small SUV comingUSA TODAY If you decide you want to read Chrysler Group's filing for an initial public ... of a "first ever" new small SUV built off the same platform as Chrysler's smallest cars, ... See all stories on this topic »
Chrysler still facing union fight ahead of IPO?Fox Business Chrysler still facing union fight ahead of IPO? Advertisement ... Morningstar auto equity analyst Rich Hilgert on the union challenges ahead of the Chrysler IPO. See all stories on this topic »

Fiat News (9.25.13)

Fiat and Chrysler Play Chicken Over IPOBloomberg The Fiat-Chrysler deal has entered a new financial transaction into the annals of finance: the involuntary initial public offering. Basically, when the U.S. bailed out ... See all stories on this topic »	Bloomberg
Fiat rethinks alliance with Chrysler amid IPO filingAutomotive News DETROIT (Reuters) -- Chrysler Group was forced to file paperwork for an initial public offering by its second-biggest shareholder -- the UAW retiree health care ... See all stories on this topic »
Fiat Delays Alfa Romeo's US Return to 2014's Second QuarterBusinessweek Fiat SpA (F), the Italian automaker that controls Chrysler Group LLC, is delaying the return of its Alfa Romeo brand to the U.S. until the second quarter of 2014, ... See all stories on this topic »
Analysis: Fiat chief's dealmaking record at stake with Chrysler offeringBaltimore Sun MILAN/PARIS (Reuters) - Fiat boss Sergio Marchionne's decision to push ahead with a Chrysler IPO he does not want has raised the stakes in a buyout dispute ... See all stories on this topic »
Fiat delays Alfa Romeo's US relaunch again, to spring 2014Reuters DETROIT/MILAN (Reuters) - Italian automaker Fiat SpA (FIA.MI) has delayed again the U.S. relaunch of its sporting Alfa Romeo brand until spring 2014, a Fiat ... See all stories on this topic »