Fiat Chrys not a done deal yet

[Kevin1]

Mark, are you saying that you don't think a Chrysler/Fiat alliance has any real chance of succeeding in the US market?

A generation and a half has passed since Fiats were sold here. The only people that remember them are older farts (no offense intended, I'm one of 'em!) that aren't generally buying too many subcompact cars. If these cars sell, they will sell to enthusiasts like ourselves and to younger buyers who fit the demographic for subcompact and compact car ownership. Fortunately, the younger buyers have no preconceptions about Fiat. I can't say how many times I have been stopped and asked by some youngster "Cool car! Fiat . . . who makes it?" Anyway, I think they have a better than even chance of success. Unless the European press has it completely wrong the quality is good, and the overall design is well done.

If they do show up for sale here, I plan to be at the front of the line!

[wengr]

For there to be any chance of success, Chrysler needs to let fiat be fiat. Provide the dealer and distribution networks, open the doors under a FIAT sign, and otherwise stat out of the way. I wonder if any of the ego maniacal big 3 could do this? the key would be marketing to youth. There are not enough old enthusiats to make any difference. Fiat will need to alot of the kids who would buy the cheaper VW models. An affordable reliable car with some euro pizzazz can be made to look appealng compared to a small Hyundai. Think of the success of the modern vespa in north america. If what were going to see here is a Geo type deal then I predict failure - a fiat model with some garrish stylistic crap and chrysler badges bolted on, sold something like "The new Chrysler Romero - Euro style with the quality of CHRYSLER"

[jimincalif]

If what were going to see here is a Geo type deal then I predict failure - a fiat model with some garrish stylistic crap and chrysler badges bolted on, sold something like "The new Chrysler Romero - Euro style with the quality of CHRYSLER"

Maybe they'll offer "soft Corinthian leather" too!

[Spiddy]

Obama's spending habits are worse than my ex wife's were, and spending money we don't have ain't gonna fix anything...just going to make it worse!!

Somebody explain this to me please; money is money, it's an actual, wealth exists, the Banks were stuffed with it, right? If there were so many trillions floating around out there keeping things going, where's it all gone? Put another way, if there was a "car crisis", the roads wouldn't suddenly become empty, the cars don't just disappear, they're there somewhere. So where the hell is all the money? WHOEVER HAS IT, CAN YOU PLEASE GIVE IT BACK!! YOU'RE GIVING ME A HEADACHE.

Now I for one, hope you guys get to have Fiat over there. The new 500 is superb, one actually had the audacity to overtake my Beemer yesterday. But it's a bit of a dodgy time right now to think of expanding into new territory, maybe they are deliberately de-railing negotiations untill they get a fix on an upturn. Who knows? If I were CEO of Fiat, I sure wouldn't be rushing into any mergers at the moment - unless of course, it's Fiat who are looking after all those trillions

[speedracer]

Now I for one, hope you guys get to have Fiat over there. The new 500 is superb, one actually had the audacity to overtake my Beemer yesterday. But it's a bit of a dodgy time right now to think of expanding into new territory, maybe they are deliberately de-railing negotiations untill they get a fix on an upturn. Who knows? If I were CEO of Fiat, I sure wouldn't be rushing into any mergers at the moment - unless of course, it's Fiat who are looking after all those trillions

Well, think about it.

Chrysler only has 30 days, actually less now, to get a deal done with Fiat, or die. So really Fiat can throw almost any deal out there and Chrsler will have to accept, or fade into oblivion. I'm thinking Fiat will low ball Chrysler and get the whole sha-bang for a song. I'm not saying a Fiat/Chrsler merger will work any better than it did for Daimler/Chrsyler, but it might wind-up being a deal to good for either to pass up...

Actually I hate to see Fiat come back to the US at the expense of Chrysler...

[So Cal Mark]

while we know Fiat enthusiasts are excited about it, whether the general public buys Chrys/Fiat cars will determine the future of the company. The general media is still making Fiat jokes, which won't help sales at all. I do believe the cars will have to be cheaper or far superior to other cars on the market to gain some share.

[wengr]

while we know Fiat enthusiasts are excited about it, whether the general public buys Chrys/Fiat cars will determine the future of the company. The general media is still making Fiat jokes, which won't help sales at all. I do believe the cars will have to be cheaper or far superior to other cars on the market to gain some share.

You know Mark, I never got the whole Fiat poor quality joke thing. Most american familiarity with fiat would be with 70's and early 80's models. were they really that bad compared to thier conemporaries? I mean what cheap car was so much better. chevette? exploding pintos? Renault? Peugot? I'd say by late seventies some Japanese cars were good choices but it has always seems to me that fiat's reputation in america is somewhat unfounded. What do you think?

[speedracer]

while we know Fiat enthusiasts are excited about it, whether the general public buys Chrys/Fiat cars will determine the future of the company. The general media is still making Fiat jokes, which won't help sales at all. I do believe the cars will have to be cheaper or far superior to other cars on the market to gain some share.

Unfortunately, I don't think Fiat would ever be more than an oddity here in the States.

They might appeal to those free thinkers who don't want to be just another white bread Camry or Civic owner and it might appeal to some younger buyers, but I don't see them having any mass appeal here. There is alot of competition out there, far more than the last time Fiat was here, and they couldn't make it then, so I have real doubts about them succeeding against so many competitors today.

Couple that with Chrysler, who IMHO, is making the ugliest cars on the market these days, cars that are only suited for gangsta wannabees. Bring back the cab-forward design - please!

[speedracer]

You know Mark, I never got the whole Fiat poor quality joke thing. Most american familiarity with fiat would be with 70's and early 80's models. were they really that bad compared to thier conemporaries? I mean what cheap car was so much better. chevette? exploding pintos? Renault? Peugot? I'd say by late seventies some Japanese cars were good choices but it has always seems to me that fiat's reputation in america is somewhat unfounded. What do you think?

You make some good points there wengr.

When compared to the likes of those cars you mentioned the Fiat was easily there equal, if not superior. However none of the cars you mentioned had long prosperous lives here either. The Japanese cars stole the show when they arrived. They showed everyone how good a 4 cylinder econbox could be, and Fiat, Peugot or Pintos were never going to compete with them.

But as good as the Japanese cars were/are, I think they have taken the soul out of automaking. Today, it's hard to tell a Chevy from a Honda from a Toyota. All seem to be angling to get that Japanese look. They all look the same, nearly all have stupid names and besides a few cars out there, none really stir the passion anymore when you look at them. For all of Fiats quirks, they at least were a fun to drive expierience.

[spidernut]

There's one way Fiat can control the jibes about quality - that's ensure they have engineered and built a quality product followed up with excellent service after the sale. Think about the quality jokes about Japanese junk (1960s), Korean Junk (1980s) and Chinese Junk (2000s). Japanese cars overcame the reputation, Korean cars have nearly eliminated their initial poor reputation and Chinese cars have yet to debut in the US so they have the hardest road ahead.

Fiat can do it, if they do it right out of the gate.

[So Cal Mark]

one big problem is that you throw Chrysler into the reliability mix, not something they've been famous for

[Kevin1]

one big problem is that you throw Chrysler into the reliability mix, not something they've been famous for

True. Fiat will do best, I think, if they bring their cars to the US under their own name instead of a badge-ebgineered Chrysler or Dodge product. The Fiat name is relatively unknown here so they stand to have a second chance at making a good first impression. The quality of their current products is good, but they will need to keep their prices competitive to get a foothold in this econimic environment.
Motor Trend published a Chrysler timeline for new models that was taken from their current recovery plan. It shows the 500 and "another" current Fiat model being imported asap to build showroom traffic and interest while they tool up for other models. If the 500 makes it here, the Mazda6 becomes a trade-in.