2012 Fiat 500 Lounge Hatchback 2-door 1.4l 5-spped 38-40 Mpg 3998 Miles on 2040-cars

Auto blog

Fiat to replace Punto with five-door 500

While American drivers may know Fiat principally (if not exclusively) for the 500, overseas the Italian marque offers a much broader range of products. But the Cinquecento has developed into a vastly more successful product than the rest of its lineup, so the Italian automaker has been rapidly replacing its slow-selling models by expanding the 500 family.
The original 500 hatchback has since been joined by the 500C convertible and larger 500L - not to mention the 500L Living seven-seater, 500e electric hatchback and numerous Abarth models. And soon, the Sedici is expected to be replaced by a new 500X. But that's not the end of it.
A new report from Auto Express indicates that Fiat is preparing to replace the slow-selling and rapidly aging Punto with a new five-door version of the 500. The model could adapt the current Punto's platform rather than stretching the 500's, but would carry the same retro styling as the rest of the Cinquecento range, slotting in between the three-door hatch and the larger 500L. Of course, the Punto was never offered Stateside, but as part of the 500 family, it figures to stand a better chance.

Four-horse race opens up for next Chrysler-Fiat CEO

There are some companies that could change leadership overnight and still remain more or less the operations that they are. But some have built themselves up around one central figure. Just ask Carlos Tavares, who found he couldn't escape the long shadow of Renault-Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn. Tavares recently left to find his own limelight. But Ghosn isn't the only executive who presides over two disparate automakers on opposite ends of the globe.
Having built up Fiat and Chrysler around himself, we can hardly imagine either automaker getting along without Sergio Marchionne. But the day will come when the famously sweater-clad bigwig will step down. The pressing questions remain when when that day will come, and who will take his place. The only solid clues we have are in the statements made mostly by Marchionne himself, but those statements have been all over the place. When speaking to Automotive News in 2012, he said he would step down "no earlier than 2013, no later than 2015." But a year later, he had already seemingly changed his tune, indicating he could still be at the helm in 2016. Fiat chairman John Elkann seems to think Marchionne, 61, could and should stay on longer.

Likely Fiat 500X replacement caught in new spy photos

Fiat is testing a new baby crossover that will likely be the replacement for the 500X crossover. The 500X never set the American market on fire despite its attractive styling and nimble handling, sadly, and suffice it to say that Fiat noticed. It's likely we won't see whatever this is come stateside, at least not in the near-term. Fiat has made it clear that its future in America is limited to the electric 500e in all of its (yet to be enumerated) forms. Those who want a baby Fiat crossover will have to settle for Jeep's more rugged interpretation of the same platform, the Renegade, which seems to sell well enough to justify its continued existence even in Europe, where they've made an even smaller one they're calling "Avenger." As you can see above, this prototype screams "500X;" The ride height and proportions are dead-on. It's expected to be sold with both ICE and EV powertrains initially, but if previous Fiat efforts are any indication (the current 500X went into production in 2007; the 500x in 2014), it could very well remain in circulation long enough to still be on the market when Europe's mandate for 100% electric new-vehicle sales kicks in in 2035. That means we're likely to see the petroleum-based models phased out over the course of its lifespan.  It might seem premature to dismiss this new model as a Europe-only venture considering that the car it is expected to replace (500X) was itself branded as an offshoot of the 500. Could we not see a 500Xe? Well, that train goes off the rails in the face of information provided by our spy photographer, who says this is likely to be sold as a revival of the long-departed Fiat 600 nameplate, rather than the 500. A rose by any other name might smell as sweet, but a model number starting with a "6" appears to be where Fiat has chosen to draw the line, at least for now.  Related video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.