2013 Fiat 500 Gucci Limited Edition on 2040-cars

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This sweet Fiat 500 Lego kit could be a reality if it gets enough support

Lego has been on a roll the last couple years with kits for automotive gearheads, and there's no end in sight. The company just released a sweet VW Beetle kit and will soon launch a Caterham kit. That's no reason not to ask for more though, so we encourage you to support this Fiat 500 project. The project is on the Lego Ideas website, where people can upload projects to share with other builders. The website also lets people support their favorite projects, and with enough votes, the kit will officially be considered for production. In fact, that's what happened with the aforementioned Caterham kit. Why support this Fiat project, though? Well, just look at it. The quality is excellent, which is evident by how well the compact and curvy lines of the little Italian are captured in the blocky medium. It also has all the details consistent with Lego's most recent kits such as badge and license plate stickers, a comprehensive interior with pedals and tilting seats, opening doors, and a tiny brick version of the two-cylinder engine. The creator, who interestingly goes by the name saabfan, also added special touches like a removable luggage rack and a sunroof that can be opened up. And wouldn't the Fiat 500 be an excellent complement to Lego's Beetle and Mini Cooper kits? Even if this project receives enough support, it's no guarantee that it will make it to production. Licensing would be a big road block to a retail release, but it's not impossible. So check out the video above to see some of the great details, and head over to the project page to vote for it. Related Video: News Source: saabfan / Lego IdeasImage Credit: Gabrele Zannotti Toys/Games Fiat Hatchback Videos Lego cinquecento lego ideas

Fiat Chrysler CEO says final merger talks with Peugeot going well

BRUSSELS — Fiat Chrysler's chief executive Michael Manley said on Wednesday that merger talks with Peugeot owner PSA  to create the world's No. 4 carmaker are progressing well and he hopes to have a deal within 12-14 months. Speaking to Reuters on the sidelines of an industry meeting, he said he doesn't expect any major obstacles that could delay a final agreement. "Talks are progressing really well," Manley said about negotiations with the French carmaker ahead of a briefing by the European automotive association (ACEA), of which he is president. His comments come a month after the two carmakers agreed to a binding deal worth about $50 billion to combine forces in response to a slowdown in global demand and mounting costs of making cleaner vehicles amid tighter emissions regulations. Manley's timeline for completing the deal by early 2021 is in line with a forecast made by the companies in December. Fiat and Peugeot are now getting into the details of how the merger will work, including choosing which vehicle platforms — the technological underpinnings of a vehicle — will fit which products in a combined company. Because customers in different locations still prefer vastly different cars, there is room for multiple platforms in a combined group, Manley said. "That global platform is an elusive beast," he added. "This concept of a massive global platform in my mind is almost a myth, but that doesnÂ’t mean to say weÂ’re not going to recruit significant volume." Related Video:    

Nissan tells Renault it is 'not opposed' to Fiat Chrysler merger plan

TOKYO – Nissan on Wednesday told Renault it wasn't opposed to its partner's potential $35 billion merger with Fiat Chrysler, the Nikkei newspaper said, as the two met to hash out the future of their alliance amid a deal that could upend the auto industry. The leaders of Nissan Motor Co, France's Renault SA and junior partner Mitsubishi Motors Corp gathered at Nissan's headquarters in Yokohama for a scheduled alliance meeting - one overshadowed by Fiat Chrysler's proposal this week for a merger-of-equals with Renault. The plan, which would create the world's third-largest automaker, raises difficult questions about how Nissan would fit into a radically changed alliance. Renault Chairman Jean-Dominique Senard arrived in Japan on Tuesday to discuss the proposed tie-up with Nissan, 43.4% owned by the French automaker. "We are not opposed," the Nikkei quoted an unnamed Nissan source who had attended the meeting as saying. The person also said "many details need to be worked out" before the Japanese automaker solidifies its position on the issue, the Nikkei reported. In a statement, the alliance members confirmed that they had "an open and transparent discussion" on the proposal. The deal looks designed to tackle the costs of far-reaching technological and regulatory changes, including the drive toward electric vehicles. Nissan, which has rebuffed overtures by Renault for a merger of their own despite their 20-year alliance, was blindsided by the discussions, sources have told Reuters, stoking concerns that a deal with Fiat Chrysler could weaken Nissan's relations with Renault. The tie-up also poses an additional challenge for Nissan CEO Hiroto Saikawa, already grappling with poor financial performance and an uneasy relationship with Renault after Nissan led the ousting last year of long-standing alliance chairman Carlos Ghosn. There have long been tensions between Nissan and Renault over the imbalance of power in their alliance. Nissan, the bigger company, holds a 15% non-voting stake in the French automaker, while Renault owns 43.4% of Nissan. Ahead of Wednesday's meeting, Japanese media quoted Saikawa as telling reporters that he would look at the potential opportunities afforded by a Renault-FCA merger. Credit ratings agency Moody's said it was vital for Nissan to stabilize its partnership with Renault to expand operational synergies and improve margins.