2013 Fiat 500 Sport on 2040-cars

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Marchionne threatens to move Alfa production out of Italy

Fiat CEO Sergio Marchionne was unsurprisingly frank when asked by reporters about potential investments in Italian manufacturing for Alfa Romeo and Maserati, giving the Italian government the ultimatum, "Italy should decide if they want [Alfa Romeo's relaunch] to happen here or not as Fiat and Chrysler have several alternatives." Them's fightin' words.
Fiat's issue with the government stems directly from its courtroom clashes with the Fiom labor union. The two are currently embroiled in proceedings over longer shifts and shorter breaks, as Fiom has so far refused to sign a new contract citing revised labor laws that it says are anti-union.
According to Bloomberg, Fiat will be spending over $2.5 billion on development of eight new Alfas and six new Maseratis, in a bid to wrest some of the luxury pie away from BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Audi. But that's only going to happen if the government is willing to play ball and make life easier on Fiat.

5,600 Fiat 500e EVs recalled for buggy software

Fiat will be recalling some 5,600 of its all-electric 500e hatchbacks, all of which hail from model years 2013, 2014 and 2015. Weirdly, this recall is being caused by a March 2015 software update. According to The Detroit News, last month's update addressed the software in the Electric Vehicle Control Unit and Battery Pack Control Module "to implement improvements in charging system robustness, diagnostic capability and range estimation over life. In addition to the primary reasons for the software update, Limp Home Mode was included as part of battery pack software continuous improvement," FCA explained. "It was because of this software update that the software incompatibility occurred where the EVCU did not recognize the Limp Home Mode." Should your car go into limp mode, "incompatible software between Electric Vehicle Control Unit (EVCU) and Battery Pack Control Module (BPCM) may cause the electric propulsion system to fully shut down," according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration bulletin. So yes, the March software update can cause your EV to stall. Vehicles built between March 27, 2012 and November 1, 2014, which sounds like basically all 500es, are affected by the recall. Chrysler will begin notifying owners with recall operations to begin in the middle of next month. Scroll down for the official NHTSA bulletin. Related Video: Report Receipt Date: MAR 27, 2015 NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V179000 Component(s): ELECTRICAL SYSTEM Manufacturer: Chrysler (FCA US LLC) SUMMARY: Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain model year 2013-2015 Fiat 500 EV vehicles manufactured March 27, 2012, to November 1, 2014. If the vehicle goes in to limp home mode, incompatible software between Electric Vehicle Control Unit (EVCU) and Battery Pack Control Module (BPCM) may cause the electric propulsion system to fully shut down. CONSEQUENCE: An electric propulsion system shut down will cause a stall-like condition, increasing the risk of a crash. REMEDY: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will update the vehicle software to ensure compatability between components, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin May 15, 2015. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is R15. NOTES: Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.

2013 Fiat 500e looks loud, runs quietly

Somebody wanted it, so we all got it - the Fiat 500e, the electric city car packed with enough Earth-saving tech that CEO Sergio Marchionne quipped (admittedly, early last year) that each one built will cost Fiat $10,000. The good news is that it not only comes with tons of EV-only gadgets and features, it does a good job, to our eye, of flaunting its electric looks and it offers the kinds of personalization one would expect of a hatch in the 500 family.
The multi-contrast exterior is grouped into three color packages, including an e-Sport Package that pairs mean with green. The Interior can be had in either Nero or Steam, both coming with Electric Orange accents, and a seven-inch TFT screen with all kinds of electric-car-status details.
Juice comes courtesy of a 111-horsepower electric-drive motor with 147 pound-feet of torque, using a battery rated at 24 kWh. Range is estimated at "more than 80 miles" on the 15-inch Firehawk GT low-rolling resistance tires, but Fiat says stories of "greater than 100 miles" aren't uncommon. With our high-res gallery above, you don't have to go that far to check it out from every angle.