2015 Fiat 500 Pop Hatchback on 2040-cars

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Fiat Chrysler to recall 100,000 Ram ProMaster vans over engine fire risk

Fiat Chrysler is recalling nearly 100,000 Ram ProMaster vans sold in the U.S. to address an overheating issue in fan motors. The recall is limited to vans from the 2015 through 2018 model years equipped with air conditioning. The recall affects ProMaster vans equipped with 3.0-liter diesel or 3.6-liter gasoline engines. FCA says the engine cooling fans may seize up and the circuit breaker may not protect them from overheating, presenting a heightened risk of fire. That’s despite a warning-light illumination in the vans. FCA first opened an investigation in July after the U.S. Postal Service reported incidents where the engine compartment caught fire. It says it is not aware of any injuries related to the issue despite 21 complaints of smoke or fire and 13 reports from dealers. A remedy is still under development. The recall is estimated to launch in the first quarter of 2020. Separately, FCA says itÂ’s recalling an estimated 51,788 Fiat 500 compact cars from 2012 and 2013 in the U.S. to replace faulty shift-cable bushings that may degrade over time from exposure to heat and humidity. That could cause the shift cable to separate from the transmission linkage, making the shifter inoperable. The company says itÂ’s aware of three minor accidents that could be related to the issue, but no potentially related injuries. Affected customers may notice looser shifter movement, although the instrument cluster will always indicate the correct gear selected. Service will be provided free of charge, and customers will be notified. Owners with questions can also call 800-853-1403. The Fiat 500 recall also affects an estimated 10,627 models in Canada, 3,520 in Mexico and 6,826 outside North America.

It turns out the Fiat 500X isn't a track car

Our long-term Fiat 500X has been a trusty sidekick for road trips, errands, and all the other tasks you normally throw at a baby crossover. But our exhaustive testing does not stop there. On a recent trip to GingerMan Raceway (where we tracked the BMW M2, Ford Focus RS, and our long-term Mazda Miata) the little green Fiat came along on camera-lugging duty. And then Mike and I got in and took it for a hot lap. Though this may seem crazy on the surface, let me try and defend myself. The mode switch on the 500X's center console has a little graphic of the crossover next to a waving checkered flag to signify Sport mode. That was really all the indication I needed to confirm the vehicle's true intentions. So we switched it to track attack, did a brake-torqued launch, and went hunting for apexes. As you'll see in the video above, the baby Fiat ute was actually kind of entertaining on the track. Its torquey 2.4-liter engine engine is fun enough to work, and the nine-speed auto shifted relatively quickly (when I remembered to request shifts). We (okay, I) sort of forgot the last rule of hot-lap club. Wait for the end to find out what I mean. So no, we didn't set any lap records. Except we probably set the track record for a 500X, because I can't imagine anyone else is going to take theirs to GingerMan any time soon. But please, prove me wrong. Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. Fiat Long-Term Garage Crossover Performance Videos Original Video fiat 500x

Fiat 500e order guide shows $32,500 starting price for the U.S. market

UPDATE: After publishing this post, Fiat announced its Fiat Pass with some images of the 500e Red, one of the initial trims to ship to U.S. dealers. The pass is "a digital collectible that acts as a social VIN to unlock fun rewards and extraordinary experiences that celebrate the FIAT brand’s iconic heritage and its shared, sustainable future." The benefits of signing up for an as-yet-unknown price include priority access to order the 500e Red, digital art, "mobility credit" for driving the 500e, and "priority access to future vehicle releases." Here's a photo of the 500e Red, followed by the original post: Last year, Fiat said its cute, dinky 500e electric hatchback would go on sale here at the beginning of 2024. We're not far from the calendar's big turn. Fiat's U.S. site opens with a banner telling us, "Get ready to revel in the details," December 5 being the day to unlock 500e specs and to "Take a closer look at all-electric Italian engineering." While we wait, Cars Direct did its usual, finding an early order guide with an MSRP for the 500e: $32,500, excluding destination. If that's the number that ends up on window stickers, the electric two-door would fall between the two trims of the single ICE four-door Fiat currently sells here, the $30,245 500X Pop Techy Traveler and the $33,275 500X Sport Sporty Socialite. All prices exclude the destination charge unless noted. This MSRP also puts the 500e under all but four EVs on the market at the moment, the $28,140 Nissan Leaf, the $26,500 Chevrolet Bolt, and the $27,850 Bolt EUV, and the $30,900 Mini Cooper SE. In fact, $32,500 is less than the price of the bygone 500e; when it left the market in 2019, it cost $33,210. That's an ostensible difference of $710, however — and this might be the most frightening sentence we write all day — the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI Inflation Calculator tells us that $33,210 in May 2019 is equivalent to $39,898.76 in October of this year. We only have European specs to go on until December 5. In Italy, the 500e runs on a 42-kWh battery powering a single motor on the front axle capable of 117 horsepower but restricted to a maximum power rating of 94. Range on the WLTP cycle is 199 miles. Our EPA-rated range will be lower, although it should handily beat the 84-mile estimated range of the old car.