2016 Fiat 500 Abarth on 2040-cars

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Fiat Chrysler target 850k sales in China by 2018

Behind the vanguard of numerous Jeep models, two Chryslers, a smattering of Fiats and Alfa Romeos and local production through a joint venture with Guangzhou Automotive Group (GAG), Fiat Chrysler wants to increase sales in China more than six-fold by 2018. The group sold 130,000 cars in China in 2013, the aim for 2018 being 850,000 cars.
Ultimately it's expected that the Jeep Grand Cherokee, Cherokee, Wrangler, Renegade, the coming Grand Wagoneer and a sub-Renegade-sized crossover will either be built in or exported to the People's Republic. The Chrysler Town & Country and 300 will join the export list in 2016 and 2018 respectively, according to a report in Automotive News.
With a number of those vehicles not in production or perhaps even envisaged yet, and others not due on the local market until 2018, it will be interesting to see how Fiat Chrysler plans to achieve the target in the specified timeframe. The joint venture with GAG builds two products now, the Dodge Dart-based Fiat Viaggio launched two years ago - supposedly designed just for China - and the just-launched Fiat Ottimo, a hatchback version of the Viaggio. Fiat projected 300,000 Viagio sales in its first two years, that number has been adjusted downward to 94,000 and there doesn't appear to be an analyst alive that sees a good future for Fiat in China's overrun mainstream market. Still, last year's 130,000 group sales in China is a huge jump from 2012 sales of 66,000 units, but less than half the 300,000 units it projected.

FCA-Renault merger talks: France wants job guarantees and Nissan on board

PARIS — France will seek protection of local jobs and other guarantees in exchange for supporting a merger between carmakers Renault and Fiat Chrysler, its finance minister said on Tuesday, underscoring the challenges facing the plan. Renault Chairman Jean-Dominique Senard arrived in Japan to discuss the proposed tie-up with the French company's existing partner Nissan — another potential obstacle to the $35 billion-plus merger of equals. Renault and Italian-American rival Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) are in talks to tackle the costs of far-reaching technological and regulatory changes by creating the world's third-biggest automaker. Nissan found out about Renault's merger talks with Fiat Chrysler only days before they became public, four sources told Reuters, stoking fears at the Japanese carmaker that a deal could further weaken its position in a 20-year alliance with Renault. A deal between Renault and FCA would create a player ranked behind only Japan's Toyota and Germany's Volkswagen and target 5 billion euros ($5.6 billion) a year in savings. Some analysts, however, say the companies face a challenge to win over powerful stakeholders ranging from the French and Italian governments to trade unions and Nissan. Patrick Pelata, a former Renault chief operating officer, also criticized the deal plan for undervaluing Renault and threatening to overstretch its engineering resources. By valuing Renault at its market price, the all-share offer attributes a negative 6 billion euro value to Renault operations after deduction of its 43.4% stake in Nissan and 3.1% Daimler holding, Pelata told BFM radio. "That's hardly reasonable," he said. "And I think that shareholders, including the French state, are bound to take issue with this sooner or later." Pelata added: "FCA has big problem because they haven't invested for the future — they have no electric vehicle platform and they've done nothing in autonomous cars." French finance minister Bruno Le Maire told RTL radio on Tuesday that the plan was a good opportunity for both Renault and the European car industry, which has been struggling for years with overcapacity and subdued demand. France sets conditions Le Maire also said the French government would seek four guarantees in exchange for backing a deal that would reduce its 15% stake in Renault to 7.5% of the combined entity. "The first: industrial jobs and industrial sites.

Fiat takes the 500 into Mercedes territory with La Prima limited-edition

Fiat is celebrating the launch of the third-generation 500 by releasing an array of limited-edition models that move the electric city car upmarket. The latest installment in the series is a variant named La Prima (which means "the first" in Italian) based on the hatchback version and priced well into Mercedes-Benz territory. The first limited-edition 500 introduced in March 2020, when the car made its debut, is sold out. The second chapter in the story is similar to the first but it's offered exclusively as a hardtop. Hard doesn't mean metal, though, and it comes equipped with a panoramic sunroof. The list of standard equipment also includes 17-inch alloy wheels, full LED headlights, and edition-specific emblems below the rear windows. Buyers can choose one of three paint colors named Ocean Green, Mineral Grey, and Celestial Blue, respectively. Inside, Fiat added a seven-inch digital instrument cluster, a horizontal 10.25-inch touchscreen that displays its fifth-generation Uconnect software, plus cow-less upholstery on the seats and on the dashboard. The stitching on the middle section of the seats spells out Fiat, which is a nifty touch that adds a bit of flair to the cabin.  There are no powertrain modifications, meaning the La Prima gets a 42-kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery pack that spins a 118-horsepower electric motor. Its maximum driving range checks in at 199 miles, though Fiat obtained that figure by putting the 500 through the optimistic WLTP testing cycle. Hitting 60 mph from a stop takes nine seconds, a respectable time for its segment, and it stops accelerating when it reaches 93 mph. It can fast-charge at up to 85 kilowatts, which is more Abarth 500-quick than Porsche 911 GT2 RS-fast. However, because the battery pack is small, it takes five minutes to zap it with up to 31 miles of driving range. Achieving early adopter status by being one of the first motorists to be seen behind the wheel of the new 500 is costly. Fiat priced the La Prima hatchback at ˆ34,900, which represents nearly $40,000 at the current conversion rate. That figure generously includes a home charger and it excludes available incentives that vary from market to market, but it catapults this once-humble city car into Mercedes-Benz's domain.