Fiat Other Spider Convertible 2-door on 2040-cars

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The Fiat 124 Spider's future is uncertain

Earlier this month, Fiat brand CEO Olivier Francois explained to Autocar that Fiat would re-focus on “the right balance between the two dimensions: the Fiat 500 family and family transportation. There will be no big cars, no premium cars, no sporty cars because they have no legitimacy. We will be present in the C-segment [Ford Focus class] but not much more. All models will sit within 3.5m and 4.5m (11.5 to 14.8 feet). This is where Fiat will play. We need more EVs. And we need more 500 models that look legitimate enough to take higher pricing.” Francois didn't say the 124 Spider is doomed, but Autocar understands that a second generation of the Mazda MX-5/Miata-based roadster is "unlikely." The comments on the 124 Spider come in the wake of Fiat pulling the droptop from the UK market because the car wasn't making money. The CEO said the partnership that created the convertible made sense, yet that while the 124 is profitable overall, "such a car may not be key to the future of the brand. It is not what IÂ’d call a pure, absolute Fiat, but for now, it remains an interesting opportunity.” The 124 Spider costs a touch less than the MX-5/Miata in the U.S., the opposite of UK pricing; nevertheless, the Mazda handily outsells the Italian after three years on sale. If Mazda keeps the fourth generation Miata around for 10 years as it did with the third generation, though, there could be a few years left to enjoy the 124 Spider even in the face of declining sales. The future of the Fiat brand in Europe will be built on the 500 on the next Panda city cars, joined by "a range of larger vehicles suitable for families;" one-third of the city cars sold in Europe are Fiats. The brand's U.S. lineup, aside from Abarths, is four 500-based cars and the 124 Spider. The 500 range will go upscale in order to justify higher prices to pay for electrified 500 and Panda platforms. A new electric 500 is expected next year, Francois describing that car in March as, "A new 500, totally renewed. A new object. Totally electric. It's kind of an urban Tesla, with beautiful style.

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.

UAW reveals more details for tentative FCA deal

Around 40,000 union workers employed by Fiat Chrysler Automobiles have a new proposed contract to vote for or against just about a week after soundly rejecting a previous proposal. Like the contract that was rejected, this new proposal was negotiated between union leadership and management at FCA. If workers vote this time to accept the contract, negotiations are likely to begin in earnest with the other two big American automakers, Ford and General Motors. The biggest sticking points that kept the previous contract proposal from being ratified revolved around so-called second-tier UAW workers. Under the rejected contract, there wasn't a clear path in place that would bring these newer hires into wage parity with first-tier workers. The newly proposed contract, however, would have second-tier employees earning around $29 per hour – the same as first-tier workers – after eight years of employment. A slightly revised profit-sharing plan is also included, as is a larger signing bonus for first-tier workers. Gone from the new contract proposal is a health-care cooperative that would combine workers from all three Detroit-based automakers into one pool. While this action had the potential to lower health-care costs for UAW members, it wasn't universally understood by rank-and-file workers, said UAW President Dennis Williams. "I was a little naive," he said. "I really thought everyone understood it. It is my fault. I should have educated people more on it. And so we did take it out of the agreement." If ratified, this new contract will go into effect immediately and will cover a four-year period. Over that course of time, the UAW expects FCA to increase its employment figures by a little more than 100 workers, according to reports. Additional details on the contract can be seen on the UAW's website here. News Source: The Detroit News, The Detroit Free Press, United Auto Workers (PDF)Image Credit: Jeff Kowalsky/Bloomberg via Getty Earnings/Financials Hirings/Firings/Layoffs UAW/Unions Chrysler Fiat FCA