1980 Fiat Spider on 2040-cars

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Fiat 500X scampers across the Alps

It's been a long time coming, but it's finally here. It's the new Fiat 500X: the rounder, somehow even more retro version of the Jeep Renegade. Joining an ever-expanding Cinquecento lineup alongside the 500, 500C and 500L, the new 500X is - to our eyes at least - the most handsome yet... better looking, at any rate, than the somewhat ungainly Mini Countryman. But despite its more fluid lines, the new 500X is barely any longer than the Renegade and only slightly less tall.
Taking the place of the previous Suzuki-based Sedici, Fiat will offer the new 500X in two versions (one more cosmopolitan, the other more rugged), with three transmissions, three traction systems and a whole mess of different engines. The list starts with a 1.4-liter turbo four with 140 horsepower and a 1.6-liter diesel with 120 hp, later to be joined by a 1.6-liter with 110 hp, a more powerful 1.4-liter turbo with 170 hp and finally the 2.4-liter Tigershark engine with 184 hp. Gearboxes will include 5- and 6-speed manuals and - in a Fiat first - a nine-speed automatic, driving the front wheels (with our without traction control) or all four.
Buyers will also be able to choose between 12 exterior colors, seven interior combinations and eight wheel designs ranging from 16 inches to 18, adding up to a long list of configurations to give the 500X the same kind of mass-customization options that have made its stablemate so successful. The 500X will be manufactured in Melfi, Italy, alongside its Jeep counterpart and will eventually reach over 100 markets around the world - including North America.

Ferrari IPO could come any day now

According to Bloomberg, Fiat Chrysler Automotive Sergio Marchionne told reporters at the Toronto Global Forum that the Ferrari IPO could come any day now. "We are days away from filing the prospectus," said Marchionne, who declined to confirm whether rumors of involvement from UBS Group AG, JPMorgan Chase & Co and Goldman Sachs Group were accurate. In addition to an expected filing in New York, Marchionne hinted that a secondary filing could take place in Milan, Italy. Although the FCA Chief Executive didn't offer any expected sum for Ferrari, he had previously suggested that an IPO for the iconic Italian brand could be worth $1 billion, ringing the registers to the tune of 10 percent of the company's $11 billion valuation. According to Bloomberg, that potential sum is significantly higher than its own internal figures indicate after taking a poll of analysts who we assume must know a heck of a lot more about such things than we do. Considering how close we apparently are to the actual filing, though, we probably won't have to wait long to find out. Another hot topic any time Sergio is the subject of reporter questioning is a potential merger with General Motors or another large, full-line automaker. It seems there aren't any new revelations to reveal on the consolidation front, though Marchionne told reporters there were no plans to mount a hostile takeover of GM or any "other, less optimal" partners. Related Video: News Source: BloombergImage Credit: STR/AFP/Getty Earnings/Financials Chrysler Ferrari Fiat Sergio Marchionne FCA

The Fiat 500X packs 2.4 liters of disappointment

Our long-term 2016 Fiat 500X is a fine little crossover that's nearly undone by a underwhelming and often frustrating powertrain. The 2.4-liter naturally aspirated four-cylinder/nine-speed automatic combo can be found in a number of FCA products. In every single application I've used this engine, the takeaway has been the same: It's a boat anchor. I like our 500X, I really do. I haven't spent as much time behind the wheel as I would like, but I've put thousands of miles on its platform twin, the Jeep Renegade, and two vehicles are essentially the same underneath. The Tigershark 2.4-liter makes 180 horsepower and 175 lb-ft of torque, good numbers on paper, but in practice the engine is buzzy and slow to rev. The engine feels dated. In contrast, the base 1.4-liter turbocharged engine feels much more lively despite being down 20 horsepower. The low-end grunt is owed to the 9 additional pound-feet of torque the engine makes over the 2.4-liter. It may not match it on the top end, but not many people are running a 500X to redline. The issue I have is that the 2.4-liter is the only available option on the higher-spec models like our Trekking Plus, so if you want some options you're stuck with this engine. The 2.4-liter is exclusively paired to a 9-speed automatic transmission that's built by ZF. As great as some of ZF's other gearboxes are, this 9-speed is varying degrees of bad in every application that I've used it, including the Honda Pilot, Acura TLX, and Jeep Cherokee and Renegade. Shifts can be abrupt, and the manic transmission is constantly hunting in an effort to find the most fuel-efficient gear. More than once I've been left waiting for a kick down in order to move with some gusto. Don't let my harping about the powertrain warp your vision of the 500X. It's a fun little vehicle and arguably Fiat's best product (the 124 Spider is mostly Mazda), but it's frustrating when a pleasant little crossover is brought down by such a lackluster powertrain, made worse by knowing the 1.4-liter is so much better. There's an easy fix, Fiat: Offer the 1.4-liter in all engine trims. And to be fair, it's almost kind of fun around a racetrack. See the video below. Related Video: