2013 Fiat 500 Abarth - Beats Audio! Leather Seats! Low Miles! Warranty! on 2040-cars

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Buy a Fiat 124 Spider Abarth, get a free day of driving school

We know the Mazda MX-5 Miata and the Fiat 124 Spider are basically the same car underneath. As we pointed out in our first drive of the 124 Spider, the two cater to different drivers, so it can be tough to choose a favorite. FCA has made deciding between the two sports cars a little harder, as it will offer Abarth owners a free day of high-performance driving instruction with their cars. Anyone buying or leasing a new Fiat 124 Spider Abarth or a Fiat 500 Abarth will get a free, one-day class at the Bob Bondurant School of High Performance Driving in Phoenix. Bundling driving school with brand-new performance cars isn't unheard of – Dodge and Bondurant recently announced a similar program for the Viper – but it is quite rare for vehicles priced below $30,000. The free session will include instructor-led skid, autocross, slalom, and team rally cross activities, in addition to hot laps. While the one-day course is included for free, travel, food, and hotel expenses aren't covered. Fiat-less people can also join in on the fun buy purchasing the Abarth experience separately. Bondurant one-day classes cost at least a grand, which makes the Fiat price of $0 a good deal as long as you can get yourself there relatively cheaply. But is this enough for drivers to choose the 124 Spider Abarth over an MX-5 Club? This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. Related Video: Featured Gallery Bob Bondurant Fiat 124 Spider Abarth Related Gallery 2017 Fiat 124 Spider: First Drive View 30 Photos News Source: FCAImage Credit: FCA Fiat Mazda Convertible Performance fiat 124 spider abarth

Dodge not being dropped by Chrysler, CEO reaffirms

Dodge isn't going anywhere. Despite some rumor and speculation over the future of the crosshair grille and the cars that wear it, Dodge brand boss, Tim Kuniskis, sat down with TheDetroitBureau.com, explaining that the marque isn't going anywhere. His sentiments echo those of SRT boss Ralph Gilles, who told a group of enthusiasts in July that "Dodge is here to stay!"
Dodge's death won't be "a part of a master plan to consolidate brands," Kuniskis told TheDetroitBureau.com. Instead, the brand, which is ultimately under the command of Fiat/Chrysler CEO, Sergio Marchionne, will likely ditch some of its badge-engineered models, like the Dodge Grand Caravan. A more focused Dodge, which was something Gilles has already hinted at, will likely see it exploring areas of the market that haven't been exploited by other Chrysler brands.
Kuniskis, not surprisingly, wasn't willing to delve into any detailed product plans, telling TDB that the size of the brand's lineup "remains to be seen." Regardless of how big the brand actually ends up being (it is presently Chrysler's volume brand - and not by a little), hopefully the statements from Kuniskiss can put the rumors of a Dodge closure to bed.

Does the future of Fiat-Chrysler include Dodge?

Wards Auto reports the future of Dodge is looking uncertain. Fiat has more or less laid out it's game plan for the next few years, and while the Chrysler, Fiat and Jeep lines are set to receive plenty of love, Dodge isn't so lucky. Fiat has already hobbled Dodge significantly by splitting off the brand's trucks into a separate Ram line.
Wards says that after the Avenger rides off into the sunset early next year, Fiat-Chrysler won't replace the model, leaving a gaping midsize hole in the Dodge lineup. The report also cites unnamed sources as saying that at least two other current Dodge products will move to the Chrysler line.
One of those could very well be the Grand Caravan. Chrysler has already made it clear that it plans to trim redundancy between its minivan offerings, but it has yet to clarify which other vehicle could sail under the Chrysler banner moving forward. Either way, such changes to the product line would theoretically leave Dodge with just four models.