2013 Fiat 500 Abarth Like New on 2040-cars

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Fiat recalling 2014 500L over dual-clutch transmission

Much like it did yesterday, Fiat Chrysler Automotive is announcing a voluntary recall of the five-door Fiat 500L. Where yesterday's recall covered Jeep and Dodge SUVs over performance issues with the brakes, today's bulletin is perhaps more serious. Over 19,000 500Ls equipped with the Fiat-sourced, six-speed, dual-clutch automatic are being called in for a software update that should sort out the issues some customers are experiencing with the gearbox. Those troubles mainly consist of 500Ls that won't shift out of park and don't respond or are slow to respond to commands for gear changes. There have been no reported injuries or accidents due to the problems, which investigating engineers believe is caused by a microcontroller component that doesn't react well with temperature extremes. Of the 19,500 vehicles being recalled, around 20 percent are in dealership inventories. The vast majority of the cars (18,100) are in the US, while the remaining 1,400 are up north, in Canada. Fiat will be covering the costs of the software reflash and will begin notifying customers soon. Scroll down for the official release from Fiat Chrysler. Statement: Software Update March 7, 2014 , Auburn Hills, Mich. - Chrysler Group is recalling approximately 19,500 cars to upgrade their transmission software. Chrysler Group engineers launched an investigation after reviewing reports that some vehicles equipped with dual dry clutch automatic transmissions would not shift readily out of park and/or their transmissions did not receive, or were slow to receive, an intended gear selection. Chrysler Group is unaware of any related injuries or accidents. The investigation discovered the function of one microcontroller component may be compromised by certain temperature extremes. A software update resolves the issue. Affected are certain 2014 Fiat 500L models, of which approximately 20 percent are in dealer hands. Repair costs will be borne by the Company. Affected customers – approximately 18,100 in the U.S. and 1,400 in Canada – will be contacted and advised when to schedule service. Of the total, an estimated 200 vehicles may require shift-module replacement to ensure hardware-software compatibility. Customers who remain concerned may call 1-800-853-1403.

Marchionne emailed Barra about merger between FCA and GM

Sergio Marchionne is adamant that global automakers will have to merge to remain profitable in the near future, and he'll tell that to anyone who's listening. Mary Barra, however, is not interested. According to The New York Times, the Fiat-Chrysler chief proposed a merger with General Motors via email to his counterpart back in March. Marchionne proposed meeting to discuss the matter, but Barra and her team reportedly rejected even entertaining the idea. This of course is not the first time Marchionne has raised the idea of a merger. He masterminded the marriage between Fiat and Chrysler, and reports have since suggested further mergers with Volkswagen, Peugeot, Ford, and others – including GM's own Opel unit. Some have taken his calls for consolidation as a weakness, but Marchionne insists that his empire is in good health – and that it's the industry as a whole which is in an untenable position. According to his view, automakers around the world need to align themselves into larger groups in order to reduce redundancy in investment, development and infrastructure – the duplication of which he terms as wasteful. "It's fundamentally immoral to allow for that waste to continue unchecked," said Marchionne to the Times. "I think it is absolutely clear that the amount of capital waste that's going on in this industry is something that certainly requires remedy," he said in a conference call with industry analysts late last month following the rejected GM approach. "A remedy in our view is through consolidation." News Source: The New York TimesImage Credit: Paul Sancya/AP Chrysler Fiat GM Sergio Marchionne merger fiat chrysler automobiles

Iveco spotted testing jacked-up Daily 4x4 in the snow

The Italians go up against the Mercedes Sprinter with the Fiat Ducato, better known around these parts as the Ram ProMaster. But that's not the only full-size van associated with the burgeoning Fiat empire. So too is the Iveco Daily, and here we're looking at the latest version. Spied undergoing cold-weather testing in the snow, this version of the Daily is a chassis cab with a cargo bed, a jacked-up suspension and four-wheel drive. The chassis cab is just one of a number of configurations available for the Iveco Daily, which is perhaps more commonly seen on roads across Europe and around the world as a cargo van or mini-bus. But the 4x4 looks new to our eyes. Now if you're scratching your head and wondering what Iveco is and where it stands in the growing Fiat Chrysler Automobiles empire, the short of it is that it doesn't. Not quite, anyway. Once part of the Fiat Group, it's now part of CNH Industrial – otherwise known as Case New Holland – whose largest shareholder is the same Agnelli-owned Exor holding company that controls the largest share of FCA. That doesn't mean that the Daily, in this form or any other, will make the jump to the North American market any time soon – as an Iveco, a Ram or under any other brand – but as far as professional-grade machinery goes, this piece of forbidden fruit is looking pretty cool. Featured Gallery Iveco Daily 4x4: Spy Shots Image Credit: CarPix Spy Photos Fiat Automakers Truck Commercial Vehicles Off-Road Vehicles iveco iveco daily