Car Throttle

In a move that shows their clear intentions, Chrysler has started designating new franchises for the FIAT brand in the USA. The initial list of new dealerships selling the Italian brand included dealerships in New York, Massachusetts, California, Washington, Pennsylvania, and Maine. Now the list is increasing to other parts of the country. Some dealers who closed their doors during the ‘08/’09 crisis are happy to take the FIAT brand. One former Saturn dealer in Florida is happy to hang the Italian logo where GM’s forgotten import fighters were once sold. It seems that Chrysler is doing its best to avoid the mistakes made by FIAT in the US in the 70s and 80s. Back then the Turin brand did not have a dedicated dealership basis, instead the

Product funding at Chrysler was cut severely as it headed into negotiations process with the Fiat Group. Unlike competitors General Motors and Ford, there has been a startling dearth of new products available on the market. After the ensuing partnership, development was ramped up. We're beginning to see the fruits of that with Chrysler's introductions of vehicles like the 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee, Dodge Durango and Chrysler 200. The partnership with Fiat has resulted in the 500 minicar coming to our shores. Now, the Chrysler 200 could be heading overseas as well, badged as a Lancia. There has been much talk about the potential for sharing between Lancia and Chrysler. But until now that has mostly been for all-new models farther out. But reports circulating now point to

The internet and automotive blogosphere has been all abuzz about images of a reborn Lancia Stratos that surfaced recently. It all started when fuzzy images of a Stratos-like vehicle testing at a Fiat test track near Milan appeared on ItaliaSpeed. While it wore no markings, it had a place for a Lancia badge on the bonnet and was obviously a modern take on the iconic Stratos. The story has developed a lot further now, with more images and details. It turns out the project is quite far along, and that what once seemed like a long shot is becoming a reality. We are excited - about a Lancia. Yes, really! That could be the whole point of this project, to reignite interest in Lancia like the 8C Competizione

No doubt most anticpated vehicle to come out of the Chrysler-Fiat partnership would have to be the Fiat 500. The retro minicar has made a big splash in international markets, with it helping to power Fiat's ascendancy. On our shores, many think it could prove to be serious competition for BMW's highly successful MINI. What is more, it looks like it will become an even better car for the transition across the Atlantic. The car is set to be built in Mexico on Fiat's new A-platform, which will also underpin the next-generation 2011 Fiat Panda and Lancia Ypsilon. The new platform will offer improved crash protection (meeting the strict U.S. standards), along with more refinement and reductions in NVH (noise, vibration and harshness). North American is the only lucky

Fiat's tiny retro-supermini, the 500, has been taking Europe by storm. Styled to resemble the old Cinquecento, and designed to take the fight directly to Mini, the 500 has been capturing hearts and minds on the continent since it's debut.  Like any good supermini, there are heaps of variants for every sort of taste.  There was the pinked-out Barbie edition (gag), the hot-rod turbocharged Abarth models, a Ferrari-inspired special, and even a roll-top 500C convertible.  The Geneva show will see the debut of the latest in the line, which combines the sporty trimmings and mechanics of the Abarth with the aforementioned soft-top 500C convertible. The 500C, unlike most convertibles, doesn't actually have a folding roof- rather, a fabric section running down the center of the roof

If there is one thing in the automotive industry that has been speculated about for a long time, it has been the return of Alfa Romeo. Throughout the 2000's there was many reports about when the introduction would take place, and with what models. The Fiat-Chrysler partnership has made it a much more feasible proposition, as the brand will have access to Chrysler's extensive dealer network and support system. Now, Chief Executive Officer Sergio Marchionne has given a date for Alfa Romeo's United States re-entry. Alfa Romeo is already here, if the 8C Competizione is to be considered, but we are talking about a mainstream re-introduction. Marchionne was quoted in Automotive News as saying: “I'm a lot more confident now that Alfa Romeo will reconstitute a product offering that

Attack of the superminis! There hasn't been any shortage of introductions in the segment lately. Alfa Romeo MiTo, Ford Fiesta, Audi A1, just to name a few. Let us know what your favorites of the lot are in a CarThrottle Asks post on the subject. The Fiat 500 is one of those models, and much fanfare has been made out of its planned sale in the United States market. It is gunning for basically the only successful model in the segment in the U.S, the MINI. Twitter has a lot of uses for those interested in the automotive industry - it can add confirming a time frame for the new 500's arrival to the list. Ralph Gilles, the Chief Executive Officer of the Dodge brand

A lot of the news coming out the past few days has been understandably centered around the Fiat-Chrysler partnership. The six-hour press conference resulted in a lot of products news. The Fiat 500 is a highly anticipated model to come a result of the partnership. Now the official details are in. Most recently we reported on news that the Fiat 500 would be coming first as an Abarth model. Sadly, that seems news was too good to be true. The first 500 model to come to the United States will be the standard, coming in the fourth quarter of 2010. The second model will be the 500C Convertible, coming sometime in 2011. Those looking for the sports-focused Abarth model will have to wait until 2012.

Under Fiat's oversight, Chrysler is set to become a radically different company. There are many behind-the-scenes changes like cuts to employees, changes in brand management, elimination of buaracracy and others. However, visible parts of the entire company and specifically the Chrysler brand are to change as well. Fiat's hot-selling 500 minicar is on tap for 2010 as well as a much smaller product line. With all those changes in store, Fiat has decided it is time for a new logo too. Cadillac recently unveiled some minor changes to its logo but Chrysler's is far more comprehensive than that. The new logo was caught in a trademark filing at the U.S Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). It looks very good! It is much more modern than the current logo

The Fiat-Chrysler partnership promises to bring some exciting product to the United States that we otherwise might not have had. The Alfa Romeo brand in particular is a welcome reentry for those who want something a bit different. The Wall Street Journal just came out with it's roadmap for the Alfa Romeo-Chrysler-Dodge-Jeep brand lineup, but there now there is some news on a certain model in particular. The Fiat 500 is one of the models slated to be sold in Chrysler dealerships, set to do battle with BMW's successful MINI lineup. But, as too often happens with imports into the U.S, many weren't sure if the sporty 500 Abarth performance variant would be making it over. WardsAuto is reporting that Chrysler dealers are being briefed by Fiat