What If?

Rupunzell

Rupunzell

Bernice Loui
Still have not seen the Hemmings article yet,,,,Regardless.

Just Imagine for a moment IF FIAT successfully returns back to the North American market and gains a serious following their cars and auto writers got a reality check that "Fix It Again Time" was nothing more than a myth and so was the mythical rust problems (kinda like the lairs admitting the truth that they fibbed).

All of a sudden there grows a group of new FIAT fans in North America based on the new cars, suddenly some member of the new group of FIAT fans go digging into FIAT cars from years gone by and they suddenly discover the X1/9 as a rather unusual and very different sports car from most anything built today and years gone by.

Like the new Mini, there are Mini fans who now own nice original Mini which now have significantly increased interest.

It is possible that a similar situation could happen to the X1/9 in the future. While there is no direct model connection between the current FIAT cars to the X1/9, there is something of a brand connection.
 
I think that since our cars are languishing in the deepest pool of obscurity now, any successful return of the FIAT brand name to the public's eye can only improve our lot, value-wise.

However, all that I've read about the FIAT-Chrysler lashup is that FIAT designs with a little Chrysler gingerbread are to be built here and sold as Chrysler brands. And that's not expected to happen for 2-3 years. Assuming of course that Chrysler is even around in 2-3 months let alone 2-3 years.
And given the negative connotation the FIAT brand certainly retains in the memories of American car buyers (the middle-aged ones anyway), does Chrysler dare even mention the "crazy-aunt-in-the-attic"-like fact that, uh, our new little cars are really rebadged FIATs?

It's only the squeaky-wheel advocacy of those with contacts in the classic car press (for example, the letter you mentioned writing to these Hemmings people, and the last lambasting you gave to the other mag, IIRC Classic Car Journal-or-Whatever) that is getting the scant attention that our cars get now.

From a selfish point of view, for both us as current owners and for them as businessmen selling parts and to a lesser degree repair and restoration services, I think our cadre of established Vendors should take a step back and look at their marketing efforts. For example, would they (and indirectly, we owners) get more bang from their buck if they spent the money they now spend on racing activities instead on "schmoozing activities" with the classic car press, with the goal of raising the profile of our cars specifically and maybe the sporting FIATS in general (Spider, X)? Any activity that helps to raise the value of the car logically should raise the value of both their parts stocks and repair/restoration services. I understand that I am making the assumption that several years of favorable articles will eventually serve to raise consciousness therefore demand and therefore values. Is that an unreasonable or perhaps unjustifiable assumption?
 
No, I don't think it is unreasonable at all...

and making an assault on classic car shows with an army of really beautifully prepared Spiders could have a major impact. I agree that racing is probably of marginal value in terms of brand awareness and it is a very insular kind of activity. The car shows I go to rarely have any sporting Fiats at all-a few 500s and 600s maybe-but no Spiders and certaimly no Xs.
It's a good point and worth the vendors considering.:)
 
Bernice,you are very right...

i` been thinking about the same thing.In our world today of internet communications,many people,specially "car people" ,must already know about how good and famous is the new Fiat 500 all over the world and all the prizes it has won already plus watched many of its videos online.So my guess is that its gonna happen.Just give the car to some TV car personalities like Jay Leno,Seinfiled etc and let them do the talking.I bet you Fiat Marketing has already a big plan for all of this.It only takes one model to hit big and the other ones will follow.
And hopefully this would create a new "classic" market for our old Fiats as well.Many ,many people will start getting interested in the old ones.............so guys,hold to your Fiats!!!
One big factor is gonna be pricing on the new Fiat models here in the USA.I have been planning to buy me a new "toy' sports car for me in 2 yrs even before the Fiat/Chrysler announcement.Went already to see and checked the 370Z ,nice car for the price.Thing is i rather buy a Z than a MINI,so if Fiat 500 prices fell in Mini territory,then forget about me buying one.But I`ll love to buy me one,don`t get me wrong.Lets watch how the market reacts in the next couple yrs........:)
 
Imagine a Fiat 500 spec races?? SCCA,NASA.....

all over the states.That would be extremely fun and helpful for their racing image here.........just a thought? are you Fiat Exec reading this?........:shock::excited:
 
Yeap,i read the story back then.....

but because Felipe Massa crahes a Ferrari it doesn`t mean he wont drive another one again.Or any other F1 car.......Seinfield is a Car enthusiast,he in special likes and collects Porsches,and he can crash in any of his precious ones,lets say his original 550 Spyder.Oops didn`t a guy named James Dean died in one??:shock:.Anyway,I bet you he`ll go back get it fixed or just buy another one and drive it again.
A car enthiast is a car enthusiast even if he doesn`t get paid like Massa....:excited:
 
Hey Bernice... Ite not what happened, its what people THINK that happened...

I believe a few wars were started with this kinda mindless crap, and also caused the demise of the Corvair, Fiero, and Fiat.

When I once owned a few VW's... I learned that things were not actually better or worse than American cars... just DIFFERENT. To adjust the carb on a 1967 Cadillac, one simply lifted the hood and bent over the engine with a screwdriver. To do the same with a VW... its easier to undo 4 nuts and poop the engine out the bottom!

HA! Not really... but ya catch my drift.

I'm not exactly a FIAT fan per se'... but I am an X1/9 addict and love the shape of the 124 body. Nothing else really thrills me nor would I go outta my way to buy except for the "CUTE" principle. I would INDEED buy a new 500 though... as they are indeed a great car for the money and are a chick magnet and lots of other pluses!
 
Ya know, that ole rule of propaganda, keep telling what you want individuals to believe regardless of the honest truth and in time it will become fact in the minds of those who listen.

Quality and problems are many time in the "eyes of the beholder" and based on what individuals value. This is where marketing and image making sells products and partly drives how users view and form opinions of most any product.

The X is a more of a car market oddity that just happened to be produced for a long time. I believe the X is not for everyone, it's a niche car for those who want a small, mid-engine car with Italian passion and flavor.

Oh, how is that Vette going these days?

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Black-Tooth said:
I believe a few wars were started with this kinda mindless crap, and also caused the demise of the Corvair, Fiero, and Fiat.

When I once owned a few VW's... I learned that things were not actually better or worse than American cars... just DIFFERENT. To adjust the carb on a 1967 Cadillac, one simply lifted the hood and bent over the engine with a screwdriver. To do the same with a VW... its easier to undo 4 nuts and poop the engine out the bottom!

HA! Not really... but ya catch my drift.

I'm not exactly a FIAT fan per se'... but I am an X1/9 addict and love the shape of the 124 body. Nothing else really thrills me nor would I go outta my way to buy except for the "CUTE" principle. I would INDEED buy a new 500 though... as they are indeed a great car for the money and are a chick magnet and lots of other pluses!
Click to expand...
 
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