Yikes

*caugh!-ghey!* Fiat's always had a world domination type mentality but this is a lil excessive, and to do so just after the reintroduction in N.A. is in my opinion unwise. Fiats role with Chrysler should be to sell 'Fiats' at their own dealers or through Chrysler dealers but remain separate. Fiats other role in the partnership should be to help share ideas,technology,and other wise consult Chrysler (and vise verse) NOT to pop the badges off of very well established existing models and replace them with Fiat badges. While I'm venting: Ferrari has also gone too far in more areas then I care to mention, but Ive overlooked them bec of my passion for the prancing horse. The 2 final nails in the coffin are the announcement that manual transmissions will no longer be made for Ferrari cars and the announcement of the "new" model FF which is nothing more then a cobbled together "hatchback/wagon" made from existing spare parts has done it for me. Everything post 355 was kinda weak anyway:devil:
 
What's interesting about that article is there is no supporting documentation to this guys claims. The picture shows a Fiat-badged Chrysler/Dodge while the op-ed (it's not really a news article, is it??) states that Chryslers will be wearing Lancia badges in Europe soon. Strange, as there is a light smattering (VERY light) of Chrysler dealerships across Europe already. At least the photoshop guys could have gotten it right...

Except that's the car that will actually debut at the Geneva Motor Show tomorrow (with the time difference, I think it's about to start now...) and has more than JUST Lancia badges on it. Not much more, but there are some pretty significant changes. Certainly more than what GM did with 90% of their cars/trucks/SUVs (Camaro/ Firebird/TransAm for example or Escalade/Trailblazer/whatever-the-oldsmobuick-is-called) and tried to tell us they were completely different cars. I think it's a great way to expand their line-up and move some American cars overseas. Not sure that they'll do all that well, but I think it's nice to see that the "merger" is more than just Fiat and Alfa returning to the states...
http://carscoop.blogspot.com/2011/02/new-lancia-thema-chrysler-300-european.html
 
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Sell Out

What Ferraris without a manual? Is it the LSD i just popped or am I reading right? Yep its a sell out just like the new 599 gto.. Top gear didnt like it.. it wasnt built for racing, it has no provenace as such but what does Ferrari care? Its the branding isnt it.. ALl cars post 1990 will not be the subject of forums like this in 20 years time I bet.. Too many proprietry chips/electronics..
How hard can it be to count to 6 or 7 anyway (re manual box)
As for Fiat rebadging Chryslers... I remember that every Fiat I drove was fun.. the 124 sedan,125,128 x19 blah blah.. old cars had soul now they have
A BIG badge on the grille
Bah Humbug!!!
Nick
 
But is it really a surprise? When the announcement was made that part of the deal included cross-platform sharing?

"Fiat Auto plans to sell seven of its vehicles in the U.S. by 2014, while Fiat-controlled Chrysler Group is to supply nine models to sell under Fiat brands in the European market, according to a five-year plan rolled out on 21 April 2010 in Turin, Italy, by Fiat and Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne."

Even the Fiat Freemont/Dodge Journey isn't a simple "badge swap" operation like the Honda Passport was from the Isuzu Rodeo.
http://www.topspeed.com/cars/fiat/2011-fiat-freemont-ar103909.html

I'm not too happy with what Ferrari has been churning out the last few years, either. When they started putting the engines up front again, I stopped taking them too seriously. Pretty, but, eh :bored:
 
pyrraxis said:
But is it really a surprise? When the announcement was made that part of the deal included cross-platform sharing?

"Fiat Auto plans to sell seven of its vehicles in the U.S. by 2014, while Fiat-controlled Chrysler Group is to supply nine models to sell under Fiat brands in the European market, according to a five-year plan rolled out on 21 April 2010 in Turin, Italy, by Fiat and Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne."

Even the Fiat Freemont/Dodge Journey isn't a simple "badge swap" operation like the Honda Passport was from the Isuzu Rodeo.
http://www.topspeed.com/cars/fiat/2011-fiat-freemont-ar103909.html

I'm not too happy with what Ferrari has been churning out the last few years, either. When they started putting the engines up front again, I stopped taking them too seriously. Pretty, but, eh :bored:
Click to expand...

yeah "platform sharing" not rebadging known vehicles. Take the alfa 164, Saab 9000 and Lancia Thema ALL were the same platform but each was very different. Thats how it should be, along with leaks of engine technology/collaborations between Fiat/Chrysler. My Omni had an Isuzu <? Mitsu<? derived motor in it as they were sharing ideas and parts and still keeping the marks separate.
 
Good point. It's probably a bit soon to be seeing collaborative efforts like that, though. I'm not saying that what's happening right now is a great (or even a good) thing, but they've got to start somewhere. It's all in line with what was "promised" last April. I just hope they don't plan on stopping with these steps and can move on to true platform sharing with individual marqee development. Only time will tell...
 
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