Fiat 500 axed in North America

[Mopar426]

Putting here for the discussion on what people think will take its assembly spot. Right now Toluca makes the Compass, Journey and 500. With the 500 gone and the journey not far behind what do you think they'll put in there?

Back to Fiat, I read a pretty compelling theory that FCA wanted to pull Fiat out of NA back in 2017 but the cost of paying back dealers for building Fiat studios would be too much, so now they are just starving it out. 124 pretty much confirmed its not getting replaced, at least not as a half miata. 500L doesn't have a pulse and I cannot remember the last time I saw a 500X or an ad for any of them.

 

[Cody's Car Conundrum]

Assuming this is still in the cards: The next-gen Journey perhaps.

What I want: a Dodge/Chrysler sedan of some kind.

Regarding the 124: I'd love it if someone at FCA decided to reprise the Slingshot name and make the 124 a Dodge product.

 

[Bili]

AFAIK it's not axed. All new 500 BEV will come back even in US.

Speaking about Toluca. There is a rumor that another Small Wide based car may join Compass. I don't know what did @redriderbob hear about this.

 

[Freshforged]

AFAIK it's not axed. All new 500 BEV will come back even in US.

Speaking about Toluca. There is a rumor that another Small Wide based car may join Compass. I don't know what did @redriderbob hear about this.

That makes sense—they still need a “California” ZEV.

RE: Toluca production, I’m betting on a metric ton pickup for N/S America markets.

 

[Bili]

RE: Toluca production, I’m betting on a metric ton pickup for N/S America markets.

Unibody to BOF? Sounds unlikely plus Compass is still there.

 

[BobbiBigWheels]

 

[Rustydodge]

Unibody to BOF? Sounds unlikely plus Compass is still there.

Why does it have to go BOF? Could be a "Fiat Toro" for the US, the new Dakota that has been rumored - only it will slot in slightly under the current primary midsize trucks. Not saying its likely.

 

[Mopar426]

AFAIK it's not axed. All new 500 BEV will come back even in US.

Speaking about Toluca. There is a rumor that another Small Wide based car may join Compass. I don't know what did @redriderbob hear about this.

They made no mention of its replacement in the press release and could you imagine FCA asking NA dealers to invest more money in a Fiat electric car support program? Tech training, tools, chargers etc. How many 500e's did they sell here?

 

[Bili]

They made no mention of its replacement in the press release and could you imagine FCA asking NA dealers to invest more money in a Fiat electric car support program? Tech training, tools, chargers etc. How many 500e's did they sell here?

They must sell it because of California. PHEV offerings can not completely replace it to fulfill legal requirements. Maybe FCA will offer a different BEV product. Dunno.

In any case new 500 BEV which will be built on a dedicated BEV platform sounds like a plausible solution.

 

[Bili]

Why does it have to go BOF? Could be a "Fiat Toro" for the US, the new Dakota that has been rumored - only it will slot in slightly under the current primary midsize trucks. Not saying its likely.

That's not a metric ton working pick-up. Metric ton like 1000+ kilos of payload, more likely 1200-1300 kilos. I think that's higher payload than Ram 1500 offers. I may be wrong on this.

In any case BOF is the only solution. FCA is in process of finding solution where to make it as was mentioned by Mike Manley on more than one occasion.
Original plan was to make it in place of Ram HD at Saltillo Truck. Back then it was part of the plan where Ram HD was supposed to switch to Warren Truck.

 

[Mopar426]

They must sell it because of California. PHEV offerings can not completely replace it to fulfill legal requirements. Maybe FCA will offer a different BEV product. Dunno.

In any case new 500 BEV which will be built on a dedicated BEV platform sounds like a plausible solution.

True, would make far better sense to offer an electric CUV or pickup instead. There is some white space available for an electric small truck about the size of an 80's dakota

 

[Freshforged]

True, would make far better sense to offer an electric CUV or pickup instead. There is some white space available for an electric small truck about the size of an 80's dakota

I would have bought that this summer instead of the used Ranger I picked up. BEV minitruck would be aces!

 

[Rustydodge]

That's not a metric ton working pick-up. Metric ton like 1000+ kilos of payload, more likely 1200-1300 kilos. I think that's higher payload than Ram 1500 offers. I may be wrong on this.

In any case BOF is the only solution. FCA is in process of finding solution where to make it as was mentioned by Mike Manley on more than one occasion.
Original plan was to make it in place of Ram HD at Saltillo Truck. Back then it was part of the plan where Ram HD was supposed to switch to Warren Truck.

I'm talking a Ram 700ish to Fiat Toro type of truck. Whether its a "metric ton" or not i could care less as it wouldn't be rated that way in the US any way. Don't see why it has to be a BOF - we have the gladiator to fill that midsize spot already.

Isn't the Toro unibody? Maybe i'm wrong on that. Thought it was based on the Compass. They've been seen in the US testing before:
Jeep, or Toro pickup, in the USA?

 

[Freshforged]

I'm talking a Ram 700ish to Fiat Toro type of truck. Whether its a "metric ton" or not i could care less as it wouldn't be rated that way in the US any way. Don't see why it has to be a BOF - we have the gladiator to fill that midsize spot already.

Isn't the Toro unibody? Maybe i'm wrong on that. Thought it was based on the Compass. They've been seen in the US testing before:
Jeep, or Toro pickup, in the USA?

IIRC Toro isn’t Compass based (US-W) but it is styled very similarly.

 

[Bili]

IIRC Toro isn’t Compass based (US-W) but it is styled very similarly.

Toro is Small Wide. Actually some parts like front doors are identical.

I must find a video from factory. In that video Compass, Renegade and Toro can be seen coming down the line in a one big shuffle.

 

[redriderbob]

That makes sense—they still need a “California” ZEV.

RE: Toluca production, I’m betting on a metric ton pickup for N/S America markets.

Metric pickup has been pushed back. It won't happen till 2023... Ram 1500 Classic stays at WTAP until 2022 model year. The true 5th Gen Ram HD will move to WTAP after Ram 1500 production alongside the all-new Wagoneer which will be built at WTAP with Ram 1500 Classic I am told. The next-generation Durango will move to WTAP in 2023 as well. Saltillo Truck will build the new metric truck as planned.

 

[redriderbob]

Toro is Small Wide. Actually some parts like front doors are identical.

I must find a video from factory. In that video Compass, Renegade and Toro can be seen coming down the line in a one big shuffle.

 

[TripleT]

No one said the capacity would be used for US and Canada

 

[codypet]

Well some of the upper level trims of the Journey are going, so maybe they are freeing up capacity.

 

[Mopar426]

Well some of the upper level trims of the Journey are going, so maybe they are freeing up capacity.

Cutting AWD and the V6 from the journey is a head scratcher. My WAG is that they can offer deep discounts on the 4cyl FWD while not affecting profit as much as they would on the V6 AWD ones. Or its a CAFE thing, who knows. Either way Dodge is in pretty dire straights as a brand right now.