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FIAT Kills Most Of Its Lineup In North America For 2021 Model Year:

FIAT Kills Most Of Its Lineup In North America For 2021 Model Year:​

500X Will Be Only Vehicle To Live On In North America...​



2021-Fiat-500X-Pop-with-Sport-Appearance-Package.-FIAT-5.jpg


It’s no secret that the FIAT brand has struggled to gain traction in the North American market since the brand was re-introduced just over a decade ago. The brand’s small car lineup simply doesn’t compete against a majority of other automakers, due to the market’s infatuation with trucks, SUVs, and crossovers. But is the Italian … (read full article...)

 
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bill burke

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What can you say, Fiat blew their return to North America big time. Launching with one model, with a mini compact yet, a proven poor market already, was just a blunder. Placing Alfa Romeo in Fiat dealerships was another blunder for both brands. This now makes the chances, even with new products, very questionable. Fiat with more product at launch may have had a shot, today, what can you say.
 

Crocodile

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FIAT's fate in North America is on hold until the Stellantis merger is finalised in coming months. If it is decided that Peugeot will not now be launched as another new brand in the market, it may be decided to badge Peugeot's as FIATs. That will give access to some more appealing products to be sold in North America using an existing established dealer network. Over time expect new FIATs to be built on PSA platforms expanding the potential sales in Europe (particularly Italy) for the FIAT brand. The script has already been written in what PSA has done with OPEL since they acquired mit from GM.
 

Bili

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@Crocodile

There is one very important and huge difference between Fiat and Opel or FCA and Opel.

Opel didn't own any IP on platforms and engines while FCA has lot of them.

In addition to this FCA has all new eMini platform launched with the all new Fiat 500. This platform was planned for future Jeep, Alfa and Fiat brands B segment SUVs. IMO it is more advanced than PSA CMP especially when it comes to BEV subversion, eMini has much better battery integration.

What worries me with PSA platforms is bad packaging. Most of their products are at the bottom when it comes to rear passenger knee room, both 208 II on CMP and 308 II on EMP2 has this issue.
But even more worrying is mechanical decontent of PSA platforms. How to built proper Jeep or Alfa on them?
 

patfromigh

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There is room in our market for the new 500 BEV. Hopefully Fiat can figure out a way to to import a small allotment for North America. The 500X should be a PHEV companion to the battery electric 2 door and modified towards that mission.

It makes no sense to me why small Jeeps can be front drive while the sport Fiat 500X is AWD only.
 

AlexB

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Stellantis will not spend the money pull a brand from North America given the various state laws in the United States.

That's $600 million or greater cost.
 

AlexB

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There is room in our market for the new 500 BEV. Hopefully Fiat can figure out a way to to import a small allotment for North America. The 500X should be a PHEV companion to the battery electric 2 door and modified towards that mission.

It makes no sense to me why small Jeeps can be front drive while the sport Fiat 500X is AWD only.
On North America I agree with you on FWD Jeep's, it is a different for story for Jeep in Europe.
 

Frank Delgado

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FIAT's fate in North America is on hold until the Stellantis merger is finalised in coming months. If it is decided that Peugeot will not now be launched as another new brand in the market, it may be decided to badge Peugeot's as FIATs. That will give access to some more appealing products to be sold in North America using an existing established dealer network. Over time expect new FIATs to be built on PSA platforms expanding the potential sales in Europe (particularly Italy) for the FIAT brand. The script has already been written in what PSA has done with OPEL since they acquired mit from GM.
I honestly don't see this happening. The French brand is almost completely unknown, and wouldn't play in the NAFTA market.
 

Bili

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There is room in our market for the new 500 BEV. Hopefully Fiat can figure out a way to to import a small allotment for North America. The 500X should be a PHEV companion to the battery electric 2 door and modified towards that mission.

It makes no sense to me why small Jeeps can be front drive while the sport Fiat 500X is AWD only.

Is there any future for small cars in US? I'm not talking about Fiat but about small cars in general. Small as around 4 meters or smaller than it. Even in Europe with impeding electrification there will be no much room for very small or A segment cars. B segment cars will live. New 500 is one of the last A segment cars. AFAIK no other European car maker has all new A segment car in the pipeline.

Speaking about 500X and AWD. There is no AWD option in Europe anymore. Only FWD. Even Jeep Compass and Renegade and are affected by this although they had rather big (for European standards) AWD product mix. It's all related to CO2 emission. In addition to FWD only eAWD Compass and Renegade will be available. I don't know if something will change with launch of the new P2 MHEV 1.5 turbo engine or will they offer it as FWD only which will be strange for ~200 HP engine.

AFAIK no PHEV 500X in the plans.

We still have no clue about Stellantis product and platform strategies. I worry about too much cost costing. As I've said I'm not particularly satisfied with PSA platforms. So if they won over FCA I'm not sure how it bodes for car enthusiast and especially petrolheads.

Stellantis will not spend the money pull a brand from North America given the various state laws in the United States.

That's $600 million or greater cost.

So they don't have any backdoor or secret plan to quit Fiat in North America?

I don't have anything against end of Fiat in North America.
 

AlexB

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I honestly don't see this happening. The French brand is almost completely unknown, and wouldn't play in the NAFTA market.

Is there any future for small cars in US? I'm not talking about Fiat but about small cars in general. Small as around 4 meters or smaller than it. Even in Europe with impeding electrification there will be no much room for very small or A segment cars. B segment cars will live. New 500 is one of the last A segment cars. AFAIK no other European car maker has all new A segment car in the pipeline.

Speaking about 500X and AWD. There is no AWD option in Europe anymore. Only FWD. Even Jeep Compass and Renegade and are affected by this although they had rather big (for European standards) AWD product mix. It's all related to CO2 emission. In addition to FWD only eAWD Compass and Renegade will be available. I don't know if something will change with launch of the new P2 MHEV 1.5 turbo engine or will they offer it as FWD only which will be strange for ~200 HP engine.

AFAIK no PHEV 500X in the plans.

We still have no clue about Stellantis product and platform strategies. I worry about too much cost costing. As I've said I'm not particularly satisfied with PSA platforms. So if they won over FCA I'm not sure how it bodes for car enthusiast and especially petrolheads.



So they don't have any backdoor or secret plan to quit Fiat in North America?

I don't have anything against end of Fiat in North America.
Let dealers in North America quit/''self-terminate'' the Fiat brand, until the current 500X no longer meet future U.S. standards. By then Stellantis will payout the smallest amount possible.
 
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AlexB

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I honestly don't see this happening. The French brand is almost completely unknown, and wouldn't play in the NAFTA market.
It's not happening in North America. .. base on Carlos comments.
 

MPE426HEMI

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Well, if true, good riddance!
But I hope they are not stupid enough to try and fulfill those outgoing fiat vehicles with French Peugeot one’s in NA. They’re just going to get the same result!
 

ScramFan

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I think there could be a future here in the States for the Fiat 500E, and other very small electric, or plug in hybrid electric cars in major cities like NYC.

I wouldn't be surprised to see the local NYC government push to have a "zero emissions" downtown area. Maybe not to exclude all other vehicles, but to penalize everything except for small BEV vehicles. I could definitely see them try this in the coming years.

I know I still see plenty of 500's (even 500L's and 500X's), as well as Smart cars (mostly for NYPD), so there is still use for ultra small vehicles here.
 

benjmopar

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hallelujah, about time to quit beating that dead horse. Next order of business is to drop Alfa-Romeo and rebadge the 1 or 2 decent cars as chrysler's and start making a profit from them, hell the American brands sales paid for the development costs anyways. I live in the biggest test market in the country and I have seen only one single Alfa on the road here. I've seen more new Broncos the last 3 months than any Alfa's the last 30 years.
 

Frank Delgado

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hallelujah, about time to quit beating that dead horse. Next order of business is to drop Alfa-Romeo and rebadge the 1 or 2 decent cars as chrysler's and start making a profit from them, hell the American brands sales paid for the development costs anyways. I live in the biggest test market in the country and I have seen only one single Alfa on the road here. I've seen more new Broncos the last 3 months than any Alfa's the last 30 years.

Depends where you live. I see a great deal of Alfas in my area, and I've been tempted to get one. The low mileage lease prices are really low. The Stelvio SUV is pretty popular too. The Alfas are great performance cars, and I hope they stick around. The new Tonale small SUV should be here next year.
 

Bili

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The new Tonale small SUV should be here next year.
Calendar 2022 at the earliest. From what I've been told there were some Covid related postponements. Even in Europe it's realistically to expect start of sales in February 2022. It would mean early summer or maybe even autumn in US.

Earlier today sub Tonale model was officially announced for 2nd half of 2022 at the earliest. It depends on which of triplets will came out first. Jeep, Alfa or maybe Fiat. I doubt that we will see this models in US.
 

Frank Delgado

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Well, if true, good riddance!
But I hope they are not stupid enough to try and fulfill those outgoing fiat vehicles with French Peugeot one’s in NA. They’re just going to get the same result!

The Fiat 500 is actually a very good car (I own two) but unfortunately, Americans cannot see the virtue of owning a small car. I have never understood the SUV/Pickup mania in this country, 90% of the time, it's just me in the car. I can thread my way through traffic like a cat, and I can park anywhere. The car is also solid, contrary to reputation. Neither car has had an issue. and after 8 years of production, there have been only four recalls, three of them very minor, and the fourth in the first year of production, handled by the factory.
 

Bili

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The Fiat 500 is actually a very good car (I own two) but unfortunately, Americans cannot see the virtue of owning a small car. I have never understood the SUV/Pickup mania in this country, 90% of the time, it's just me in the car. I can thread my way through traffic like a cat, and I can park anywhere. The car is also solid, contrary to reputation. Neither car has had an issue. and after 8 years of production, there have been only four recalls, three of them very minor, and the fourth in the first year of production, handled by the factory.

Are you living in heavily urbanized area. As European I see advantage of a smaller car in a city.

Actually we have SUV mania in Europe but for slightly different reasons than in the USA. Your 4.1 meter SUV can offer same internal space as 4.4 meter hatch. Or your 4.4 SUV same as 4.8 meter sedan. It's more easy to park with a smaller car. Smaller on the outside, not inside.
 

Frank Delgado

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Are you living in heavily urbanized area. As European I see advantage of a smaller car in a city.

Actually we have SUV mania in Europe but for slightly different reasons than in the USA. Your 4.1 meter SUV can offer same internal space as 4.4 meter hatch. Or your 4.4 SUV same as 4.8 meter sedan. It's more easy to park with a smaller car. Smaller on the outside, not inside.

I live in a fairly dense suburb, but I drive into Manhattan for enjoyment at least once a month. I've also used the car for long distances. It's fine on the Interstate.
 

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