Rumor of the day…
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Once again, talks about some kind of alliance between Chrysler and Fiat.
I imagine Chrysler is desperate and would accept anyone as a partner.
Not sure why Fiat would do it though. Maybe to gain access to the US market?
What do you think?
Have a Fiat 500 rebadged as a Chrysler!
They could make a new PT Cruiser. In this case, PT would stand for “Punto” instead of “Pronto”.
Or maybe a PD Cruiser. You know, “Panda” Cruiser.
Or maybe this means we’ll be seeing rebadged Lancias sold as Chryslers… you never know.
Some Guy’s “Auto” Erotic Arousal Scale: 3/10 (on a 1=low, 10=high scale). Only because in some twisted fantasy world where this becomes a reality, I could be driving a Barchetta with the pentastar pasted on it around Devil’s Slide, scarf around my neck, wind blowing through my hair plugs, some phony-breasted cougar in the passenger’s seat. We’d stop at some slightly-upscale, overpriced seaside restaurant, and I’d ask for a table for two, with a view, telling the maitre’d my name is Hoyt as I slyly slip him a two-dollar bill. I’d pretend to know something about seafood while I secretly snicker about “getting crabs.” After a wild night I’d wake up handcuffed to the bedrail of some cheap motel, robbed blind by my date, my wallet still in my pants which are now in the dinky trunk of the Barchetta as it speeds away. As my escort-turned burglar flicks the nimble, American-badged Fiat around the winding backroads of 84, she wonders what her score was and pulls over at a rest-stop, the wind would’ve dislodged her wig anyway. She opens my thick wallet, expecting cash and credit cards galore. Only, she finds, where there should be bills, old receipts. George Costanza would be proud. There’s one overdrawn bank card, a Subway Rewards card and a Library card with a past due for a book I borrowed fifteen years earlier. Behind them are copies of the same business card I kept obsessively snatching from my old community college counselor. By now, I must’ve summoned help, and the cops would be looking for my car. She angrily throws my belongings to the side of the road and goes to start the engine, only to be faced with a gruesome grinding noise. After several more attempts, the battery is dead. Sure, she could use my AAA membership card, but I haven’t renewed in years. And then it hits her like a ton of bricks: she’s driving a Fiat.
Ah… if only.
-Some Guy
This looks like a great combo, small and medium size fuel efficient cars coming into Chrysler dealerships to complement the large CUV, SUV, pickups and large cars. Instant complete vehicle line, unlike what Chrysler has now.
“Chrysler is desperate and would accept anyone as a partner”???? You make it sound as if Fiat was an upstart Chinese company or something. Fiat may have had some rocky moments in its long history but it is a pretty solid outfit. Actually, probably much more so than Chrysler, I would say
Thank God! I hope it’s true!
The stoic American in bed with a fiery Italian!
Mama Mia! The “kids” are gonna be beautiful!
If anyone out there is worldly and educated , they would realise how well Fiat is doing and how strong they are. They recently got a huge cash payout from GM. They were partners in some dealings. A Canadian / Italian Businessman is at the helm at Fiat and has turned them around. He is the Carlos Goshn of Fiat. I think it is a possibility. P.S. They make much more than the 500.
Fiat is going to get licencing income when Chrysler uses their platforms and engines. On top of that, they get equity, which means that they stand a decent chance of getting bought-out in a few years, just like GM bought them out a few years ago.
The funny thing is that Fiat got their mid-size platform (used on the Alfa Brera and 159) from GM at fire sale prices. It was originally designed as a Saab 9-5 replacement.
In short, Fiat gets money from Chrysler for the use platforms and engines that they got from GM, with the potential of a huge payday down the road, and you wonder what’s in it for them?
It’s all upside, as long as they don’t get stuck with Chrysler’s liabilities.
It’s a done deal. Live with it.
Fiat makes one of the worst cars in Europe. Overpriced under power cars. I owned Punto with 1.3l engine very slow car. No I have yaris 1.5 much better car.
Anonymous said…
Have a Fiat 500 rebadged as a Chrysler!
January 19, 2009 9:28 PM
Call it the “Chrysler 500C”