FIAT comes to north America

moose · May 26, 2011

You can now pre order your new FIAT500.
for bailing out the Chrysler's corp. back in 08, FIAT cut a deal with Obama to allow distributing of it's cars, starting the 2012 year model.
FIAT dayview it's impressive line of cars, at the New York car show in Manhattan a few weeks ago. with it's tiny little 500 model.

FIAT USA - Home

this is good news for expediters, with the begging question :

' how long will we have to wait for the DUCATO ??? '

it's just about time we'll have a real sprinter competitor .

layoutshooter · May 26, 2011

They used to sell FIAT here a long time ago. They did not do all that well then. That was before buying other than US made cars became popular.

layoutshooter · May 26, 2011

They used to sell FIAT here a long time ago. They did not do all that well then. That was before buying other than US made cars became popular.

scottm4211 · May 26, 2011

Fix It Again Tony

layoutshooter · May 26, 2011

They were pretty junky the first time around.

greg334 · May 26, 2011

I hope they do well here.

I drove a 500 a few days ago, I would buy that before I would buy any Ford and won't ever buy another GM or Chrysler.

The 500 I drove wasn't a Mexican made one, I think they are ramping up production now but who knows. It was roomier than the Mini, and sure a lot more fun to drive. Fiat was cutting edge on their use of personal interface between car and driver, a few years before Ford and Ford ripped off their idea of tracking mileage and that "sync" stuff.

We have had Fiats in the past, Spider and X19. They were alright, just like the English cars we had. Parts were not an issue but talking to a mechanic was.

I think they will sell a few but who knows. Chrysler itself says they paid the loan back but we got shafted on the interest but the trade off will be a better managed company because those Italians are running the show and they won't take crap from us.

scottm4211 · May 26, 2011

Too bad they didn't bring over the diesel 500. Honest 70 mpg car, unlike the hybrids we have.

greg334 · May 26, 2011

scottm4211 said:
Too bad they didn't bring over the diesel 500. Honest 70 mpg car, unlike the hybrids we have.

Yep I agree, Ford too.

They have the Fiesta Diesel which is a nice care to drive but they refuse to market it here because "we can't sell enough of them to justify the manufacturing cost" - that is an official Ford quote from their press release.

layoutshooter · May 26, 2011

Too bad these are all "dink" cars you are talking about. I won't be impressed until I see the same fuel to weight ratios in cars as I see on my expediters.

It takes far less fuel, per pound, to move my truck than any car on the market.

scottm4211 · May 26, 2011

There's more to the world than expedite trucks.

greg334 · May 26, 2011

layoutshooter said:
It takes far less fuel, per pound, to move my truck than any car on the market.

Really?

Well explain that one to me, you a series hybrid truck?

layoutshooter · May 26, 2011

greg334 said:
Really?

Well explain that one to me, you a series hybrid truck?

My truck weighs 30,000 empty and get 10MPG. What would a car get if it used fuel the same way? What car gets 300MPG?

layoutshooter · May 26, 2011

greg334 said:
Really?

Well explain that one to me, you a series hybrid truck?

My truck weighs 30,000 empty and get 10MPG. What would a car get if it used fuel the same way? What car gets 300MPG?

layoutshooter · May 26, 2011

scottm4211 said:
There's more to the world than expedite trucks.

Yep, pick up trucks and boats too.

Fact is, NO car on the market uses as little fuel, PER POUND OF VEHICLE, to move it as my truck does.

It is all about how much fuel to move equal amounts of weight.

Geez, guys, JPL knows this, so does NASA, Boeing etc, you should too!

scottm4211 · May 26, 2011

layoutshooter said:
Yep, pick up trucks and boats too.

Fact is, NO car on the market uses as little fuel, PER POUND OF VEHICLE, to move it as my truck does.

It is all about how much fuel to move equal amounts of weight.

Geez, guys, JPL knows this, so does NASA, Boeing etc, you should too!

It's not all about that at all. It's about a small family car that gets great fuel economy. Nothing more. Have fun wheeling your straight truck in the drive thru.

moose · May 26, 2011

layoutshooter said:
My truck weighs 30,000 empty and get 10MPG. What would a car get if it used fuel the same way? What car gets 300MPG?

30,000 pounds divided by 10 mil divided by gallon equal 300 pound per gallon , not mil per gallon.

nice try.

scottm4211 · May 26, 2011

I'm surprised he doesn't own a train.

moose · May 26, 2011

scottm4211 said:
I'm surprised he doesn't own a train.

It's a tree huggres politics, to convinced the Gov. to move more freight by trains.
never really had any math behind it.
they say trains can move more freight then trucks for the same fuel, but it's not really true.
it's a hoax.

Camper · May 26, 2011

moose said:
30,000 pounds divided by 10 mil divided by gallon equal 300 pound per gallon , not mil per gallon.

nice try.

You're missing a zero

Camper · May 26, 2011

layoutshooter said:
Yep, pick up trucks and boats too.

Fact is, NO car on the market uses as little fuel, PER POUND OF VEHICLE, to move it as my truck does.

It is all about how much fuel to move equal amounts of weight.

Geez, guys, JPL knows this, so does NASA, Boeing etc, you should too!

For the sake of comparison, The Ford Fiesta which gets 40 MPG(highway mileage) with a curb weight of 2600lbs, moves a mere 65lbs per mile, per gallon of fuel.