Coming to America
 

The FIAT 500:

http://www.time.com/time/photogaller...049248,00.html

it got tons of attention at the philly show. i was rather dissappointed in the quality of the interior materials and the shifter was a rubbery mess.

still, i hope it does well. i want to see alfa back

Didn't watch the video on the link but I have seen allot of them in person. Just saw 4 of them on I-75 friday. A buddy of mine runs a bunch of their cnc machines at their newly re-tooled factory in dundee, Michigan. They are cool little cars. Make the wife's fiesta look huge.

Was gonna say...I saw a bunch when I was visiting in Michigan over the Hollidays. I would like a go in the Abarth...seems fun.

Looks like the half-step between a GTI and a Beetle.

They would be nice if they were 10 grand...but the ones at the LA Auto Show were 20k.
No thanks.

I'll take a Chevy Cruze with a 1.4 Turbo and 42mpg for 20k.

More competition can't be a bad thing, at least.

Competing against what? A Smart, which sells for 11,995?

A Smart is an over priced piece of absolute shit whose only quality is that you might have better luck finding a parking space on a city street. Otherwise its an excellent way to advertise your self as a moron who will spend your money on magic rat testicles.

The Fiat 500 is trying to cash in on the love that Mini got by making a Fiat Panda appeal to hipsters and people who recognize Luigi from the Movie "Cars". Supposed to be pretty decent to drive around town despite having arcade style\remote control steering (which as a GM person you would probably love)

Having driven a smart ill happily certify its status as a deathtrap. That self shifting manual trans is about as smooth as a retarded sixteen year old on crack

I didn't realize it was over here already. I haven't driven one but I do like the Euro version and hopefully they didn't screw it up Americanizing it. I hope they didn't add a bunch of weight, tune the suspension to mush, and the engine they sourced (I believe from Chrysler) for the American version isn't a wheezy NVH loaded nightmare.

As I understand it it still has a multiair engine

Good, it looks like you are right. It is supposed to be a Fiat design, Chrysler is just building it.

Rode in a Fiat cab in Europe. It rode nice. If I remember correctly, something was funny about the transmission but I don't remember what.

Should fit right in with all the other current Chrysler products then, huh?

They all have that fucking horrible CVT in them now.

As a Survivor of an 70s era spyder I recall FIAT being an acronym for : Fix It Again Tony. I hope their Quality has improved they look very fun.

Sounds like nissan... they all have the craptastic CVT

$20K for a 1.4L?

Nee'a please.

I'll take a used 2001-2003 BMW 3-series for $10K and buy a new bike with the other $10K.