2012 Fiat 500 Accessorized by Mopar to Break Cover in Detroit

In addition to the previously mentioned 2011 Chrysler 200 Super S, Mopar will also be displaying several aftermarket accessories for the recently launched in the USA, Fiat 500, through a special version of the city car at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit. Like the Chrysler 200, the Mopar-flavored Fiat 500 is all show and no-go, as all upgrades are more or less purely cosmetic.

The Detroit Show Mopar 500 appears to be far less impressive than the concept shown by the same division at last year's SEMA gathering, with the overall styling bringing to mind the accessories found on Mopar's "10' Limited Edition Challenger". Details and photos after the jump.

Following is a list of Mopar accessories that will be featured on the 2012 Fiat 500:

Door-sill guards with 500 logo
Roof/hood decals feature a double-blue stripe
Katzkin leather interior, black with blue accents
Carbon fiber-style hand brake
Carbon fiber-style shift knob with leather boot
Rear window-mount rack
Snowboard carrier
Wheels, black gloss
Chromed exhaust tip
Chromed mirror covers
Chromed fuel door
Chromed grille surround, front and back
Wheel center caps
Key fob cover
Strut tower brace

_______________________________GALLERY_______________________________

Italian Auto Union to go on Strike at Fiat’s Mirafiori Plant, Affects Chrysler Plans

In order to be able to invest €1 billion (US $1.31 billion) in a joint venture with Chrysler, Fiat needed to secure agreements with all unions representing its factory workers. However, a more hard-line Italian union, FIOM, is refusing to sign the deal Fiat is proposing for the Mirafiori plant and announced that it will go on strike later this month. In retaliation, the automaker threatened to withdraw the cash “should it not be satisfied”.

According to FIOM, CEO Sergio Marchionne managed to convince the FIM-CISL, UILM, UGL and FISMIC unions and a vote will be held on January 13-14 among Fiat employees represented by those unions to ratify the deals.

In the meantime, FIOM is staging an eight-hour strike for January 28 at the Mirafiori and other Fiat plants plus Italian institutions, labeling the deal as “an awful agreement”.

“This agreement by Fiat is outside the national metalworkers agreement as if it was a house built in a desert”, a FIOM spokesman in Italy told Just Auto. “All the other unions have signed, but FIOM has refused. We have called a strike but not only in Fiat - all of Italy on 28 January for eight hours. It is an awful agreement”, he added.

FIOM is objecting to alleged changes that Fiat wants to implement, regarding future strike rights, break times and sickness benefits.

By Csaba Daradics

Source: Just Auto [Sub. Req.]

_______________________________GALLERY_______________________________

Report: Fiat Group May Raise its Chrysler Stake from 20% to 51%

Italian carmaker Fiat may increase its stake in the Chrysler LLC group from 20 per cent it owns today to 51 per cent before an initial public offering (IPO) by the U.S. automaker, the firm's chief executive officer, Sergio Marchionne, told reporters at the Milan stock exchange today after the first listing of Fiat Industrial, which includes the group's non-automotive related assets.

“I think it is possible, don’t know whether it is likely, but it is possible that we go over the 50 percent if Chrysler decides to go to the market in 2011,” said Mr. Marchionne. "There will be an advantage if that happens."

The Fiat Group, which acquired a 20 per cent stake in Chrysler in 2009 saving the company from bankruptcy, has the option to buy another 15 per cent this year when the Detroit automaker begins manufacturing a small engine in the U.S. and meets sales targets outside of North America, as well as an additional 16 per cent after Chrysler repays U.S. and Canadian government loans.

Analysts believe that it would probably cost less money for Fiat to increase its Chrysler stake now than if it were to do it after the listing. “It looks cheaper for Fiat to get 51 percent of Chrysler before the IPO,” said Philippe Houchois, a London-based analyst at UBS AG. Mr. Houchois told Businessweek that Fiat could save anywhere between $1 billion to $2.7 billion if the Italian company exercises the option before a Chrysler listing. “It’s a positive scenario for Fiat shares.”

Mr. Marchionne also pointed out that there is currently no plan to merge Fiat and Chrysler. “A legal merger is not going to change our life,” he said.

Source: Businessweek

Poll: Should Fiat Cut Loose Alfa Romeo and/or Sell it to Volkswagen?

Like Saab and countless other brands before, Alfa Romeo is at a tipping point. The famed Italian automaker, which once stunned the world with its gorgeous styling and motorsport victories, is now losing an estimate €200 million (US$265 million) per annum. It’s hard to believe that the company that brought us cars like the GTA, the Spider and the 158/159 Alfetta could be reduced to such a sad state of affairs.

Sergio Marchionne, the unwavering CEO of Fiat and its subsidiaries, is determined to turn the ailing automaker around. Meanwhile, Volkswagen is sniffing around for more brands and smells a potential winner in the Milanese company.

There are many arguments for and against selling Alfa Romeo to ze Germans. Here are the ones we’ve covered in our previous article:

The Case For Selling Alfa Romeo

• Alfa Romeo is valued at €1.5 to 2 billion. By selling what equates to their biggest loser, Fiat would emerge virtually debt free.
• The brand’s dismissal would save Fiat a further €1.5 billion that it would of spent product R&D over the next four years.
• Fiat would also save €200 million a year in losses.
• Alfa’s departure could potentially allow for Dodge to return to Europe as Fiat’s sporty brand, with Fiat remaining the first choice for entry level buyers and Lancia / Chrysler for those seeking something a little more upmarket.
• Volkswagen has worked wonders with Bentley, Seat and Bugatti. Can you think of a better mother hen for one of Italy’s finest?

The Case Against Selling Alfa Romeo

• If Fiat can survive until 2014, analysts predict it will emerge with no debt and fatter profit margins. And that’s with Alfa Romeo.
• Fiat could net the same amount of lira by selling three of its OEM suppliers: Magneti Marelli, Comau and Teksid.
• After Fiat’s expected 2014 recovery, the Milanese automaker is expected to account for 10% of Fiat’s sales.
• Fiat has plans to share platforms between Alfa Romeo, Chrysler and Jeep, helping all three brands. Without the platform sharing, Chrysler and Jeep will continue struggle and Fiat’s push into the Chinese and Russian markets will be delayed.
• With Fiat focusing primarily on small cars, it would have to develop new mid-sized and large car models to fill the gap left by the departing Alfa.

So there you have it: five points for and five points against. All that’s left now is to cast your vote, so get voting!

By Tristan Hankins

__________________________________POLL__________________________________

Should Fiat Sell Alfa Romeo to the VW Group?

Fiat Sports Up its Strada Pickup Truck in Brazil

Passenger car-based pickup trucks represent a significant proportion of sales in Brazil taking up some 7 per cent of the total market, so it comes to no surprise that major players in the segment like Fiat are always on the lookout to expand their offerings. This time, Fiat has revealed a more athletic version of its Strada compact pickup truck called Sporting.

The Strada Sporting is distinguished on the outside by the new aero kit, which comprises of a front spoiler, side skirts and wheel arch add-ons - all painted in the same color as the body, as well as the 16-inch alloy wheels dressed in 185/55 tires. Other styling cues include the smoked headlamps and the silver trim on the mirrors, front fog lights, roof bars and the rear bumper.

Fiat's designers also updated the interior of the compact pickup truck with leather trimmed sports steering wheel, handbrake and gearbox lever (all with red-stitching), unique seat trims, red-colored seat belts, aluminum pedals and a revised instrument panel.

The new trim level of the Strada Extended Cab is powered by the Italian firm's 1.8-liter 16v four-cylinder flex-fuel engine producing 130HP and 18.4 lb.-ft. of torque when running on gasoline and 132HP and 18.0 lb.-ft. on ethanol. Fiat says it has also fine-tuned the suspension and manual gearbox of the Strada Sporting.

The Strada Sporting is available in Brazil with a starting price of R$ 46,270 or about US$27,400.

_______________________________GALLERY_______________________________

Dodge Journey to be Sold as the Fiat Freemont in Europe

The Fiat Group, which currently owns a 20 per cent controlling stake in Chrysler, is planning to rebrand the Dodge Journey crossover to the Fiat Freemont in Europe, according to a report from Autoweek citing inside sources from the Italian company. The sources said the American automaker will stop selling the Journey in Europe and that the Fiat version, will get its world premiere at the upcoming Geneva Salon in March 2011 with sales set to start in June of the same year.

The styling changes over the recently refreshed Dodge Journey are believed to be kept to a minimum, however, the Freemont will get Fiat's 2.0-liter turbo diesel unit with 170HP in place of the Journey's VW-sourced 140HP 2.0-liter diesel engine.

It is reported that the Freemont will also act as a replacement to the Fiat Ulysse, which ended production this month.

According to data provided by JATA, Dodge sold some 8,400 Journeys in Europe last year. Fiat believes that the recent updates along with the more powerful diesel engine and more importantly, the Italian firm's 5,000-strong European sales network which is significantly larger than Chrysler's, will help boost sales of the 5+2 seater crossover wagon.

The Fiat Freemont will be manufactured alongside the Dodge Journey at Chrysler's Toluca, Mexico plant.

Source: Autoweek

________________________2011 DODGE JOURNEY_______________________