Recent news reports that the ‘new’ Chrysler will build the ‘new’ Fiat 500 in a plant in Mexico for the North American market touched a nerve. As mentioned here a couple of months ago, my first car was a Fiat, the 600, which was the original “Cinquecento’s” bigger brother.
Bigger as in all of four cylinders (versus two) and a massive 22 horsepower (instead of a perfectly adequate 13).
I even once hit a moose with “The Beast" (its nickname, as emblazoned with a Dymo label on its metal dashboard) and lived to tell about it. Not sure about the moose - if it was dead, I’d have bought it and had no place to put it; if it was alive, I’d be facing a seriously angry moose.
So once I realized the car was OK (just a flesh wound), I kept going…
We also noted previously that one reader said he had seen on the Motor Trend web site that the 500 would not come to Canada because of some taillight issue with Transport Canada. My sources suggest this is not the case. In fact, Canada’s preference for smaller cars indicates the 500 should be relatively more successful here.
And because Toronto is the fifth-largest city in Italy (after Roma, Milano, Buenos Aries and New York City) you’d think it would be particularly well-received here.
Can’t wait!
In other European industry news, Magna is coming down the home stretch in getting approval to take over Opel. The German government wants Magna to win the battle; apparently the final decision will be down to General Motors.
We should know soon.
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