Is it just me or is Fiat doing a great job of getting everything wrong with this car in the US? a shame, I'd love to love this car.
Owning a Subaru, I'm more than used to it. From the factory my WRX came with: - Springs that gave it more ground clearance than an Explorer - Suspension tuning that made the car so overdamped, it was scary to drive over 80 miles per hour - Steering with a huge center dead spot due to steering rack bushings made of goo - The worst OEM tires I have ever experienced - An exhaust more restrictive than an 1850 corset And I still love it, anyway. I don't think it's fair to criticize the Fiat 500 Abarth before they even release the specs and anyone has driven one.
I wasn't (just) talking about the Abarth specs; the marketing, the interior materials, etc. it just seems half-assed and thrown together. of course, what should we expect from a Fiat-Chrysler joint venture
I had a Fiat spyder and my friend in high school had a 124 sedan. I learned to work on cars with those two. Always wanted the brand to come back to the states but this car is not the answer IMO. I had no idea anyone on here actually cared or that a 50 page thread was even in existence. I saw the cars at the car shows last year: Miami, NY, Cleveland, Chicago etc. and just dismissed it. Looks like a shortened PT Cruiser. Saw a commercial on TV and my sister and girlfriend said "that's cute". So i think it's going to be a girl car. I think some are looking at what they want the car to be and not what it really is.
Sat in a 500 at a local car show this weekend. Impressed with the roominess of the interior! The back seat legroom is better than the Mini. Love to get an Abarth, but talk of it being double the price of a base model is a dealbreaker for me.
My wife and I decided she needed a new ride today. So, we took the Countach over to FIAT of Kirkland and got her a new 500 "Sport". What a fun little car!!! Image Unavailable, Please Login
Francois Fights to Right Fiat Fiasco New Brand Chief Admits 'Awareness Problem' but Defends J. Lo as One Way to Fix It By: Rich Thomaselli Published: September 26, 2011 "I don't think we have a car problem; people love the car," said Olivier Francois, chief marketing officer and head of brand marketing communications for Fiat-Chrysler, speaking of the former brand. "I think we have an awareness problem." But however you slice it, there's a problem: After six months, the automaker isn't selling anywhere near the ambitious U.S. 6,000-per-month goal set by Fiat-Chrysler chairman Sergio Marchionne; dealers are disgruntled that they have only one model, the 500, to sell; Fiat is dropping its original U.S. agency, a tiny, under-the-radar shop seemingly ill-equipped to handle a full-blown car launch; a celebrity-fueled promotion went awry and was canceled before it got launched; and its latest marketing push -- a music-video-style ad featuring Jennifer Lopez -- is taking a drubbing for both its creative and media placement. It all adds up to Mr. Francois, who spoke with Ad Age in an exclusive interview during a dealer meeting in Rochester, Mich. last week, having his hands full. Mr. Francois, chief marketing officer and head of marketing and communications for Chrysler, added oversight of Fiat marketing this month. In January, Ad Age reported that Fiat North America CEO Laura Soave had hired Impatto, a Southfield, Mich.-based boutique agency run by Michael D'Antonio to handle creative duties and event strategy. Impatto had handled some event marketing at Ford when Ms. Soave was there. When asked about Ms. Soave's status at the company, a Chrysler spokeswoman said "To my knowledge, Laura is still on board." Ms. Soave could not be reached for comment. Lopez's Fiat ad What other executives close to the situation did say was that Impatto was outsourcing creative on Fiat, and Mr. Francois confirmed that "we are winding down our relationship with them. There's no real marriage. I never, ever meet with them, never met with the guy [Mr. D'Antonio]. My understanding is that they are less of an advertising agency and more of a strategic partner." Mr. D'Antonio did not return a call at press time. http://adage.com/article/news/francois-fights-fiat-fiasco/230033/
I've been saying for a year now the marketing of this car has been on the wrong track. I don't like the changes to the website. It seems like there are fewer options and they don't want you to order a custom car. The choices are less and when you submit, it refers you to a dealer hundreds of miles away.
September Sales : 2,773 Less than August. I wonder if they will maintain the initial interest and hover around the 3000 units per month. Abarth will most likely help.
Not at 30K. If it comes in at 2x base as rumored, it will only sell to a small number of enthusiasts.
