Fiat Gets Busy in a Hurry to Fix Chrysler - Feature
The Italian renaissance.
BY MARK GILLIES, ILLUSTRATION BY DELUSI AND YOSHI G.
September 2009
There are few things we know for certain about the Fiat takeover of Chrysler. But it’s pretty clear that there will be a slew of new Chrysler, Dodge, and Jeep products underpinned by Fiat components and that Fiat will use Chrysler’s factories and dealer network to build and sell select Fiat and Alfa Romeo products in America.
On a recent visit to Fiat headquarters in Turin, Italy, we got some heavy hints about Fiat and Alfa cars that will be coming here, plus the cars we might expect from Chrysler. Fiat personnel took pains to stress that Chrysler products will be designed and engineered by Americans for the American market, even if they use many parts from Fiat’s armory. Here’s a rundown of the cars we can expect over the next five years from Alfa, Fiat, and Chrysler/Dodge.
2012 MiTo
Still being debated is whether Alfa’s funky front-drive hatchback will come to the U.S., where it would compete with the Mini Cooper S but likely at a lower price. Expect 133- and 168-hp, 1.4-liter turbo engines using Fiat’s innovative Multiair variable-valve-lift system. The MiTo is more about style than driving pleasure, although the new turbo engines we sampled are powerful and responsive: The 168-hp unit lacks the low-down pickup of the less powerful engine but gives performance that’s on par with a Cooper S’s.
2012 Milano
Based on an all-new mid-size platform (called the C-Evo), the Milano replaces the hatchback model called the 147 (pictured). Alfa will offer front- and all-wheel-drive models, with a rearward bias in AWD form. The U.S. car will have a six-speed, dual-clutch, automated manual transmission and turbocharged 1.4- and 1.8-liter four-cylinders making between 133 and 227 horsepower. The high-horsepower version is likely to be badged a GTA, in homage to the racing cars of the 1960s and 1970s.
2013 Giulia
Using a modified Milano platform, the Giulia replaces the good-looking 159 (pictured). As with the Milano, it will be available with either front- or all-wheel drive. The base engine will likely be a 197-hp, 1750cc turbo four-cylinder. Fiat is talking about reworking Chrysler V-6s for this car for the U.S. market only, although it might employ a 261-hp turbo four.
2013 Giulietta Coupe and Spider
Replacing the 159-derived Brera coupe (pictured) and convertible models, these cars will use a new rear-wheel-drive platform and be aimed at the Miata end of the market rather than at the Audi TT roadster and the Nissan 370Z.
2013 Berlina
Believe it or not, Alfa is considering using updated Chrysler 300 architecture—Mercedes components from two generations back—for an Alfa competitor to the BMW 5-series. Alfa CEO Sergio Cravero says, “We think we need rear-wheel drive for our top-of-the-range cars and for the spiders and coupes.” For the U.S., it’s a good bet it would be powered by a turbocharged V-6
FIAT————————————————————————————————————————
2012 Fiat 500
The supercute Cinquecento will be built in the U.S. and sold in three forms: coupe, convertible (500C), and sporty Abarth. Think of it as a cheaper rival to the Mini Cooper. The 500 will come with a 104-hp, 1.4-liter Multi air engine; the Abarth gets a 133-hp turbo four in standard form, with 158 horsepower available in the Esseesse model. We drove an Abarth, which was a riot, and a 500C, which is a great chick car but needs more power than the 99 horses offered by the current 1.4-liter engine. Inside and out, both the convertible and the Abarth win massive style points, but the Abarth has substance, too, with sharp steering, a tossable chassis, and decent performance
CHRYSLER/DODGE———————————————————————————————————————
2011 Chrysler 300C/Dodge Charger
A development of the current platform, this will be powered by updated 3.6-liter V-6 and carry-over Hemi V-8 engines. Expect Fiat to heavily rework the V-6 with Multiair technology in the short term to cope with impending fuel-economy requirements.
2012 Chrysler 200C/Dodge Avenger
This will use the platform from the Alfa Milano and Giulia. Again, we predict a range of turbo four-cylinder Multiair engines, starting at 168 horsepower. There’s no word on whether Fiat will update Chrysler’s V-6s or simply fit high-output turbo engines for the more uplevel versions.
2013 Dodge Hornet
Dodge finally gets to build the entry-level small car it has been talking about since first showing the Hornet concept (pictured) at the 2006 Geneva auto show. It likely will be based on Fiat’s A-platform that underpins the 500 and the Panda, with 1.4-liter Multiair engines making 104 and 133 horses, front-wheel drive, and dual-clutch automated manual transmissions.
2013 Dodge Caliber
Similar in size to the current car, this Caliber will be based on the Fiat Punto/Grande Punto (pictured) architecture. Again, look for dual-clutch transmissions and turbocharged 1.4- and 1.8-liter four-cylinders.
The Italian renaissance.
BY MARK GILLIES, ILLUSTRATION BY DELUSI AND YOSHI G.
September 2009
There are few things we know for certain about the Fiat takeover of Chrysler. But it’s pretty clear that there will be a slew of new Chrysler, Dodge, and Jeep products underpinned by Fiat components and that Fiat will use Chrysler’s factories and dealer network to build and sell select Fiat and Alfa Romeo products in America.
On a recent visit to Fiat headquarters in Turin, Italy, we got some heavy hints about Fiat and Alfa cars that will be coming here, plus the cars we might expect from Chrysler. Fiat personnel took pains to stress that Chrysler products will be designed and engineered by Americans for the American market, even if they use many parts from Fiat’s armory. Here’s a rundown of the cars we can expect over the next five years from Alfa, Fiat, and Chrysler/Dodge.
2012 MiTo
Still being debated is whether Alfa’s funky front-drive hatchback will come to the U.S., where it would compete with the Mini Cooper S but likely at a lower price. Expect 133- and 168-hp, 1.4-liter turbo engines using Fiat’s innovative Multiair variable-valve-lift system. The MiTo is more about style than driving pleasure, although the new turbo engines we sampled are powerful and responsive: The 168-hp unit lacks the low-down pickup of the less powerful engine but gives performance that’s on par with a Cooper S’s.
2012 Milano
Based on an all-new mid-size platform (called the C-Evo), the Milano replaces the hatchback model called the 147 (pictured). Alfa will offer front- and all-wheel-drive models, with a rearward bias in AWD form. The U.S. car will have a six-speed, dual-clutch, automated manual transmission and turbocharged 1.4- and 1.8-liter four-cylinders making between 133 and 227 horsepower. The high-horsepower version is likely to be badged a GTA, in homage to the racing cars of the 1960s and 1970s.
2013 Giulia
Using a modified Milano platform, the Giulia replaces the good-looking 159 (pictured). As with the Milano, it will be available with either front- or all-wheel drive. The base engine will likely be a 197-hp, 1750cc turbo four-cylinder. Fiat is talking about reworking Chrysler V-6s for this car for the U.S. market only, although it might employ a 261-hp turbo four.
2013 Giulietta Coupe and Spider
Replacing the 159-derived Brera coupe (pictured) and convertible models, these cars will use a new rear-wheel-drive platform and be aimed at the Miata end of the market rather than at the Audi TT roadster and the Nissan 370Z.
2013 Berlina
Believe it or not, Alfa is considering using updated Chrysler 300 architecture—Mercedes components from two generations back—for an Alfa competitor to the BMW 5-series. Alfa CEO Sergio Cravero says, “We think we need rear-wheel drive for our top-of-the-range cars and for the spiders and coupes.” For the U.S., it’s a good bet it would be powered by a turbocharged V-6
FIAT————————————————————————————————————————
2012 Fiat 500
The supercute Cinquecento will be built in the U.S. and sold in three forms: coupe, convertible (500C), and sporty Abarth. Think of it as a cheaper rival to the Mini Cooper. The 500 will come with a 104-hp, 1.4-liter Multi air engine; the Abarth gets a 133-hp turbo four in standard form, with 158 horsepower available in the Esseesse model. We drove an Abarth, which was a riot, and a 500C, which is a great chick car but needs more power than the 99 horses offered by the current 1.4-liter engine. Inside and out, both the convertible and the Abarth win massive style points, but the Abarth has substance, too, with sharp steering, a tossable chassis, and decent performance
CHRYSLER/DODGE———————————————————————————————————————
2011 Chrysler 300C/Dodge Charger
A development of the current platform, this will be powered by updated 3.6-liter V-6 and carry-over Hemi V-8 engines. Expect Fiat to heavily rework the V-6 with Multiair technology in the short term to cope with impending fuel-economy requirements.
2012 Chrysler 200C/Dodge Avenger
This will use the platform from the Alfa Milano and Giulia. Again, we predict a range of turbo four-cylinder Multiair engines, starting at 168 horsepower. There’s no word on whether Fiat will update Chrysler’s V-6s or simply fit high-output turbo engines for the more uplevel versions.
2013 Dodge Hornet
Dodge finally gets to build the entry-level small car it has been talking about since first showing the Hornet concept (pictured) at the 2006 Geneva auto show. It likely will be based on Fiat’s A-platform that underpins the 500 and the Panda, with 1.4-liter Multiair engines making 104 and 133 horses, front-wheel drive, and dual-clutch automated manual transmissions.
2013 Dodge Caliber
Similar in size to the current car, this Caliber will be based on the Fiat Punto/Grande Punto (pictured) architecture. Again, look for dual-clutch transmissions and turbocharged 1.4- and 1.8-liter four-cylinders.
