[curiosity] new Fiat 500 in USA!

[CromaTurboIE]

hi all, I mean how is it going in USA? I bought the paper now says that the car, Marchionne and Fiat/Chrysler are about to fail! is true?

 

[homeforsummer]

Sales of the 500 have been lower than expected - roughly a third of what they wanted, if I recall correctly - but they're also yet to roll out a full dealer network out there, so some of those slow sales are influenced by many people simply not having access to the car. It's also a fairly small range at the moment, and the Abarth hasn't hit the U.S. market yet, which could turn things around.

As for Fiat/Chrysler, it's massively too early to tell how successful the venture is.

 

[CromaTurboIE]

Sales of the 500 have been lower than expected - roughly a third of what they wanted, if I recall correctly - but they're also yet to roll out a full dealer network out there, so some of those slow sales are influenced by many people simply not having access to the car. It's also a fairly small range at the moment, and the Abarth hasn't hit the U.S. market yet, which could turn things around.

As for Fiat/Chrysler, it's massively too early to tell how successful the venture is.

excellent explanation, I understood everything thanks!

 

[Kylehnat]

There's is also an advertising blitz right now, with J-Lo driving the "Gucci" version of the 500. This will ensure that no American male will ever buy one. That problem aside, I still don't see Americans embracing the micro-car segment. Why pay the same as a Civic, 3, Corolla, etc, and get less practicality? I kinda like the 500, but it's probably doomed in the U.S. market.

 

[CodeRedR51]

We're getting the Abarth here in short time, so that should help sales.

 

[RocZX]

There's is also an advertising blitz right now, with J-Lo driving the "Gucci" version of the 500. This will ensure that no American male will ever buy one. That problem aside, I still don't see Americans embracing the micro-car segment. Why pay the same as a Civic, 3, Corolla, etc, and get less practicality? I kinda like the 500, but it's probably doomed in the U.S. market.

You could "no straight male" would buy a Gucci version.
That's is why they made a 500 Abarth it's more masculent.

 

[homeforsummer]

That problem aside, I still don't see Americans embracing the micro-car segment. Why pay the same as a Civic, 3, Corolla, etc, and get less practicality? I kinda like the 500, but it's probably doomed in the U.S. market.

You could say the same about the MINI too though, and that's been doing okay. For the right sort of car, people will pay over the odds. Cars like the Civic, 3 and Corolla are automotive white goods. The MINI, 500 are more automotive bling. Someone considering one is unlikely to go near the other, and vice versa.

 

[Pupik]

It's going to be a tough sell, the rear seats are a joke, unless you only have child, and discontinue use of the right front seat. You have to hammer it to pull into busy traffic (if you use roads where the speed limit is 50-55). The interior is plasticy, and will likely require an extremely gentle touch to keep it all together over many years.

That said, I enjoyed driving it (a sport version) when the road wasn't straight, and it felt like a go-kart at moderate speeds, and once going, it was quite hoon-able, especially on little off-ramps and parking lots. I've never received so many stares and questions when driving any car. But I'd imagine the latter has worn off a little.

 

[psntomaz]

The Car sits 2 Midsized Adults (averavge built 5'11) in the rear comfortably but people who buys this car most likley aint gona fill the rear seats.

 

[disinfected]

They've certainly shipped a lot of them. I've never seen so much of one car in a dealership. I've seen one in the Dallas area and then one here in Oklahoma City. Each dealership has an absurd amount of 500's. The craziest part is the pre-owned section at the Fiat dealer, Corvettes, Land Rovers, G37s.

I've also seen quite a few of them on the street, sales don't seem to be hurting out here.

 

[Keef]

There's is also an advertising blitz right now, with J-Lo driving the "Gucci" version of the 500. This will ensure that no American male will ever buy one.

My cousin has a normal 500 sport or whatever it's called. He's swapping out for the Gucci seatbelts when they come out. I think it's retarded, but all the hip trendy people in places like New York and Atlanta will drool on the thing.

He's thinking about trading up to the Abarth because the dealer said they would pay off his 500 to sell the first Abarth in Cincinnati.

 

[cmbeal317]

I personally like the styling of the 500, though I wouldn't buy one until the Abarth version is available. I saw about 3 or 4 a few months ago, then nothing until yesterday. Its a shame that they don't put the Abarth commercial on tv though, I'm sure that would help the sales.

 

[Brend]

It's really popular in Europe...surprising it isn't in America.

 

[Keef]

I depends on what part of America you're talking about. It has been doing alright in big, cosmopolitan cities like Atlanta and in New England, probably along the West Coast, but besides that it will probably take a very long time to get the attention Mini got, if it ever achieves that.

The UK is smaller than Colorado, but has the population of our entire Central Plains from North Dakota and Minnesota all the way down to Texas and Louisiana. I was in southwestern Kansas recently and I guarantee I was in the only Fiat 500 any of those people had ever seen, or will ever see until they make the 100 mile trip to Kansas City. The differences in population density between the US and the biggest EU countries is rather glaring, actually.

 

[Pupik]

It's really popular in Europe...surprising it isn't in America.

There's a large segment of Americans who would consider anything that size nothing more than a tintop golf cart. Many people have big-vehicle-envy, afraid of an accident between a small car and an SUV, plus numerous other issues that are mostly in their head only.

That's not even counting the vast number of dirt and unimproved roads in the US for which this car wouldn't be at home with. There's also lots of guys and gals let who think any small car is automatically considered as a "chick car" by the masses, and would ignore it right on the spot.

But admittedly, it's not practical or even useful for anything greater than two people, and it does not even fit full-size luggage without folding the rear seats (it did fit my carry-on rollaboard with ease). It really could use 30 more horses for steep grades.

I'll also step in and say the 40+ mpg claim was not averaged by yours truly; I had 28.0 after 210 miles of mixed driving (although with a low-mileage example, only 5 miles on the odometer when I drove it off the rental lot).

I was surprised to see a Fiat "studio" in Huntsville, Alabama. And I did see two of them along I-75 in Georgia, a fair distance from the Atlanta metropolitan area. Seriously, I'm hoping for the best, but Fiat can't entirely pin their hopes on one car, like Smart...Fads don't last.

 

[Camaroyenko]

I saw one the other day here in Indiana.

 

[nk22b]

Since the 500's been out, I've seen more of them than the smart fourtwo.

I wouldn't get one because they're tiny and (for a micro car) too expensive. I'd hate to have to drive one on the highway, with all the tractor trailers and the lack of power.

 

[Zenith]

Maybe it's because I live in tofu-munchin' gun hatin' California, but I've seen plenty of these things around. Mostly driven by people who I think I'd see in a new beetle or Mini.

 

[Camaroyenko]

Maybe it's because I live in tofu-munchin' gun hatin' California, but I've seen plenty of these things around. Mostly driven by people who I think I'd see in a new beetle or Mini.

Wait, so Fiat 500s DON'T cause cancer there?

 

[GTMail]

Maybe it's because I live in tofu-munchin' gun hatin' California, but I've seen plenty of these things around. Mostly driven by people who I think I'd see in a new beetle or Mini.

Yeah I see tons of these ugly things. I also live California. It seems like people love these over here.

 

[UnionStrike]

My neighbor have one, never did care for the 500 or Mercedes' Smart Fourtwos... pointless useless cars.

 

[Doog]

I initially expected to see lots of 500's where I live, seeing how popular Minis are here. So far, I've seen less than 5, quite surprising, since retro cars are popular; I see plenty of Mustangs, though most are light colored, V6 convertibles driven by girls, and Camaros are quite common as well, so are Volkswagen New Beetles. I'm disappointed for Fiat; I thought they'd have no problem moving plenty of 500's, turns out they're quite the opposite.

 

[astrosdude91]

I test drove one a few months ago. It was way down on power. And for a car of it's size, the MPG wasn't very good. I did notice that the two used cars in the studio were a Lotus Elise and a Mercedes CLK. I'm not sure why you would trade in an Elise for a 500. I'm sure the owner had his or her reasons.

 

[Adamgp]

I've only seen a couple around here, driven by senior citizens.

 

[Pupik]

I did notice that the two used cars in the studio were a Lotus Elise and a Mercedes CLK. I'm not sure why you would trade in an Elise for a 500.

Most brand-new automobile dealerships bring in "quality" used cars from other dealers, or others from their dealer group portfolio. So I'm 99.9% sure those cars were bought in to fill the lot and make up for a slow day of ups on the new car lot.

 

[turboash78]

That car is nothing but a fashion accessory, period. Bought by people with more money than sense.

 

[Antonisbob]

In Canada I have seen 2 or 3, 2 in Alberta and 1 here in BC. I think they're nice and everything but I'm more of a wagon/4x4 guy.

 

[homeforsummer]

My neighbor have one, never did care for the 500 or Mercedes' Smart Fourtwos... pointless useless cars.

Please feel free to explain how you came to this conclusion?

 

[Moglet]

The Smart FourTwo is a very useful little car if you live in a city.

That car is nothing but a fashion accessory, period. Bought by people with more money than sense.

I had one, and I can assure you it wasn't a fashion accessory. It was brilliant fun to drive and the cabin was a really nice place to be.

 

[Leonidae@MFT]

If you think that Fiat 500 is ugly, what does that make of PT Cruiser? or Pontiac Aztec? Or the evil spacebean-Taurus..