Fiat News

Are you tired of being stuck behind an SUV? If can’t beat em, join em. Paris motor show previews the next big thing on four wheels: pint-sized SUVs for the city.The world’s car makers are rushing to release high-riding hatchbacks that have the commanding view of a family-sized SUV -- but fit in the same size parking space as a Toyota Corolla.SUVs are second only to small cars when it comes to new vehicle sales, and the big brands are finding new ways to fill every possible niche.That means we can expect to see a bunch of tiny-tot SUVs designed for the city, even though they will be dressed up with rugged, go-anywhere looks.Indeed, most city SUVs won’t even have a four-wheel-drive system because they’ll never leave the tarmac.So why are car makers so desperate to get their small SUVs into showrooms? Because buyers are happy to pay a premium for them even though they cost only a fraction more to build than a regular hatchback.Japanese car giant Toyota, the world’s biggest automotive brand, will unveil a city-centric SUV inside enemy territory at this week’s Paris motor show.Even though Toyota is one of the biggest sellers of SUVs on the planet, it has completely missed the march to city-sized softroaders, or “faux-wheel-drives”.Toyota’s swoopy looking “C-HR” concept car is a rather large clue as to what the showroom version will look like when it arrives next year, although no-one knows what ‘C-HR” stands for. “Compact High Rider” perhaps?Even the French, which once revolved against the SUV and vandalized them in the street less than a decade ago, has joined the party.Citroen is poised to unveil the oddly but honestly named “C1 Urban Ride”. It’s a version of its smallest car but with bulging bumpers and slightly taller suspension to give it a macho appearance.Maybe that’s why they’re becoming so popular: blokes need peer approval to buy small cars. Is a Bear Grylls bumper bar enough to get them over the line?Then again, Citroen also released a compact SUV called the Cactus, complete with plastic side mouldings so you don’t get door dings in the shopping centre car park.The Cactus might be made for the urban jungle but it’s not exactly the type of name that would make you want to boast about it.Australians have been at the forefront of the swing to super-small softroaders.Already on sale locally are the Suzuki S-Cross, Holden Trax, Ford EcoSport and Nissan Juke, all priced between $20,000 and $30,000 (when the cars on which they are all based start at less than $20,000).Around the corner are the Honda HR-V and Fiat Panda Cross. Next month Mazda is due to unveil a SUV to slot under the top-selling CX-5.South Korean car maker Hyundai is also working on a super-small SUV, which should be in showrooms in 2016.Meanwhile, for those who think motor shows should always be about high performance exotic supercars, fear not, although the definition of supercar has changed slightly.Lamborghini is preparing to unveil its first ever hybrid sports-car, while Porsche is about to unveil its first ever plug-in hybrid SUV.Porsche’s two-tonne luxury SUV sips less fuel than a Prius -- providing it has enough charge to travel the first 50km on electric power alone before the petrol engine takes over.More affordable eye candy, however, will come in the form of the first ever motor show outing for the new Mazda MX-5 (the world’s top-selling two-seater roadster), and Jaguar XE sedan (no relation to the Ford Falcon from the 1980s of the same name).

New trim, colours and instruments, along with drive-away pricing for Fiat’s baby 500.

The site of a former Bunnings store in Hoppers Crossing is being redeveloped into a multi-franchise car dealership. The facility, at 163-179 Old Geelong Rd, will become the new home of Werribee Hyundai and Werribee Chrysler Jeep Dodge Alfa Fiat.Bunnings relocated to a bigger site last year. Wilmac Properties is developing the 26,000sq m site which is expected to be completed between June and September. Hopper Motor Group chief executive Paul Hopper said the existing building would be converted into an automotive service, car storage and car washing facilities over two levels.Two new showrooms will be built in front of it with 250 new and used cars on display, he said. Once completed it will generate about 200 ongoing jobs. 'The project represents one of the most substantial private investments in the area in recent years," he said. 

Holden has named the boss who will oversee the factory shutdowns in 2017 and transform the company into a vehicle importer -- and it will be another foreigner because General Motors believes no Australian is up to the job.Greek-born Gerry Dorizas, formerly of Volkswagen in India, is believed to be the first person in memory to be hired from outside General Motors to run Holden.Mr Dorizas has been posted around the world in his former roles in the computer and car industries. He has worked for Volkswagen in India since 2007, and Mercedes-Benz, Fiat and Hyundai prior to that appointment.The last eight Holden bosses have come from General Motors’ operations in North America, Britain and Germany and, in most cases, were being groomed for bigger roles within the GM world.The last Australian to run Holden (from 1987 to 1990) was the late John Bagshaw, the son of a Holden dealership sales manager.The boss of General Motors’ international operations, Stefan Jacoby, also a former high-ranking Volkswagen executive, said in a statement: “Gerry has the right industry-leading experience and credentials to lead GM Holden through a significant program of change, as it transitions to a national sales company."Mr Dorizas said he was “energised by the opportunity to lead a talented and passionate team and to guide one of Australia’s strongest, most iconic brands into its next phase.”Former Holden boss Mike Devereux, the British-born, Canadian-raised executive who came up through the General Motors ranks in Detroit, announced three months ago he had been promoted to an international GM role based in Singapore.Mr Devereux was looking after Holden in a caretaker capacity until Mr Dorizas starts work on Monday (March 3, 2014).News Corp understands General Motors interviewed several Australian-based automotive executives last year -- several months before Mr Devereux announced his departure -- but none were deemed suitable.Mr Jacoby is understood to have cast the net wide in the search for the next Holden boss because the company needs “new blood”.News Corp understands three executives eventually made the shortlist late last year to “handle the transition of Holden to a sales and marketing operation”, a source said.The most senior Australian currently at Holden is Philip Brook, the executive director of sales, service and marketing.Mr Brook was promoted to the role after his predecessor, John Elsworth, left Holden in October 2012 after 22 years to become the Chief Operating Officer of Hyundai Australia.Mr Devereux announced his departure from Holden late last year, just as the company was in the early stages of negotiations with the then-new Coalition Federal Government.At the time, when Federal Industry Minister Ian Macfarlane was trying to save the car maker, he told News Corp Australia: “I’m not happy about the decision by GM (to reassign Mike Devereux away from Holden).I’m not going to speculate as to why GM and Detroit have done this but obviously it’s made my job harder.“I asked Mike Devereux when I did the walk through the Holden factory … how long the terms of the position typically were and he said three to five years. And I said I hope it’s closer to five than three.”In the end, Mr Devereux will have served about three-and-a-half years of his planned five-year term.This reporter is on Twitter: @JoshuaDowling

Toyota-owned badge Daihatsu retired from our market in 2005, but a void in Toyota’s line-up could see some of the Daihatsu product return in the form of the small Terios SUV rebadged as a Toyota Rush.Toyota is keen to capitalise on a growing sub $25,000 compact SUV market segment. Sales are thriving, with a new Nissan Juke, Suzuki SX4, Holden Trax, Ford EcoSport and Fiat Panda all joining the Mitsubishi ASX in the search for a slice of the market. Toyota doesn’t currently have a competitor in this segment, with the bigger RAV4 starting at $28,490.But Toyota has an advantage in this rivalry: It owns Daihatsu – Japan’s oldest car manufacturer and small car specialist. The first generation Daihatsu Terios sold in Australia between 1997 and 2005, creating the same compact 5-door SUV segment that is now thriving. But the current model never made it to our shores due to Daihatsu’s local retirement.Toyota has successfully sold the Rush in overseas markets for over a decade, and the current model since its introduction in 2006. It is powered by an 80kW, 141Nm 1.5-litre VVT-I engine, featuring a five speed manual and four speed automatic. But unlike other cars in this segment, it has permanent four-wheel drive and a central differential lock, which combined with short overhangs, gives the Rush more offroad credibility than most of its competitors.However, a two wheel drive version is also on offer, for buyers who prefer the extra height and space but not the extra capability of a small SUV. With a kerb weight of just 1180kg for the four wheel drive model, the Rush is a relative lightweight, which should help keep running costs low.If Toyota Australia decides to tackle the compact SUV market with the Rush, it will be the first time a car manufactured by Daihatsu is sold in Australia since 2005. However, a new Rush is expected sometime next year, featuring improvements to power, safety and refinement. This means it’s likely Toyota Australia will wait until then to introduce the Rush into Australian showrooms. 

Based on the all-wheel drive vehicle sold overseas (we get only front-drive versions here), the Cross is essentially a Panda on stilts with added ruggedness and off road capability. And  this means it is one of the few mini SUVs that claim to offer true off road ability and 'attitude'.Along with the extra body cladding and front and rear skid plates, the Cross introduces a new Terrain Control selector, similar in concept to the Terrain Response system fitted to the latest Range Rovers. Fiat’s Terrain Control system features three different settings which include ‘Automatic’ – which alters torque distribution between the front and rear axles automatically depending on the conditions – ‘Lock’ – for off road use at speeds of up to 48km/h – and ‘Hill Descent’ – which offers optimised handling for steep descents. The Cross also rides on 15-inch wheels wrapped in ‘oversized’ all-season tyres to improve offroad traction and on road stability. An independent MacPherson type suspension layout is used at the front of the car, while a torsion beam has been developed for the rear to accommodate the added differential. This is said to improve ride comfort over the previous generation Panda Cross. Ground clearance is listed as 15cm for the petrol model and 16cm for the diesel.The new car is powered by a range of engines with power boosted over the standard 4X4 Panda. The 0.9-litre three-cylinder option now produces 67kW – up 4kW – and 145Nm of torque while capable of sipping just 4.1-litres per 100km. The 1.3-litre turbo diesel option produces 60kW and 190Nm of torque, and offers a thirst of just 3.9-litres per 100km.Inside the Cross features seats upholstered in a combination of fabric and ‘eco leather’ – which we suspect means it has no animal content – while the dash panel features unique copper trim. With Australia not currently getting the all-paw Pandas, Fiat has confirmed there’s little chance we are in line for the new Panda Cross. “There are no plans to bring Fiat Panda Cross to Australia,” Fiat Australia spokesman Nick Raman told Carsguide. 

Radar units are normally fitted to the front of luxury cars to maintain a safe distance with the traffic ahead when the cruise control is activated. But the boffins at German technology company Bosch came up with the idea to move the radar unit to the rear of race cars to improve safety in endurance races where the vehicles have vastly different speeds.The Fiat 500 Abarth -- the smallest and slowest car in the 50-car field at this Sunday’s Bathurst 12-Hour race -- will be equipped with a Bosch radar mounted on the hatchback that warns the driver of cars approaching from behind. A screen on the dash shows which direction the car is likely to be overtaken on, by flashing an arrow.It is only the second use in the world of the technology, which debuted in the LeMans 24 Hour race last year. The specially-built race-ready Fiat 500 Abarth has a top speed of about 220km/h on Conrod Straight, but the front-running Ferraris, Lamborghinis, Mercedes-Benzes, Audis and Porsches are all capable of reaching over 300km/h and lap faster than a V8 Supercar.“With a closing speed of between 80 and 100km/h our drivers need all the help they can get,” said veteran motorsport manager Alan Heaphy, who has turned his expertise to the pint-sized Italian cars after years of managing teams in V8 Supercars, production cars and tarmac rally events.The two-car Fiat team has calculated that its cars will be lapped every five laps by the front-runners, which will average out to being overtaken every six seconds over the course of the race. Inside the cockpit, the team has also fitted an ultra-wide view mirror used in V8 Supercars.Leading drivers have welcomed the addition of the technology but many believe their faster cars will be so quick that the feisty Fiat will be overtaken before the driver even realises it.“The closing speeds at Bathurst are going to be phenomenal and, of course, the (Fiat) driver is going to be looking ahead at the racing line, not always looking at the mirror,” said Audi R8 driver Warren Luff, who is one of more than half-a-dozen race V8 Supercar drivers moonlighting at the event. “But of course anything to make the racing safer and give the driver as much warning as possible is a good thing.”IN THE THICK OF ITCarsguide’s Joshua Dowling and Paul Gover will have a driver’s view of this year’s Bathurst 12-Hour -- and what it’s like to be overtaken approximately 7000 times -- sharing driving duties in the Fiat 500 Abarth. Full report next week.This reporter is on Twitter: @JoshuaDowling 

Fiat-Chrysler is the latest carmaker to reveal its 2013 SEMA concepts, ahead of the Las Vegas aftermarket expo’s official opening next week. The Italian/US partnership will unveil no less than 20 Mopar-equipped concepts from its suite of brands, matching the efforts of fellow US giants Ford and General Motors.Five of these concepts have been teased this week, representing the Jeep, Ram Trucks, Chrysler, Dodge and Fiat brands.Jeep has created the 2014 Cherokee-based Trail Carver, which features a unique decal package and roof basket, mud-terrain tyres, and orange-coloured tow hooks. The interior is covered in Katzkin Amaretto leather, and includes several Mopar optional accessories such as a wireless phone charger.

Chrysler majority owner Fiat has announced that the US cluster of car brands will not launch a public stock offering this year. In a statement yesterday, Fiat said Chrysler's board has decided an initial public offering would be "not practicable" this year.Instead, Chrysler Group LLC will keep working towards an IPO in the first quarter of next year. Fiat holds 58.5 per cent of Chrysler's shares, with the rest owned by a United Auto Workers union trust fund. The IPO would consist of the trust's shares.The CEO of both car groups, Sergio Marchionne, is keen to avoid an IPO and have Fiat buy the trust's shares so the two companies can be fully combined, allowing him to spend Chrysler money on Fiat operations."I'm not selling anything and nor do I think we need to do so," Marchionne said in October. However he filed the paperwork for an IPO as he and the trust have been in conflict over the price for a sale of the trust's share to Fiat, with no agreement reached.Last month, UBS AG set the value of the trust's stake at $US5.6 billion ($A6.1 billion). Fiat has gone to court seeking a judgement on the price, but the trial date is set for next September.While Fiat stepped in as a perceived 'saviour' to shore up the struggling Chrysler by buying into it two years ago, Chrysler's profits have been propping up Fiat on the balance sheet during 2013 as the Italian carmaker struggles in the European economic slump.Chrysler earned $US464 million last quarter on US sales of the Ram pickup and Jeep Grand Cherokee, its ninth-straight profitable quarter. The results boosted Fiat, which earned $US260 million in the third quarter. Without Chrysler's contribution, Fiat would have lost $US340 million.

Jeep has a new arrival on the way to create a lower entry point to the brand, and reported to be christened Jeepster in a salute to the heritage of the original Jeepster produced by Willys-Overland in the late 1940s.The new version will be based on the Jeep's Fiat-Chrysler stablemate, the Fiat 500X, and will share the engine line-up from the Fiat 500L sold overseas: a 74kW 0.9-litre TwinAir Turbo, 119kW 1.4-litre MultiAir Turbo and an efficiency-focused 74kW 1.6-litre MultiJet II turbodiesel. It will slot into the Jeep family as a replacement for the Compass and Patriot, both of which start around $25,000 in Australia.Expected to make an appearance at the Geneva motor show in March, the Jeepster will carry the Jeep barred-grille and family face, and be given a respectable ground clearance, but will be produced in both front-wheel drive and all-wheel drive variants -- and it remains to be seen how much offroad ability it offers.This reporter is on Twitter: @KarlaPincott