Fiat 500: If This is Chrysler's Future, There is None

Saw the pics and specs on this car. Another Mini clone. No four door
model, no room for more than probably two people, where is the family
going to sit? Load of groceries? That is what is wrong with this car:
This is not the car for Americans. I am a loyal Chrysler owner and the
2007 Caliber is just enough car for the job. These damn mini-cars are
great if you have a Durango/Aspen around to haul the family and
everything else. Just keep the PT Cruiser.

On Aug 24, 1:43*pm, Count Floyd
> wrote:
> Saw the pics and specs on this car. *Another Mini clone. *No four door
> model, no room for more than probably two people, where is the family
> going to sit? *Load of groceries? *That is what is wrong with this car:
> This is not the car for Americans. *I am a loyal Chrysler owner and the
> 2007 Caliber is just enough car for the job. *These damn mini-cars are
> great if you have a Durango/Aspen around to haul the family and
> everything else. *Just keep the PT Cruiser.

They're jumping into a very crowded market with that idea, if they
bring the Fiat 500 to the US. Toyota has the high end of it with the
Prius (Overpriced IMO) while Honda has the stalwart Civic and Ford has
actually gone pretty solid with their own smaller cars. Chevy is also
angling for Toyota's "high end small car" market share with the Volt.

If Chrysler can stay "bad boy" with the muscle cars, there's an
opportunity for "counterprogramming" with an old school rebel image.
Also, they ought to be getting more manual shifters if they can if
they want that image, and offering both manual and auto versions
(maybe an auto stick?) on their sporty rides.

David E. Powell wrote:

>
> If Chrysler can stay "bad boy" with the muscle cars, there's an
> opportunity for "counterprogramming" with an old school rebel image.
> Also, they ought to be getting more manual shifters if they can if
> they want that image, and offering both manual and auto versions
> (maybe an auto stick?) on their sporty rides.

"Bad boy" image, yeah, bring back the Dodge sheriff with the sunglasses!
I think he was the inspiration for Jackie Gleason's character, Sheriff
Buford T. Justice. I remember the old Dodge commercials, I think that
they were using the Charger? Certainly not the Coronet!

On Mon, 24 Aug 2009 17:43:54 GMT, Count Floyd
> wrote:

>Saw the pics and specs on this car. Another Mini clone. No four door
>model, no room for more than probably two people, where is the family
>going to sit? Load of groceries? That is what is wrong with this car:
>This is not the car for Americans. I am a loyal Chrysler owner and the
>2007 Caliber is just enough car for the job. These damn mini-cars are
>great if you have a Durango/Aspen around to haul the family and
>everything else. Just keep the PT Cruiser.

When I was stationed outside of Naples, Italy in the 1970's we were
always amazed at how many folks would ride around in the Fiat 500, or
"Cinquecento" as it was called. The locals would routinely get 5-6
folks in one of them!

QX wrote:

> On Mon, 24 Aug 2009 17:43:54 GMT, Count Floyd
> > wrote:
>
>>Saw the pics and specs on this car. Another Mini clone. No four door
>>model, no room for more than probably two people, where is the family
>>going to sit? Load of groceries? That is what is wrong with this car:
>>This is not the car for Americans. I am a loyal Chrysler owner and the
>>2007 Caliber is just enough car for the job. These damn mini-cars are
>>great if you have a Durango/Aspen around to haul the family and
>>everything else. Just keep the PT Cruiser.
>
> When I was stationed outside of Naples, Italy in the 1970's we were
> always amazed at how many folks would ride around in the Fiat 500, or
> "Cinquecento" as it was called. The locals would routinely get 5-6
> folks in one of them!

Yes, but were they coming up through a trap door in the bottom like a
clown car! It is like the French Citroen CV-2, cute, but completely
unacceptable for American roads.

"David E. Powell" > wrote in message
...
>
>
> They're jumping into a very crowded market with that idea, if they
> bring the Fiat 500 to the US. Toyota has the high end of it with the
> Prius (Overpriced IMO) while Honda has the stalwart Civic and Ford has
> actually gone pretty solid with their own smaller cars. Chevy is also
> angling for Toyota's "high end small car" market share with the Volt.
>


Umm... The NHW20 (2004-2009) and ZVW30 (2010-...) Prius are both classed as
midsize cars. The NHW11 (2001-2003) was a compact however. The vaporware
Volt is a compact car too.

In article >,
QX > wrote:

> When I was stationed outside of Naples, Italy in the 1970's we were
> always amazed at how many folks would ride around in the Fiat 500, or
> "Cinquecento" as it was called. The locals would routinely get 5-6
> folks in one of them!

Italians are usually of a smaller body form. <

In article >,
"Daniel Who Wants to Know" >
wrote:

> "David E. Powell" > wrote in message
> ...
> >
> >
> > They're jumping into a very crowded market with that idea, if they
> > bring the Fiat 500 to the US. Toyota has the high end of it with the
> > Prius (Overpriced IMO) while Honda has the stalwart Civic and Ford has
> > actually gone pretty solid with their own smaller cars. Chevy is also
> > angling for Toyota's "high end small car" market share with the Volt.
> >
>
>
> Umm... The NHW20 (2004-2009) and ZVW30 (2010-...) Prius are both classed as
> midsize cars. The NHW11 (2001-2003) was a compact however. The vaporware
> Volt is a compact car too.

The Prius is mid sized in interior VOLUME only.
Much of that volume is forward of the dash, useless for passengers.
I've been in many Prius, both owned by a relative and taxis. Here in
Vancouver many (maybe the majority) of taxis are the Toyota Corolla,
Pruis and Camry. I listed them starting at the most common.

IMO the Prius is a smaller than mid sized car, actually a bit smaller
than the Corolla for both passengers and luggage.

On Aug 24, 3:55*pm, "David E. Powell" >
wrote:
> On Aug 24, 1:43*pm, Count Floyd
>
> > wrote:
> > Saw the pics and specs on this car. *Another Mini clone. *No four door
> > model, no room for more than probably two people, where is the family
> > going to sit? *Load of groceries? *That is what is wrong with this car:
> > This is not the car for Americans. *I am a loyal Chrysler owner and the
> > 2007 Caliber is just enough car for the job. *These damn mini-cars are
> > great if you have a Durango/Aspen around to haul the family and
> > everything else. *Just keep the PT Cruiser.
>
> They're jumping into a very crowded market with that idea, if they
> bring the Fiat 500 to the US. Toyota has the high end of it with the
> Prius (Overpriced IMO) while Honda has the stalwart Civic and Ford has
> actually gone pretty solid with their own smaller cars. Chevy is also
> angling for Toyota's "high end small car" market share with the Volt.

The Fiat 500 is not a competitor for those cars. It's Toyota Yaris,
Nissan Versa, Honda Fit, new Ford Fiesta, Chevy Aveo (and maybe
Cruze), and yes, Mini.

>
> If Chrysler can stay "bad boy" with the muscle cars, there's an
> opportunity for "counterprogramming" with an old school rebel image.
> Also, they ought to be getting more manual shifters if they can if
> they want that image, and offering both manual and auto versions
> (maybe an auto stick?) on their sporty rides.

The problem is, the sales are often too low to justify the emissions
certification expense. But since Fiat sells most of its cars with
manuals, maybe you'll see that here.

On Aug 25, 11:51*pm, Josh S > wrote:
> In article >,
> *"Daniel Who Wants to Know" >
>
>
>
> *wrote:
> > "David E. Powell" > wrote in message
> ...
>
> > > They're jumping into a very crowded market with that idea, if they
> > > bring the Fiat 500 to the US. Toyota has the high end of it with the
> > > Prius (Overpriced IMO) while Honda has the stalwart Civic and Ford has
> > > actually gone pretty solid with their own smaller cars. Chevy is also
> > > angling for Toyota's "high end small car" market share with the Volt.
>
> > Umm... The NHW20 (2004-2009) and ZVW30 (2010-...) Prius are both classed as
> > midsize cars. *The NHW11 (2001-2003) was a compact however. *The vaporware
> > Volt is a compact car too.
>
> The Prius is mid sized in interior VOLUME only.
> Much of that volume is forward of the dash, useless for passengers.

No, interior volume is calculated from measurements of leg, head, hip,
and shoulder room. Room above the dash isn't included.


> I've been in many Prius, both owned by a relative and taxis. Here in
> Vancouver many (maybe the majority) of taxis are the Toyota Corolla,
> Pruis and Camry. *I listed them starting at the most common.
>
> IMO the Prius is a smaller than mid sized car, actually a bit smaller
> than the Corolla for both passengers and luggage.

The range for mid-size is rather large, as for full-size (the Honda
Accord and the Lincoln Town Car, for example, are both full-size).