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ReprintsFiat may ship European cars to speed U.S. return
Luca Ciferri
Automotive News
February 16, 2009 - 12:01 am ET
TURIN, Italy — Fiat may export some Europe-built cars to the United States to set the stage for possible U.S. production in mid-2011 under its proposed alliance with Chrysler LLC. "We are currently working on a plan to begin shipping the Fiat 500 minicar and the Alfa Romeo 940 [entry-premium car] to the U.S. in about a year," a person familiar with the matter told Automotive News Europe on condition of anonymity. Fiat and Alfa models would be distributed in the United States by some Chrysler-Dodge-Jeep dealers, the source said. |
The source said the numbers of these two models shipped from Europe would be very small. They would be a precursor to a higher-volume return by mid-2011. If the proposed alliance with Chrysler is completed, Chrysler will begin building the Fiat 500 at its Toluca, Mexico, plant and the Alfa 940 at an as-yet-unspecified U.S. location. The proposed alliance would give Chrysler access to four Fiat platforms for production in North America, from minicars to upper-medium models. Chrysler would also get 1.4- and 1.8-liter gasoline engines and a new six-speed transmission. Fiat also is considering basing its oft-delayed upper-premium Alfa 169 on a Chrysler platform. The Italian automaker is looking at the LX platform that underpins the Chrysler 300 and Dodge Charger. |
You can reach Luca Ciferri at lciferri@craincom.de.
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A source says Fiat is working on a plan to ship the Fiat 500 minicar, shown, and the Alfa Romeo 940 entry-premium car to the United States in about a year. |
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