Italian coachbuilder Castagna Milano has their eyes set on the American market, and to lead their entrance is a stretched Fiat 500 limo in three different variants: LimoSun, LimoCity and LimoCity Presidential.

To be frank, we’re a little skeptical that the American market would even have a demand for a Fiat 500 limousine, considering that Fiat 500 sales as a whole are lacking, but hey, at least the option is there. In the conversion, the length of the vehicle goes from 11.5-feet to 17.45-feet while the wheelbase jumps from 7.55-feet to 13.45-feet. Height also goes from 4.89-feet to 5.18-feet in the CityLimo.

The LimoSun is based on the Fiat 500 convertible  and features four seats facing one another in the passenger area. The large openings on the side and the roof can be closed with transparent panels.

The LimoCity on the other hand is a closed version packed with a circular sofa couch, mini-bar and electric sliding doors. Lastly, the LimoCity Presidential begins with a US-spec Fiat 500 and features a pair of electric motors that are capable of reaching 100-mph and a range of 155-miles.

GALLERY: Castagna Milano Stretched Fiat 500 Limo

[Source: WorldCarFans]

It appears that the Japanese have also embraced Italy’s compact Fiat 500, but this was hardly what we expected from a Japanese tuner. Office-K out in Japan got their hands on a limited edition Fiat Abarth 695 Tributo Ferrari and figured it’d look a whole lot better in chrome.

The Abarth 695 Tributo Ferrari comes in its own Scuderia Red finish, but Office-K didn’t really care for that shade. They wrapped the entire compact in chrome vinyl while applying racing stripes in Italy’s infamous colors. Surprisingly nothing else was done to the vehicle, leaving the upgraded 1.4L turbocharged four-cylinder with 180-hp.

Abarth’s 695 Tributo Ferrari features its own aero package, 17-inch wheels, Brembo brakes, carbon mirrors, “Record Monza” dual exhaust and suspension upgrades as well. On the inside, Abarth outfits the Tributo Ferrari with a pair of carbon fiber bucket seats, flat-bottomed leather steering wheel with red inserts, and carbon fiber trim.

Check out a video showing off the shiny, chrome Abarth 695 Tributo Ferrari after the break.

[Source: Carscoop]

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Pricing for the Fiat 500 Abarth model has finally been announced, starting at $22,000 making it cheaper than the Volkswagen GTI, MINI Cooper S and (presumably) the Hyundai Veloster Turbo.

Though the comparisons with the other models aren’t exactly apples to apples on paper, Fiat’s 500 Abarth has the most impressive power-to-weight ratio compared. With 160-hp and 170 lb-ft of torque in a 2,533-lb body, the Abarth, in a way, provides the best bang for the buck.

It’s powered by a race-inspired 1.4L MultiAir Turbocharged engine and also features Abarth-tuned suspension, brake systems, dual exhaust, turbo-boost gauge with integrated LED shift light and 16-inch wheels. The interior also gets some race-inspired amenities with performance seats featuring a one-piece design with large side bolsters and racing-harness pass through with accent stitching. It’ll come standard with BLUE&ME Handsfree Communication, Bose premium audio and steering-wheel mounted audio controls.

GALLERY: Fiat 500 Abarth

MINI will make its way into the commercial vehicle market soon when it releases a cargo-oriented version of the Clubman.

The car, officially called the MINI Cargo, is set to debut at the Geneva Motor Show in March and will essentially be the same as the Clubman (pictured above), but with the back seats replaced by a cargo bed and blacked out rear side windows. The release represents offers by parent company BMW to remain competitive and preempt the similarly-minded Fiat 500 Giardinetta Wagon.

Small commercial vehicles are already popular in Europe, other examples include the Ford Transit Connect, a compact panel van introduced in Europe in 2002.

While not particularly useful for large cargo, having small, efficient and delivery-specific vehicles is useful for small businesses that hinge on such a service. Expect more details to come on the 13-foot wheelbase bread truck soon.

[Source: World Car Fans, Auto Motor Und Sport]

It might be considered as a Mini Cooper S rival on this side of the pond, but in reality the Fiat is cheaper and was originally conceived for a different kind of clientele in its home market, people more likely to buy cars like the Toyota Aygo, VW Polo and Opel Corsa.

In order to help counter the 500′s success in Europe, French manufacturer PSA is looking to introduce an archrival from it’s Citroën brand, since currently, that automaker doesn’t have one (the bigger DS3, shown above, is the nearest thing it’s got).

As a result, a smaller DS1 model, which will sport a range of three-cylinder engines, is planned as a 500 fighter and could even spawn a performance oriented version with 130 hp or more, especially given the availability of the 500 Abarth.

Slated for an introduction at the 2012 Geneva Motor Show in March the new DS1  might just give the Fiat a run for its money. And if it does indeed offer a performance oriented version, there’s every indication that car could end up as a somewhat spiritual successor to the  early 1990s Citroën AX GT/GTi; a bantam of a hatchback that even today, is still known for it’s scrappy handling and fun to drive qualities.

[Source: World Car Fans]

Fiat reported that its sales forecast for 2012 have fallen a staggering 500,000 units, adjusting the initial forecast from 2.7 million to a more modest target of 2.2 million units. Its Chrysler arm is forecasted to sell 2.4 million units next year.

Yet while forecasts have lowered, Fiat CEO Sergio Marchionne’s target remains high and maintains his ambition for 5.9 million total sales by 2014. By that measure, Fiat-Chrysler must gain an extra 1.3 million combined sales.

Massimo Vecchio, financial analyst at Mediobanka of Milan, Italy, says, “Marchionne’s 2014 volume target looks truly challenging, unless Fiat’s core markets can show a substantial rebound in the coming years, which looks unlikely now.”

While initial predictions made in 2010 for passenger car sales in the European Union plus Iceland, Norway and Switzerland were set at 14.6 million units next year, recent austerity measures will probably cause an adjusted decline to 13.4 million sales instead.

But more than economic anxiety, Fiat is also suffering from an aging product range, and is losing market share in Europe this year. Fiat’s market share within the European Union plus Iceland, Norway and Switzerland has fallen from 7.9 percent to 7.0 in just a year.

Morningstar’s automotive analyst, Richard Higert, adds his take, “Despite the probably downturn in Western European 2012 new vehicle demand, especially Italy, I think the company is expecting to benefit from the market onslaught it plans to unleash over the next three years with 35 new or significantly redesigned models, the bulk of which should come in 2013.”

Whether Marchionne’s leadership can lead Fiat back to stable profitability remains to be seen. In a previous article, Marchionne announced Fiat plans to slow investment and expansion activities amid shaky European economy.

[Source: Autonews]

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Fiat‘s iconic assembly plant on the Island of Sicily closed on November 24th and has been taken over by an investor.

The plant, which opened in 1970 and manufactured primarily Fiat 500s was sold for a token single euro. Massimo Di Risio, one of Italy’s largest car dealers, is that investor. He plans to re-open the plant as early as late next year to assemble four Chery models.

Thus far, his efforts to rebadge the Chinese vehicles under his DR brand have been unsuccessful, but he hopes that taking the plant over will help change that.

His goal, despite financial problems caused by the initial failure of his rebadged Chery project, is to produce 65,000 cars per year. Di Risio currently owns an assembly plant north of Naples where he manufactures the DR5 (Chery Tiggos), the DR1 (Chery M1) and the DR2 (Chery A1) that will now come from his new plant.

[Source: Left Lane News]

The slow-selling Fiat 500 hit another snag after NHTSA gave the compact car a three-star crash test rating, a dismal score in an era where five-star ratings are practically ubiquitous.

While the 500 got four stars in the frontal crash and rollover tests, the side impact result was a poor two stars. Only the now-dead Dodge Caliber and the Ford Escape (set to be replaced after a decade in production) have achieved similar ratings. The 500′s fellow subcompact competitors like the Toyota Yaris, Honda Fit and Chevrolet Sonic have yet to be crash tested.

The Fiat has been plagued by slow sales, with Chrysler reporting a 173-day supply for the vehicles, and three consecutive months of declining sales figures.

[Source: Automotive News]

Fiat‘s re-entry to the North American market after a quarter-century absence, is so far proving a bit of a bumpy one.

The little 500 is proving a tough sell in the US and dealers, many who have invested heavily in new facilities to sell the little city car are growing increasingly nervous about revenues that are turning out to be far less than originally projected by Chrysler-Fiat CEO Sergio Marchionne.

In an attempt to address these concerns, Fiat recently hired Tim Kuniskis as its new North American head, replacing Laura Soave, who has left after just 20 months on the job.

Kuniskis appears to have quite a task ahead of him, though with a solid, credible background in dealer operations and marketing at Chrysler (having been with the company for 19 years and worked in a number of the company’s regional business centers and under four different management structures), there are signs already that under his leadership, things are beginning to change. Namely he’s reopened channels of communication between Fiat corporate and its dealer network, which had essentially been non-existent since June.

“Since he’s been onboard I’ve seen some positive changes,” remarked Carl Galeana, a Fiat dealer in suburban Detroit and member of the Fiat advisory committee.

[Source: Automotive News]

Was J.Lo’s performance at the American Music Awards a creative song and dance routine or a commercial for Fiat 500? Either way, it has got people talking… especially when it comes to how much Jennifer Lopez got paid to dance alongside the compact car.

It’s being reported that J.Lo received about $1 million for that dance number – kind of makes you wish you stuck with your tap dancing lessons, doesn’t it?

This isn’t the first time Jennifer and the Fiat 500 have gotten together. The pair has starred together in a series of commercials in this fully integrated marketing campaign. Not only is the Fiat 500 out in full force, the campaign also coincides with launch of the superstar’s new products.

Do you think that Fiat and J.Lo are selling out or is this just the next generation of commercialism and we should just get used to it? Leave your thoughts in the comments sections below. And you can watch Jen and Fiat get down with their bad selves on the dance floor after the jump.

Video after the jump

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Chrysler has issued a recall on Dodge Journey and Fiat 500 models produced between October 24th, 2011 and October 26th, 2011. Even though it’s such a narrow timeframe, 340 vehicles are impacted by the recall due to a faulty brake issue.

The vehicles produced in the Chrysler’s Toluca, Mexico plant may have been assembled with contaminated brake fluid, leading to possible degradation of the sealing components within the braking system. If the degradation does occur and the sealing components break down, a brake failure could occur resulting in a crash.

The recall notices will be sent out next month and Chrysler will replace all the brake components impacted by the contaminated fluid.

Fiat could blame American consumer sentiment. They could also blame J.Lo’s advertising debacle. Or perhaps, the fault lies with the car. Whatever the case may be, sales numbers for the 2012 Fiat 500 are disappointing.

According to Automotive News, Fiat’s re-introduction into the United States reports will fall significantly short of its 50,000 unit sales target for 2011. Since the Fiat 500 hit American showrooms in March, it has only sold 15,826 units through October.

Of 150 Fiat dealers nationwide, 29 were unable to sell a single one last month. So, in order to give the car some life, Chrysler now offers a $500 rebate incentive as a means of shifting cars before the year ends.  According to internal company documents, Chrysler has almost a half a year supply of 500 models in hand if the abysmal sales performance continues.

Due to the lagging demand, production has slowed, with 65 workers sent home from the Dundee, Michigan Fiat 500 engine assembly plant.

Fiat-Chrysler CEO, Sergio Marchionne, insists that the problem is rooted at the distribution network. Dealers are simply claiming that American buyers aren’t interested in such a small vehicle. We hope the sizzling 500 Abarth has got enough kick to turn the sales numbers around.

[Source: Autoblog]

With Italy as one of its main markets, it’s no surprise that the Fiat Group would bring a huge collection of new and special edition models to the Bologna Motor Show. This year, the Fiat Group will headline the local auto show with a new 2012 Fiat Sedici model, a Fiat 500 Nation Limited Edition, a Fiat TwinAir 500, a Fiat 500C by Gucci, a Lancia Ypsilon Black&Red, an Abarth 595 turismo, 595 competizione, 695 Assetto Corse, and a Punto scorpione.

Fiat’s Sedici receives a minor facelift for 2012, six years after its initial launch. It’ll be available in three different trim levels, Dynamic, Emotion and Experience, with two engine options, a 1.6L 120-hp and a 2.0L 135-hp MultiJet diesel. Both models can be purchased with front-wheel-drive or selectable all-wheel-drive. Updates to the Sedici’s exterior includes a new color option (Rebellious Purple), painted roof rails and 16-inch wheels for the Experience model.

We’ve already seen Fiat’s 500C by Gucci, and the Fiat 500 Nation Limited Edition, so we’ll turn our attention to the four Abarth special editions that’ll be making an appearance. The new Abarth 595 will be making its world premiere in Bologna in two forms, the turismo and competizione, with the turismo targeted towards personality and comfort while the competizione is built for the racing purist.

Both Abarth 595 models will be powered by a 1.4L Turbo T-Jet powerplant with 160-hp and 170 lb-ft of torque in Sport mode. The turismo model sports a two-tone paint job and the vehicle on display at Bologna will feature Fiat’s Rosso Officina and Grigio Pista accented by a white liner. Turismo graphics are a finishing touch alongside the 17-inch titanium-colored wheels.

On the competizione model, Abarth outfitted the 595 with a five-speed manual transmission, metallic Grigio Record scheme with 17-inch titanium-colored wheels. Behind each race-styled wheel are yellow Brembo brake calipers. The interior further lends the racing spirit to the car with Abarth Corsa by Sabelt leather and alcantara seats. Both 595s also have customization suspension kits and brakes available as options.

The Abarth 695 Assetto Corse has been designed for track racing, and features an aggressive front-end design with a complete aerodynamic spoiler and screen-printed grilles. In the rear of the car is a winged spoiler and twin exhaust pipe. Under the hood is a 205-hp 1.4L turbocharged powerplant while 17-inch racing wheels puts the power to the ground. The interior features all the safety equipment required by FIA regulations including a roll-bar welded to the body. The side windows have been lightened thanks to the use of Lexan, making it 66-lbs lighter than the previous 500 Assetto Corse.

The last of the Abarth models is the Punto scorpione, a limited edition model with just 99 vehicles being made. A two-tone Nero Scorpione paint scheme is further contrasted with a special matte black paintwork on the hood and roof. Under the hood is a 1.4L MultiAir engine with 180-hp and 199 lb-ft of torque. Braking performance is enhanced with four-piston yellow brake calipers while the suspension features front and rear Koni shock absorbers and specially lowered springs.

Lastly, the Fiat Group will be introducing a Black&Red edition of the Lancia Ypsilon coming in four different color choices, two reds, a black and a two-tone black and red scheme. Other the hood is a 1.2L 69-hp engine or a 95-hp 1.3L turbo diesel.

GALLERY: Special Edition Abarths

GALLERY: 2012 Fiat Sedici

GALLERY: Fiat 500 Nation Limited Edition

GALLERY: Lancia Ypsilon Black&Red Edition

In celebrating the launch of Fiat’s 500 in America, Fiat has decided to release a special Nation Edition 500. The 500 Nation will be introduced at the upcoming Bologna Motor Show.

This special edition Fiat 500 is very patriotic, sporting a Stars & Stripes graphics package with 16-inch wheels. It will also come in an exclusive America Blue exterior shade (in hatchback form) while the convertible packs a tri-coat white.

Fiat plans to launch the Nation Edition in February with production limited to 500 units each and pricing set at $19,570 for the hatchback and $24,290 for the convertible based on today’s conversion rates.

GALLERY: Fiat 500 Nation Edition

[Source: WorldCarFans]

Rumors have been swirling for quite some time now that Laura Soave, arguably the person responsible for bringing Fiat back into the U.S. market, would be replaced as the head of the Fiat brand in North America. Well the news is official now, with a press release being sent out moments ago confirming Soave’s exit and Timothy Kuniskis taking her place.

It’s startling how much can happen in just a year, where at the 2010 LA Auto Show, Soave was proudly on stage presenting the Fiat 500 for all of us to see. Now a year later, she’s not even with the company anymore amidst rumors of improper professional relationships, slow sales and marketing disaster (J.Lo as spokesperson, anyone?). Her replacement, Timothy Kuniskis, has been recently serving as Director for both the Chrysler Brand and Fiat Brand Product Marketing. At least now he has the Fiat 500 Abarth to bolster sales.

MINI has announced that they will be entering the B-Spec racing class in 2012, with MINI of Charleston, a franchise owned by Hendrick Automotive Group.

The B-Spec car will be a base Mini Cooper Hardtop with a 1.6L 121-horsepower engine. The car will weigh 2,535 lbs and KW Variant 1 coilovers, upgraded brake pads and lines and a full roll cage system. The MINI will go up against the Honda Fit, Mazda2, Fiat 500 and other subcompact cars when racing begins next year.

[Source: Jalopnik]

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Slow sales by Fiat are causing layoffs for workers in Chrysler‘s Global Engine Manufacturing Alliance Plant in Dundee, Mich., responsible for building the 1.4-liter FIRE engine used in the 500.

The actual numbers behind the layoffs are, however, in dispute. Tom Zimmerman, the plant’s unit chairman for UAW Local 723, said in an interview with Automotive News that more than 25 percent of the plant’s 400 hourly workers were laid off.

Jodi Tinson, a Chrysler spokesperson, said that only 30 people had actually been laid off, and that another 35 were assigned different jobs in the plant.

Regardless of which figure is accurate, there is no denying that Fiat sales failed to meet expectations in the U.S. The company originally projected 50,000 units annually, but had sold less than 32 percent of that by October 31.

Chrysler will unveil the North American version of the Fiat 500 Abarth at this week’s Los Angeles Auto Show, featuring a 160-hp turbocharged version of the 1.4-liter engine.

Gallery: 2012 Fiat 500

[Source: Automotive News]

Road Race Motorsports has revealed one serious little lapping day machine at the SEMA Show, with a highly customized Fiat 500 packing plenty of race-inspired modifications. Under the hood is a B-Spec tuned engine pumping out 133-hp thanks to a Road Race intake system and sport exhaust. To be a true race car though, they also outfitted it with a timing controller, Zeitronix Data logging system with Drew Tech touchscreen and Drew Tech’s GPS and Track mapping system.

Suspension modifications are plentiful, starting with Bilstein’s coilovers and springs, Road Race/Progress rear anti-sway bar, and Road Race camber adjusters. For brakes, Road Race outfitted the Fiat with their slotted rotors and sports brake featuring different brake pads for track days.

The outside sports a Carbontrix/Road Race widebody carbon fiber kit further accented with 18×8-inch Stance Mindset wheels paired with 205/45/15 Toyo R1R tires. Plenty more carbon fiber goodies are also on the car courtesy of Road Race and Carbontrix while the interior packs Racetech race seats and 5-point harnesses.

Hopefully we’ll see this bad boy hit the track one day soon.

GALLERY: Road Race Motorsports Fiat 500

Discuss this story at Fiat500Owners.com and checkout AutoGuide’s complete 2011 SEMA Show coverage here

Looking rather lonely and out of place in Mopar’s massive SEMA booth was Mopar Underground’s Fiat 500 Carbon. Amidst all the heavy American muscle was this customized Italian compact featuring an Anodized Azzurro exterior with blackened accents. Peering behind each 17×7-inch Dark Hyper Black wheel were bright red calipers, giving a solid contrast to the matte blue finish.

The Fiat 500 Carbon also incorporates satin carbon fiber foglamp bezels and lip spoiler in the front. Mopar Underground also lowered the Fiat 500 with their own lowering springs while a strut tower brace tightens up the chassis. Lastly, the 500 breathes a little better thanks to a cold-air intake.

GALLERY: Mopar Underground Fiat 500 Carbon

Tribe Agency will be unveiling their Fiat 500 Alpha Bravo project at this year’s SEMA Show at the Meguiar’s Car Crazy Corral. For now, we’re treated to a render of the project which looks to feature a custom wrap by Wraptivo/Meguiar’s sporting a two-tone black and army green finish. Up top is a custom Inno sports rack while the Fiat 500 gets a menacing stance thanks to Air Lift. On all four corners are 6015-T6 forged wheels paired with Falken rubber.

The theme of the build was to transform the Fiat from an economy car to an extreme sports-based, all-terrain, fully-equipped action vehicle. While we’re not sure a Fiat 500 could ever be prepared for all-terrain travel, the project does do a great job in inspiring people to think outside the box on the Italian subcompact.

[Source: Fatlace]

Fiat has announced that it will be showcasing a pair of custom 500s at this year’s SEMA Show. According to Fiat the 500 Titanium is a discretely tuned 500 with more aggressive styling while the Fiat 500 Carbon features more subtle modifications, accenting the Italian hatchback’s styling, craftsmanship and nimble handling. Both vehicles get upgraded products from Mopar including their respective cold-air intake, strut-tower brace and cat-back exhaust.

Starting with the Fiat 500 Titanium, Mopar has outfitted the Italian subcompact with a new aggressive front bumper with large honeycomb grilles. A satin black insert on the front bumper features integrated LED fog lamps while the circular projector headlamps have been finished in gloss black to match the Titanium’s exterior paint. For wheels, the Titanium features custom 16×6.5-inch Matte Titanium rollers with a two-piece design.

Lowering the vehicle are custom Mopar springs while braking performance has been upgraded with Matte Titanium front and rear brake calipers with larger rotors. Styling is further enhanced with a pair of side skirts and a large liftgate spoiler while the rear bumper has been completely redesigned with a rear diffuser. A center-mounted rear Mopar exhaust tip can be seen housed in the new rear diffuser.

On the inside, the Titanium features a black with Titanium Metallic accents color scheme. Both front and rear seats have been reupholstered in smooth black leather and accented with Titanium Metallic vinyl seat centers. Metallic Gray stitching accents the finished product.

Meanwhile, the Fiat 500 Carbon features an Anodized Azzurro (blue) exterior with blackened accents inside and out. The front bumper on the Carbon features integrated satin carbon fiber foglamp bezels and lip spoiler. The headlights have been refinished in a Dark Hyper Black finish while 17×7-inch Dark Hyper Black aluminum wheels are on all four corners. Similar to the Titanium, Mopar outfitted the Carbon with their lowering springs, strut tower brace and cold-air intake.

In the rear, a carbon fiber liftgate spoiler improves the aerodynamics while a powdercoated carbon fiber exhaust tip is a nice, subtle touch. Carbon fiber can also be seen in the rear bumper and valence while the tail lamp bezels have been refinished in Dark Hyper Black. The interior continues with a dark black theme, but has been contrasted with Anodized Azzurro accents.

That’s a lot of description for just a teaser photo, so stay tuned for AutoGuide’s 2011 SEMA Coverage starting here November 1st, and check out the complete 2011 SEMA Preview here.

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The Sports Car Club of America’s B-Spec class is meant to give automakers and racers alike a relatively affordable platform to go racing with machines similar to those available from the factory. While safety and chassis modifications are allowed, engine power is restricted to keep the playing field even.

Honda and Mazda were among the earlier adopters, fielding Fit and Mazda2 B-Spec prototypes respectively. Now, Fiat and Ford are looking into the series, and the automakers tested Fiat 500 and Fiesta B-Spec cars at Michigan’s Grattan Raceway last week. Kuno Wittmer and Andy Vrenko piloted the 500 and Fiesta, while Peter Cunningham and Charles Espenlaub represented Honda and Mazda. All cars were equipped with engine restrictors and 100 pounds of ballast, while engineers were on hand to compare lap times between the four cars.

If the formula gains traction among racers, 2012 could be a banner year for American sports car racing, as an entry-level series has long been needed to reinvigorate interest among potential participants.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) has named the 2012 Fiat 500 a Top Safety Pick, joining eight Chrysler Group models that are Top Safety Picks by the IIHS for 2011.

Top Safety Picks are recognized by the IIHS as vehicles with “good” performance in front, side, rollover and rear crash test evaluations done at their Vehicle Research Center. In order to qualify as a Top Safety Pick, the vehicle must also be equipped with electronic stability control, which is a standard feature on all Fiat 500 models.

GALLERY: 2012 Fiat 500

Discuss this story at Fiat500Owners and read AutoGuide’s Fiat 500 Review here