Fiat to assemble 500 in Mexico, build engines in Michigan?
Fiat 500 Abarth - click above image for high-res gallery
For the last couple of decades, there has been a genuine dearth of affordable Italians autos for us Americans. Sure, you could buy a lightly used Alfa Romeo Milano or a derelict Fiat Strada, but then you'd be a braver person than us. Or maybe you could get your hands on a severely fire-damaged Ferrari 308, but that's a entirely different level of sadomasochism. One that we're not comfortable with. But in reality, the cheapest piece of Italian four-wheeled machinery available to us Yanks has come with a trident badge. In other words, a $100,000 Maserati.
But hey, there's some good news for working class Italophiles -- the Fiat 500 is coming! Finally, Italian design and craftsmanship in an affordable package. Only thing is, the Cinquecento is going to be Italian design and Mexican craftsmanship. Er, make that Italian design and Mexican/American craftsmanship. According to an Associated Press report, Chrysler Group LLC is planning on building U.S.-bound 500s at their Toluca, Mexico assembly plant where they build the PT Cruiser. Not only that, but the engines that power the little-bitty Fiats might be built in Trenton, Michigan. Hmmm. Not really so Italian after all, is it?
Chrysler is reportedly also planning on building another very small car along with the 500. No official word on any of the other Fiat or Alfa Romeo products that might be heading our way – yet.
Gallery: Fiat 500 Abarth
[Source: Detroit News]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
Richard 6:26PM (8/17/2009)
Really, all that's saying is that, these days, the physical location of the assembly plant means less than the quality requirements of the brand.
Are the spec tolerances tight, or loose? Are they enforced, or not? If they're tight, and enforced, then you're going to get a quality product no matter who's building it. Vice versa and its crap wherever it hails from.
Now, a lot of the money you pay for your car ends up being spent wherever the parts are sourced and wherever they're assembled, but that's another issue altogether.
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daleam 6:56PM (8/17/2009)
Mexican auto plants are notorious for shoddy workmanship. Just look at Volkswagen, almost dead last in reliability.
Greg Aryous 7:33PM (8/17/2009)
Daleam - "Mexican auto plants are notorious for shoddy workmanship. Just look at Volkswagen, almost dead last in reliability."
You make a pretty lame statement - It depends on the auto maker and how they treat their workers. Just look at Ford and the 3-mid size Fusion/Milan/MKZ are top rated for quality, unsurpassed by Toyota or Honda and built in Mexico! That's also where Ford plans to build the Fiesta.
Can't wait for the Fiesta with a 1.6L I4 EcoBoost pumping 200HP all over that "Fix It Again Tony" 500...
daleam 7:37PM (8/17/2009)
I did not say that nothing good EVER came out of a Mexican auto plant. I said that Mexican auto plants are notorious for shoddy workmanship. One of the problems they have at the "maquiladoras" (mostly auto parts plants) is that many Mexican workers make so much money that they come to work for a few months and leave to go back home. And I'm not talking about a lot of money. They're lucky to make just a couple of dollars an hour. How do you control quality when you have a high turnover? Yes, I blame management just as I blame management for the downfall of the American auto industry. It's a complex situation which involves many factors, but management is to blame.
Frank 8:22PM (8/17/2009)
"I did not say that nothing good EVER came out of a Mexican auto plant. I said that VOLKSWAGEN Mexican auto plants are notorious for shoddy workmanship."
There. Fixed it for ya.
daleam 1:54AM (8/18/2009)
Um, no. I used Volkswagen as an example. Chevy trucks from Mexico are also of inferior quality as compared to their American made identical trucks. And don't get me started on China.
Richard 6:28PM (8/17/2009)
Having seen these in Paris shortly after they were released, I must say that (unlike the Mini) they're a hell of a lot better looking in person than they are in the photos. And that interior just rocks! The convertible will almost certainly get some serious consideration from anyone who might now be looking at the Mini or any of the other small-ish cute cars.
Me too, fwiw. Great little runabouts.
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zamafir 1:56AM (8/18/2009)
having seen these in the us shortly after they were released I'd have to agree with you on both accounts.
Aznauto 6:33PM (8/17/2009)
That spells doom, when is the last time something good came out of Michigan.
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daleam 6:57PM (8/17/2009)
When was the last time anything good came out of your comments?
Frank 8:24PM (8/17/2009)
Aznauto, see replies about Mexico.
Shiftright 2:45AM (8/18/2009)
Shut up Aznauto.
Ian B. 6:42PM (8/17/2009)
Well, 500's are currently made in Poland by Fiat. And that seems to be working out all right. Not to be insulting or anything.
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ello 7:06PM (8/17/2009)
@Ian B, well, actually the Polish factories are ranked as one of the most reliable assemblies in Europe, people there are rather well paid and factories as as modern as they come, plus people there pay attention to detail. It's a different mentality, different pace, different work conditions. It's working out well because Poles have been building Fiats since 1950s so they know what they are doing.
tomguptill 7:20PM (8/17/2009)
And the 500 has been made in Poland for some time - the 1991-1998 Cinquecento was never made anyplace else as far as I know, and neither was the Seicento which followed it. My '95 Cinquecento was one of the best cars I've ever owned.
knapps 6:42PM (8/17/2009)
Um, Americans have had an extremely cheap Fiat for a while now. It's called the Suzuki SX4. Please do your research Autoblog.
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tomguptill 7:22PM (8/17/2009)
And to mix up the international soup even further, Euro-market Sedici are made in Hungary, while US-market SX4s are made in Japan.
It's also apparently built in India and Russia for other markets.
JRM 9:46AM (8/18/2009)
FIAT only contributed the diesel engines to the SX4--which aren't even sold in America!
So there's nothing FIAT-made in the US SX4.
Praeliber 6:45PM (8/17/2009)
"Not only that, but the engines that power the little-bitty Fiats might be built in Trenton, Michigan. Hmmm. Not really so Italian after all, is it?"
Is a honda or toyota build in Canada or USA not a japanese car? Are VWs build in mexico not german anymore? Does...you get the idea!
Rhetorical question, of course...
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owayneo 6:56PM (8/17/2009)
From all that I've heard, FIAT is not know for quality cars regardless of where they are manufactured. Wasn't that one of the reasons they pulled out of the U.S. in the first place - they couldn't sell any of them once people saw how poorly they held up here.
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