We saw the Fiat Freemont first at this past March's Geneva Motor Show, and the newly pleasant people carrier's configurator has just hit the intertubes in Italian. An English-language version for the UK market isn't happening yet, so you'll have to have fun seeing what Europe can get on its Dodge Journey that we can't, and vice-versa by clicking here.
Deliveries start this month (June 2011) with a front-wheel driver with six-speed manual shifter (i.e. fun!). The initial engines available for the Freemont will be two variants of the four-cylinder 2.0-liter MultiJet II direct-injected turbodiesel from Fiat Powertrain Technologies. A 138-horsepower version with 258 pound-feet of torque between 1,750 and 2,000 rpm (with at least 220 lb-ft on tap throughout the idle-to-4,000 rpm usable rev range) has a base price of €25,700 ($37,300), and in special Urban trim hits €27,200 ($39,500), both with all Italian taxes included. The 168-hp tune with the same torque peaking from 1,750 to 2,500 rpm starts at €27,200 ($39,500) and in Urban garb, it commands €28,700 ($41,700). Knock around 20 percent off all those prices, and you'd have what the approximate U.S. showroom price would be.
Later in the year, an all-wheel-drive version carrying buyers' choice of either the 168-hp MultiJet diesel or a top-of-the-line 3.6-liter Pentastar V6 with 272 hp will be available, but pricing hasn't been revealed yet. An automatic transmission is also expected to join the options sheet at that time.
While the Freemont moniker (perhaps named after the new Fiat of Fremont dealership in California?) and sales potential in the European context very much confuse us, we still like the Journey as it is adapted all'italiana. The Dodge-in-drag's campaign tagline translates to "All the Cars You Want," meaning essentially "Whatever car you'd like it to be." Could that come across as "good at many things, great at none"? We hope not.
Deliveries start this month (June 2011) with a front-wheel driver with six-speed manual shifter (i.e. fun!). The initial engines available for the Freemont will be two variants of the four-cylinder 2.0-liter MultiJet II direct-injected turbodiesel from Fiat Powertrain Technologies. A 138-horsepower version with 258 pound-feet of torque between 1,750 and 2,000 rpm (with at least 220 lb-ft on tap throughout the idle-to-4,000 rpm usable rev range) has a base price of €25,700 ($37,300), and in special Urban trim hits €27,200 ($39,500), both with all Italian taxes included. The 168-hp tune with the same torque peaking from 1,750 to 2,500 rpm starts at €27,200 ($39,500) and in Urban garb, it commands €28,700 ($41,700). Knock around 20 percent off all those prices, and you'd have what the approximate U.S. showroom price would be.
Later in the year, an all-wheel-drive version carrying buyers' choice of either the 168-hp MultiJet diesel or a top-of-the-line 3.6-liter Pentastar V6 with 272 hp will be available, but pricing hasn't been revealed yet. An automatic transmission is also expected to join the options sheet at that time.
While the Freemont moniker (perhaps named after the new Fiat of Fremont dealership in California?) and sales potential in the European context very much confuse us, we still like the Journey as it is adapted all'italiana. The Dodge-in-drag's campaign tagline translates to "All the Cars You Want," meaning essentially "Whatever car you'd like it to be." Could that come across as "good at many things, great at none"? We hope not.
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