Chrysler to import Transit Connect-rivaling, Ram-badged Fiat Doblo

Chrysler to import Transit Connect-rivaling, Ram-badged Fiat Doblo
By Andrew Ganz - Posted November 17th 2009

Chrysler will dip directly into Fiat’s European product lineup by importing the quirky, yet highly utilitarian, Fiat Doblo van. Set to rival the recently-introduced Ford Transit Connect, which essentially recreated the small commercial van market in the United States, the Fiat will be sold under the Ram brand name.
It’s unclear if the van will retain the Doblo model name when it is imported beginning in late 2011 for the 2012 model year. It will be sold alongside a Ram-branded version of the Fiat Ducato, a Sprinter-size van that will be used when the agreement between Chrysler and Mercedes-Benz lapses.
Fiat has just introduced a second-generation Doblo, which will go on sale soon in Europe.
Like the Transit Connect, the all-new Fiat Doblo is based on a car platform – it shares its basic underpinnings with the popular Fiat Grande Punto. The Transit Connect’s platform comes from the U.S.-specification Ford Focus. The North American Doblo will almost certainly be powered by a small gasoline engine to better compete with the Transit Connect, but it’s unclear just what powertrain will go under its hood. The European model gets a small 95-horsepower engine, which would likely not be adequate for more speed-focused North American highway and suburban driving.
Unlike the Transit Connect, which will be built in the U.S. beginning with the 2013 model year, North American-specification Doblo vans will emerge from Fiat’s Turk Otomobil Fabrikasi in Turkey.
29 COMMENTS
1. reedfast254 days ago
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  shouldn’t it be a bit tougher if its going to be sold under the ram brand name?
  
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2. Smegley Wanxalot254 days ago
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  looks like a hydrocephalic Kia Soul.
  
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3. fan254 days ago
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  was the MB Sprinter toughed up for being sold under the “RAM” label?
  Those are actually quite decent little transports. Just about the right size for small contractors and in-town delivery, where a full-size van is too bulky – and need too much gas. (you dont need a big block for hauling boxes around town, when the fastest you can go is an average of about 20-25 mph…)
  
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4. acoom254 days ago
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  Brilliant little van. Very fit for purpose.
  
  But I also wonder how it is going to fare under the ‘Ram’ brand. It doesn’t really suit a quirky little Italian van…
  
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5. jzcarguy254 days ago
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  this things gona have a HEMI for sure! hahaha
  
  its under Ram brand label? hahaha
  
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6. ajm11254 days ago
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  I think it will be good product to bring over. Just try and get it over here sooner than late 2011 as Chyrsler dealers really need new models now.
  
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7. TomF254 days ago
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  It doesn’t express the Ram attributes at ALL — durability, thickness, toughness, big-truck allusions. But it’s a cool little urban package-hauler.
  
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8. JakeK66254 days ago
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  They sell this in North Korea too… Now I can roll like a Commie!
  
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9. mitzo254 days ago
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  Late 2011? What takes so long?
  
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10. johnnycanuck254 days ago
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  I hope they shave the hair from under the wheel wells before they bring it over.
  
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11. DenverGuy217254 days ago
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  I suppose offering more of these types of vehicles might help that segment grow. It doesn’t appear the Ford Transit is lighting up the sales charts thus far. I’m trying to visualize this with a crosshairs grille. How about a small Winnebago addition!
  
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12. CanadaCraig254 days ago
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  ‘Late 2011′ means TWO YEARS from now. That’s just silly. The van already exists. Obviously I don’t understand these things. I can see fall of 2010. I don’t know. Maybe someone can enlighten me. Does it have to pass N.A. safety and emissions tests or something? Is there a line up at the testing facility? LOL
  
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13. orangecones254 days ago
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  @mitzo…. US safety and envieromental spec…thats what.I am I am sure they can fast-track this thing and get it out a little faster, but it won’t be a volume seller for them, so it wouldn’t justify the cost.
  
  @TomF…. RAM as a stand-alone brand is FIAT’s creation, therefore it will become what FIAT tells it to become. I agree that this thing, in current sheetmetal looks nothing like the current US-Spec RAM pick-up, but thats almost irrelevant, because neither does anything else in the Dodge line-up except the Durrrrr-ango.
  
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14. Me254 days ago
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  This will definitely need a crosshair grille treatment… Any photoshop masters here?
  
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15. RaineMan254 days ago
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  And so continues the downfall of Chrysler. There won’t be any Chrysler vehicles left by 2015.
  
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16. 85ZingoGTR254 days ago
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  Now we’re talking. Unfortunately I still think FIAT will fade Chrysler away.
  
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17. Borat254 days ago
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  85ZingoGTR, you are probably right. But didn’t Chrysler fade Chrysler away when their management decided to “merge” with Benz? That is when the fate was sealed, now is reaping of what’s been planted. Machionne is not on mission from God, he is improving FIAT. He expressed opinion that FIAT was too small to survive, he was looking for merger and then Chrysler “fell” into his laps. Perhaps it is the best scenario for all involved.
  
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18. DenverGuy217254 days ago
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  I wonder if John McCain will buy one
  
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19. beautiful254 days ago
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  I think the days ahead are going to be Beautiful for Chrysler.
  
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20. Smegley Wanxalot254 days ago
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  Sure the few daya ahead will be beautiful – until the subsidies run out.
  
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21. JohnnyViking254 days ago
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  Fiat is the only European car group running without any goverment subsidies, and they are doing so very well. These vans are no 1 in Europe, and I bet they would be a success in the states as well.Low consumption and emissions, and the small engines are actually quite rev-happy.
  
  The difference between the Benz “merger” and the Fiat “merger” is that Fiat will lend Chrysler the newest and best technology. Since the Fiat Group makes the best engines in the world (they do, really) that could make a difference of being or not being for Chrysler.
  
  I think Fiat will not fade away Chrysler. Fiat is not a known brand in the US, it would be easier to just make Chrysler better than build Fiat as a “new” brand. The 500 will probably be called Fiat, and some of the other small cars, but medium/big cars will still be branded Chrysler.
  
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22. fan253 days ago
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  johnny… explain… how are other european car groups having govt. subsidies?
  
  also, “no 1 van in europe” is a title thats not saying anything at all… no1 in what? sales? crashes? price?
  
  also, claiming that FIAT does so very well… last time i checked, they didnt… most of the european press is highly doubtful of FIAT has the power to survive the chrysler merger, and even without chrysler fiat wasnt doing too good.
  
  still, i think FIAT makes decent cars, most of them at least. decent cars,, kind of underrated now and then, but decent nevertheless. i just dont see fiat doing THAT good currently…
  
  prove me wrong, would love to see the info you seem to have that i dont.
  
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23. jdasch1253 days ago
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  Fiat has been in the US market 3 times before and left everyone on a bind when they left…here they are again…..teamed up with the government-unionized low CSI Chrysler. This van coming from Turkey is a money loser from the start like the Connect is for Ford….exchange rate unbalenced. Both will have to be built here for them to be profitable. Usually car companies like Ford don’t see a viable vehicle program until the volume reaches 80,000 units annually. Both of the companies together aren’t going to see 80k in this segment combined. This van looks like a good van, but the volume signals no profit for Chrysler, and that is what they need despirately.
  
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24. volo253 days ago
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  @fan
  1. Renault and PSA got loans from french government, Opel got promised 4.5b loans from Germany if sale with magna was successful, and 1.5b during the sealing of the deal.
  Only VW, BMW and Mercedes did not receive any subsidies, and Fiat. Though you can argue that the Car scrapping scheme which sent in France, UK, Germany and Italy are also government subisides for national manufacturer, especially in germany where 2500 euros was offered if you threw you 10 year old car.
  
  2. Johnyviking is right, for FIAT Vans. Fiat owns another company called IVECO. The flagship IVECO Daily is a best seller in Europe, better than mercedes sprinter or ford transit. Fiat Ducato is a smaller version of IVECO Daily. However I doubt the Fiat Doblo being so popular, I don’t see many of them on the streets.
  Also, Fiat Ducato is also rebadged and sold under Peugeot Boxer and Citroen Jumper.
  
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25. fan253 days ago
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  @volo: you do know that the german car scrappage was not bundled to buying a car from a german manufacturer? the companies that profited most of the bonus was – among a heap of asian ones – fiat, as their cars are among the cheapest offered in germany, so a 2500 euro rebate is quite something, whereas Mercedes along with the other premium-manufacturers hardly profited off the program…
  
  and for the ducato: its not quite a rebadge. Peugeot, Citroen and Fiat developed the car they sell as Ducato/Boxer/Jumper together, in a shared effort…
  also, judging from germany, france and spain (which is, i must admit that, what i see of europe most of the time), the sprinter is by far the one you see most
  
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26. rpmfan253 days ago
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  @ fan
  
  In Europe, specifically Germany, BMW and Mercedes are not nearly as expensive as they are here. Yes, they’re in a higher class, but price wise, not like here in the US. At least that’s what I have been told and read.
  
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27. fan253 days ago
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  rpm: im afraid you were told wrong. theres hardly a better place to purchase a german premium car than in the united states… no better place to get a deal…
  i thought the same you just posted, but its vice versa: a friend of mine from europe regularly gets his new mercedes from the states; says hes saving more than 30% compared to a similar model in europe. oh, and that includes shipping the car to hamburg, getting it though customs and having it modified to match the german regulations (headlights, catalytic converters some times, that kind of stuff)
  and i hear its not just mercedes; its the very same for BMW, Audi and even Porsche… VW, too…
  i do know, though, why people tend to think so, though: you see way more mercs beemers and audis in germany, or europe in general, than you do see here… but thats because people, especially germans, seem to be willing to pay more for their car…
  
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28. volo252 days ago
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  @fan
  I well know the scrapping scheme was not bundled to a national manufacturer because it is forbidden by the european Comission. But we all know that French are buying mostly french cars, german mostly german cars, italian mostly italian cars and Britain mostly american cars. Why on earth would a country which does not produce cars would make a car scrapping scheme? To save the ass of incompetent dealers?
  The french launched this scrapping scheme in Europe by the way, and it was tied to buy a car generating a certain amount of CO2, and surprise surprise, the french cars were nearly all below this margin.
  
  Secondly, your statement about asian cars getting a big share of the scrapping program, I beg to differ. I read every month the car sales in France for example, and Hyundai/Kia are VERY marginal, around 2000 cars per month, whereas PSA + Renault sell more than 100 000 cars (see the link)
  http://news.mongenie.com/news.asp?pk=7300&kw=achat+voiture
  The trend is the same in all of Europe, the only asian manufacturer worth to be quoted in Europe is Toyota, but they mostly sell their microcar Toyota Aygo (developped with PSA, and built in eastern europe in a common factory), and the corolla.
  
  Thirdly, Fiat Ducato IS mostly a rebadged version. Maybe PSA gave some inputs for the last generation but that’s it. Don’t forget that Fiat has IVECO, PSA has less experience in Van than Fiat, this is why PSA approached them. Peugeot boxer for example is sold with 2 engines: 2.2 Hdi and 3.0Hdi. PSA has no 3.0 Hdi engine, it is sold using the IVECO 3.0 engine, the 2.2 Hdi is the PSA one.
  Concerning the number 1 Van in Europe, I cannot find any reliable tables summing up the total European sales by model type. If you find one, be my guest.
  
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29. gogogodzilla252 days ago
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  Wow, that is one butt-ugly mini-utility-van.
  
  Almost as bad as the @ss-tek.
  
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