In a move that will certainly confuse traditional automotive journalists and so-called auto enthusiasts alike, fiat has announced that the U.S. version of the Fiat 500 will be the first to receive a new and superior platform – not the European model. Fiat will utilize the same platform that underpins the Fiat Panda when it begins building the Fiat 500 in Mexico for U.S. consumption, with the platform coming later for the European market.
Whether or not Fiat set out with the intention of turning the traditional European-American product exchange on its head or not, Fiat found itself in a situation that would allow them to just that, while giving Americans a truly fresh product ahead of the rest of the world.
The Fiat 500 is scheduled to begin production in late 2010 at its Toluca, Mexico, plant. Fiat recently invested $550 million to upgrade the plant in connection with Chrysler in order to produce the Fiat 500 – with 95 percent of production scheduled for export. Fiat expects to produce 100-130,000 units annually, providing 400 direct and 1,200 indirect jobs in Mexico, according to the Wall Street Journal.
According to Inside Line, Fiat had not yet put its tooling in place for the 500′s North American production when the Panda platform became available, allowing Fiat to make the switch to the new Panda platform without added cost. The European market already has plants with tooling for the current platform, which means they will need to wait for the next upgrade to the model before the switch to the platform will take place.
The new platform will help to give the Fiat 500 added structural integrity that will be vital for crash testing, as well as reduced noise, vibration and harshness (NVH). Fiat also points to weight savings, which will help with acceleration, stopping distance and fuel economy figures.
Inside Line also points out that Fiat/Chrysler are still debating retaining the ’500′ nomenclature – which may cause confusion with the larger 300, or switching to Cinquecento, the Italian word for 500.
References
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2. ‘Fiat to invest in Mexican…’ view
3. ‘fiat pledges $550 ml to…’ view
