Fiat’s upcoming 500 Giardiniera could be a mini-SUV. With all this talk of mergers and acquisitions, it would be easy to forget that Fiat has its own model lines to update and supplement. So while Sergio Marchionne flies back and forth between Detroit and Turin, a report has emerged suggesting Fiat could be preparing a crossover version of its popular 500 retro-hatch. Italian automaker Fiat is apparently working on a mini SUV model based on the already-popular and over-discussed 500, which will be marketed as the 500 Giardiniera. Fiat will be bringing an AWD variant of its acclaimed 500 mini [...]
Fiat Auto is paying $1.27 billion for an additional 16% of Chrysler LLC, which will up its interest in the U.S. automaker to 46%. This gives Fiat controlling interest in Chrysler, as the deal is concurrent with a bond sale to private investors it will also reduce the United Auto Workers’ retiree and health benefits fund from 59.2% down to 45.7%. With the bond sale and Fiat’s 16% purchase, Chrysler will be able to pay off U.S. and Canadian/Ontario government loans. Though the U.S. government will still retain 6.6% of Chrysler and Canada with the province of Ontario will still [...]
