FIAT near stake in Chrysler.

[culver]

culver is our resident Big Three apologetic.

Please explain?

Ford does have a recent model named Five Hundred. That very well could be a problem if Fiat wants to sell a car named "500".

How does pointing that out make me an apologist?

[Kitdy]

Please explain?

No no, it wasn't this thing in specific it was your posting in general. You often to go to bat for the Big Three when people talk smack about them. This I think is good and adds to the discussion - it was not meant as an insult.

[LeonOfTheDead]

Please explain?

Ford does have a recent model named Five Hundred. That very well could be a problem if Fiat wants to sell a car named "500".

How does pointing that out make me an apologist?

if Ford complains about the name, Fiat could sabotage the Ka assembly line...just kidding

[f6fhellcat13]

Couldn't FIAT say the name is spelled "500" but is pronounced "cinquecento"?
Would that hold up in court?

[culver]

No no, it wasn't this thing in specific it was your posting in general. You often to go to bat for the Big Three when people talk smack about them. This I think is good and adds to the discussion - it was not meant as an insult.

OK, my apologies.

(damn I'm being an apologist again )

[Kitdy]

OK, my apologies.

(damn I'm being an apologist again )

No need to apologise, but I digged the pun.

[MRR]

I think those very X5 are sold even here and so for the Z4 (at least their previous gens)

I didn't say they weren't but 60%+ stay in the US and the rest are exported

[Timothy (in VA)]

I took your comment to mean cars made in the US in general. As for Chrysler assembly, I can't say with certainty. The PT Cruisers are supposed to be well assembled. The are reported to have some issued with their automatic transmissions but not the manual boxes. That would suggest the vehicle is well assembled but one of the components isn't up to par. The supplier of the transmission or the engineers who spec'ed the transmission would be to blame, not those who are in charge or actually performing the assembly of the car.
However, I don't know if that is true for all Chrysler plants. I generally don't follow Chrysler and haven't since the Germans further screwed up the company. I don't know if the problems with Chrysler vehicles are due to assembly mistakes/failures or if they are due to poorly selected, designed or assembled components.
Now if all Chrysler plants are like the PT's plant then Fiat could be OK. In that case, so long as the components brought to the plant are good, the total car would be good. A 500 built in the PT's plant would probably be fine. It's also possible that Fiat's design is inherently better from an assembly point of view thus making it easier to ensure that even careless assembly results in a correctly assembled vehicle.

The Chrysler PT Cruiser is built in Mexico.

[Ferrer]

Couldn't FIAT say the name is spelled "500" but is pronounced "cinquecento"?
Would that hold up in court?

a) the name is different (as I pointed out) and b) there's also the fact there have been some cases of cars sold with the same name on the same market, like the Volvo 850 and the BMW 850i or the Lexus LS and the Lincoln LS.

[culver]

a) the name is different (as I pointed out) and b) there's also the fact there have been some cases of cars sold with the same name on the same market, like the Volvo 850 and the BMW 850i or the Lexus LS and the Lincoln LS.

Ford was going to name the LS something like the LS6 and LS8 but didn't because Lexus had the LS400. Note that Lexus doesn't have a car named "LS".

[culver]

The Chrysler PT Cruiser is built in Mexico.

Well it's still a Chrysler plant and Fiat would have access to it

[Ferrer]

Ford was going to name the LS something like the LS6 and LS8 but didn't because Lexus had the LS400. Note that Lexus doesn't have a car named "LS".

Well, then Fiat doesn't have a car named "Five Hundred" either.

[culver]

Well, then Fiat doesn't have a car named "Five Hundred" either.

That is true but might be an issue if Ford went ahead and registered the "500" TM as well as "Five Hundred".

[Timothy (in VA)]

Well it's still a Chrysler plant and Fiat would have access to it

You're like, psychic, or something. When the PT Cruiser production ends, they're now planning on building the 500 there: Fiat-Chrysler partnership will bring 7 new models to U.S. - Autoblog

Other products anticipated to come to America as a result of the partnership: a Fiat Panda-based 5-door badged as a Chrysler or a Dodge, the next generation of the Fiat Grande Punto, and a few other models. The full details are in the link above.

[IBrake4Rainbows]

There is a tendancy in the US small/Mid sized car market towards sedans/saloons. something the Italians are perhaps not as well suited at as their hatchbacks.

my guess? the Linea will make an apperance also.