2012 Abarth Used Turbo 1.4l I4 16v Fwd Hatchback Bose Premium on 2040-cars

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Fiat 500X may get Abarth treatment

Nissan has Nismo and Mini has John Cooper Works versions of their sub-compact CUVs, so it's only natural that Fiat is playing around with the idea of an Abarth-badged 500X. That's the rationale behind a new report from Autocar, which claims the higher-output CUV is coming in 2017. It all comes down to growing the Abarth line. Autocar reports that Fiat is very keen on scorpion-badged models. Abarth brand chief Paolo Gagliardo told Automotive News Europe, "We want to keep growing and stabilize at a certain level." We already know that plan requires a 124 Abarth, but it seems impossible to accomplish without Abarth-izing the Fiat with the most mainstream appeal, the 500X. Increasing performance in the 500X shouldn't be a problem, although it won't be quite as easy here in the US. As AC explains, the Euro-market 500X's 1.4-liter, turbocharged four-cylinder only produces 138 horsepower, a figure that would likely be bumped up to 170 hp in an Abarth model. But that same engine makes 160 ponies in the US, and it already coexists with a 180-hp, 2.4-liter, naturally aspirated four-cylinder. That almost certainly means a US-market 500X Abarth will need much more than the 32-hp bump AC is forecasting. It's not just competition within the US-market 500X line, though. The new Abarth's chief rivals, the Juke Nismo RS and JCW Countryman both produce in excess of 200 hp. The idea of a 500X Abarth is appealing, but if Fiat expects the CUV to survive in North America – which AC expects to be Fiat's main market – it'll need to take a closer look at how much power is on offer. Related Video:

Trump to meet with CEOs from Ford, GM, and FCA

In the wake of his inauguration, President Donald Trump is set to meet with the CEOs of Ford, General Motors, and Fiat Chrysler Automobiles Tuesday morning to discuss jobs, the North American Free Trade Agreement, and potential tax cuts. Trump has been highly critical of American automakers for shipping jobs to Mexico and has threatened to impose heavy import fees on foreign-made vehicles. Trump has threatened to dissolve NAFTA in order to encourage automakers to manufacture cars in the US. Automotive News and Crain's Detroit Business are reporting that the group is set to discuss how to bring more auto industry jobs back to the US. Under NAFTA, many automakers, both foreign and domestic, have moved vehicle production out of the States to Mexico in order to cut costs. White House spokesperson Sean Spicer said Trump is looking forward to the meeting and discussing how to bring jobs back to America. Dismantling NAFTA would be a major blow to automakers. Trump blasted Ford during his campaign for manufacturing in Mexico, but FCA and GM also have factories south of the border. Earlier this month, Ford nixed plans for a $1.6 billion plant in Mexico, instead investing $700 million into an existing facility. At this year's Detroit Auto Show, the unspoken theme was America and American manufacturing. Expect the automakers to fight to keep NAFTA alive. Related Video: News Source: Automotive News - sub. req., Twitter Government/Legal Plants/Manufacturing Fiat Ford GM FCA Mexico NAFTA

5,600 Fiat 500e EVs recalled for buggy software

Fiat will be recalling some 5,600 of its all-electric 500e hatchbacks, all of which hail from model years 2013, 2014 and 2015. Weirdly, this recall is being caused by a March 2015 software update. According to The Detroit News, last month's update addressed the software in the Electric Vehicle Control Unit and Battery Pack Control Module "to implement improvements in charging system robustness, diagnostic capability and range estimation over life. In addition to the primary reasons for the software update, Limp Home Mode was included as part of battery pack software continuous improvement," FCA explained. "It was because of this software update that the software incompatibility occurred where the EVCU did not recognize the Limp Home Mode." Should your car go into limp mode, "incompatible software between Electric Vehicle Control Unit (EVCU) and Battery Pack Control Module (BPCM) may cause the electric propulsion system to fully shut down," according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration bulletin. So yes, the March software update can cause your EV to stall. Vehicles built between March 27, 2012 and November 1, 2014, which sounds like basically all 500es, are affected by the recall. Chrysler will begin notifying owners with recall operations to begin in the middle of next month. Scroll down for the official NHTSA bulletin. Related Video: Report Receipt Date: MAR 27, 2015 NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V179000 Component(s): ELECTRICAL SYSTEM Manufacturer: Chrysler (FCA US LLC) SUMMARY: Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain model year 2013-2015 Fiat 500 EV vehicles manufactured March 27, 2012, to November 1, 2014. If the vehicle goes in to limp home mode, incompatible software between Electric Vehicle Control Unit (EVCU) and Battery Pack Control Module (BPCM) may cause the electric propulsion system to fully shut down. CONSEQUENCE: An electric propulsion system shut down will cause a stall-like condition, increasing the risk of a crash. REMEDY: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will update the vehicle software to ensure compatability between components, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin May 15, 2015. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is R15. NOTES: Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.