2017 Fiat 124 Spider Abarth on 2040-cars

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VW, Fiat deny merger talks

All parties involved are actively denying a potentially Earth-shattering shakeup in the automotive universe, as a German business publication claimed that Volkswagen and Fiat have been discussing the possibility of a merger.
The magazine, Manager Magazin, claimed that Fiat was looking to ditch its volume automotive business in order to focus even more heavily on Ferrari, according to Automotive News Europe. The report claims that the merger would allow Chrysler to help bolster the Volkswagen brand in the United States.
Not surprisingly, Volkswagen, Fiat and the Agnelli family (which owns a 30-percent stake in FCA) have all denied this report. VW has said it's focusing on efficiency within its own group, and isn't looking at any takeover plans, according to AN. The Agnelli family, meanwhile, has also denied talks, while Fiat officials say are unaware of any talks.

FCA recalls Fiat 500e to fix cruise control

Fiat is recalling almost 4,000 of its 500e electric vehicles because of a malfunction related to the model's cruise-control feature. The glitch causes the car's powertrain to be put into neutral under certain situations. It's the second recall on the 500e this year. Specifically, Chrysler-Fiat is recalling 3,975 cars. The issue is that the car's system can misread the motor's torque figures in cruise control, causing the sprightly EV to mistakenly shift into neutral in what was designed as a safety-precaution measure. The good news is that restarting the vehicle gets the car back to normal, but being dropped into neutral in highway mode is certainly no fun. Chrysler-Fiat said in a statement this week that it was "unaware" of injuries, accidents, or customer complaints caused by the issue. In April, the 500e was subject to a recall that impacted about 5,600 vehicles and stemmed from a March 2015 update. The update allowed the car to go into so-called "Limp Home Mode" to better extend range. The problem is that it inadvertently caused the car to stall. Range anxiety, indeed. Take a look at Chrysler-Fiat's press release on the most recent recall below. Related Video: Statement: Software Upgrade June 9, 2015 , Auburn Hills, Mich. - FCA US LLC is voluntarily recalling an estimated 3,975 cars to upgrade cruise-control software. A review of warranty data led to an investigation by FCA US LLC engineers. The investigation discovered certain Fiat 500e hatchbacks were inadvertently equipped with software that may misread torque levels generated by their motors, causing them to shift into neutral – a prescribed failsafe mode. This condition may occur only while cruise-control is engaged and the driver attempts to override the feature with accelerator-pedal applications or rapid tapping of the accelerate/decelerate buttons. Restarting the vehicle restores normal function. The campaign is limited to certain model-year 2013-2015 vehicles. The Company is unaware of any related injuries, accidents or customer complaints. New software will be available when affected customers are advised of this action by FCA US. Service instructions are being sent to FCA US dealers today. Customers with questions may call the FCA US Customer Information Center at 1-800-853-1403.

Fiat 124, 500L dead for 2021; 500X gets $250 price hike

2020 is the final model year for the Fiat 124 Spider and the 500L, FCA announced Wednesday. The Miata-based roadster and family-ish hatchback will not return for 2021, slicing Fiat's U.S. portfolio to just a single model in one fell swoop.  "For the 2021 model year, the Fiat lineup will feature the Fiat 500X small crossover, which offers unique and functional Italian design, standard all-wheel-drive capability, 9-speed automatic transmission, 30 mpg highway and best-in-class 210 lb-ft of torque," Fiat said in its announcement. "The Fiat 124 Spider and the Fiat 500L will be discontinued after the 2020 model year." A joint-development project between Mazda and FCA, the reborn 124 Spider was originally supposed to be an Alfa Romeo. At what seemed like the last minute, labor issues and an Alfa product development shuffle shunted the project to Fiat. The final product was an interesting blend of Italian and Japanese style and engineering. The engine and exterior design were provided by Fiat; the platform, transmission and interior all came from Mazda. The result was a slightly heavier and more powerful roadster than the Miata on which it was based. As an added bonus, the enthusiast-friendly Abarth model, with the same upgrades Mazda offered on the MX-5 Club, was cheaper trim-for-trim, especially after Fiat's far more generous discounts. Since then, the 124's advantages have been somewhat overshadowed by improvements to the Miata, which got a more potent engine for the 2019 model year.  On the other hand, we wouldn't blame you if you'd forgotten that the 500L was still in production at all. Apart from a core group of loyal buyers, the frumpy hatchback never really caught on in the United States.  Fiat also announced several trim updates and some pricing changes for its sole remaining model. The base 500X gets a $250 price hike (up to $26,335 after a $1,495 destination charge), and Fiat is introducing new packages for the Sport model to give potential customers more flexibility.  The Fiat's platform-mate, the Jeep Renegade, remains cheaper, but its standard engine is the naturally aspirated 2.4-liter Tigershark"4-cylinder, while the 1.3-liter turbocharged engine is a $1,495 upgrade.