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Fiat preparing to say 'ciao' to the 500X in the United States

Fiat's 500X crossover will enter the pantheon of automotive history without a successor. Ending years of rumors and speculation, the company confirmed that the soft-roader will not be replaced in the United States once production of the current-generation model ends.  As we reported from the L.A. Auto Show, the 500X will be discontinued after it reaches the end of its lifecycle. "When it dies, it dies. We will not replace it," Fiat boss Olivier Francois confirmed to Motor Trend.  With the Mazda MX-5 Miata-based 124 Spider and the 500L people-mover out of the picture, the 500X is the last Fiat standing in the United States. Its demise hardly comes as a surprise: Fiat sold merely 1,181 units in 2021, an 18% drop compared to 2020. Given those anemic numbers and the fact it debuted at the Paris Auto Show of 2014, the end of its lifecycle might not be that far off — 2023 might be its final model year. Francois' comments douse cold water on rumors claiming Fiat planned to merge the 500X and the 500L into one model tentatively called 500XL. When it does sail off into the history book, the Jeep Renegade's Italian cousin will pass the torch to the electric 500e, which has been on sale in Europe since 2020 but won't land in the United States until early 2024. Market-specific details will be announced in 2023. Fiat seems content with offering a one-model range in the United States. "We have a clear plan not to do anything besides the 500. It's the one model people like," Francois candidly admitted. "Fiat is not here to be everything to everyone everywhere," he added. And, the company knows a tiny EV with a range rating of under 200 miles will be a tough sell. Francois predicted American sales will be "a rounding error." European motorists see more of the Fiat iceberg. The Turin-based company notably still sells the last-generation 500 and its Abarth-tuned derivatives, which both left American showrooms in 2019. Its range also includes the massively popular Panda city car and the Tipo.     

Junkyard Gem: 1981 Fiat Spider 2000

Fiat gave up on the American market after 1982, not returning until nearly three decades later, but dealers here still had brand-new 124 Sport Spiders available all the way to the end. Starting in the 1979 model year, this car became known as the Spider 2000; that's what we've got as today's Junkyard Gem, spotted in a Denver-area self-service yard last month. The 124 Sport Spider made its debut in 1966. Since it was built on the same platform as the 124 sedan, it is thus cousin to the original VAZ-2101 Lada. I've always liked the trunk lock that hides in the final zero of the engine-displacement badge. The 124 Sport Spider sold very well in the United States during the 1970s (in fact, this car was available only in the North American market during the latter half of that decade), and I've found quite a few examples during my junkyard travels over the years. After Fiat departed our shores in 1982, Malcolm Bricklin continued selling these cars (with Pininfarina Azzurra badging) through 1985. This one is in much nicer condition than any 124 Sport Spider I've seen in many years, maybe stretching back to the era when you could still buy these cars new. There's fairly recent body-straightening work, suggesting that someone undertook a restoration effort. This may even be a new-ish convertible top. Power came from this Fiat Twin Cam engine, rated at 102 horsepower in 1981. The 124 Sport Spider's long-term rival in the American market, the MGB, had its last model year in 1980, with the Triumph Spitfire departing at the same time. That left the much more expensive ($14,895 versus $9,899, or $49,500 and $32,895 in 2022 dollars) Alfa Romeo Spider Veloce as the Fiat Spider 2000's primary competitor for the ever-shrinking two-seat convertible market. A five-speed manual came as the default transmission in this car, though a GM-sourced three-speed automatic was available at a cost of 520 bucks (about $1,730 today). I have seen exactly one slushbox-equipped 124 Sport Spider in my life. This is one of the coolest-looking shift-pattern labels in automotive history. The EX. GAS SENSOR warning light was used to warn of an overheating catalytic converter. I like to use these Fiat indicator lights for various projects, though they have become rare in recent decades. At least I'll never run out of early-1970s FASTEN SEAT BELT lights! So, if you're looking for a vintage sports-car project, be sure to consider the Fiat 124 Sport Spider.

Fiat Chrysler Automobiles gets officially official this Sunday

Want a chunk of the new Fiat Chrysler Automobiles? Shares of the newly joined (technically) Dutch automaker will begin trading on Monday on the New York Stock Exchange. The company itself will become a single entity on Sunday.
According to The Detroit Free Press, the new FCA will be the world's seventh largest company after Fiat shareholders' chance to oppose the merger expired on October 4. To prevent the merger, shareholders would have needed to exchange at least 500 million euros in shares for cash.
On Monday, current shareholders of both Fiat and Chrysler stock will see their shares converted into an equal number of FCA shares, the Freep reports.