2012 Fiat 500 Sport Hatchback 2-door 1.4l on 2040-cars

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Fast Porsches and gold BMWs | Autoblog Podcast #548

On this week's Autoblog Podcast, Editor-in-Chief Greg Migliore is joined by Associate Editor Reese Counts and Contributing Editor James Riswick. The trio discuss driving the BMW X2, the Porsche 911 GT3, the Volkswagen GTI and Autoblog's new long-term Kia Stinger GT as well as a new engine for the Ford F-150. They also reflect on FCA and Ferrari head Sergio Marchionne and what his passing means for the future of those two companies. Autoblog Podcast #548 Get The Podcast iTunes – Subscribe to the Autoblog Podcast in iTunes RSS – Add the Autoblog Podcast feed to your RSS aggregator MP3 – Download the MP3 directly Rundown Cars we've been driving: 2018 Porsche 911 GT3, Volkswagen GTI, BMW X2 and Kia Stinger GT Sergio Marchionne Ford F-150 Mercedes-Benz A-Class Feedback Email – Podcast@Autoblog.com Review the show on iTunes Earnings/Financials Podcasts BMW Ferrari Fiat Kia Porsche Volkswagen Coupe Crossover Luxury Performance porsche 911 gt3 bmw x2

Fiat to replace Punto with five-door 500

While American drivers may know Fiat principally (if not exclusively) for the 500, overseas the Italian marque offers a much broader range of products. But the Cinquecento has developed into a vastly more successful product than the rest of its lineup, so the Italian automaker has been rapidly replacing its slow-selling models by expanding the 500 family.
The original 500 hatchback has since been joined by the 500C convertible and larger 500L - not to mention the 500L Living seven-seater, 500e electric hatchback and numerous Abarth models. And soon, the Sedici is expected to be replaced by a new 500X. But that's not the end of it.
A new report from Auto Express indicates that Fiat is preparing to replace the slow-selling and rapidly aging Punto with a new five-door version of the 500. The model could adapt the current Punto's platform rather than stretching the 500's, but would carry the same retro styling as the rest of the Cinquecento range, slotting in between the three-door hatch and the larger 500L. Of course, the Punto was never offered Stateside, but as part of the 500 family, it figures to stand a better chance.

Maserati and Lamborghini pull out of Iran

Daimler is out, Toyota is out, Porsche is out, Hyundai, PSA Peugeot-Citroën are out and when it comes to selling cars in Iran, now Maserati and Lamborghini are out, too. The definitive pullouts of those last two automakers are said to be reactions to a press conference held by a group called United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI). The group highlights businesses that sell in both the US market and Iran, and works to get those businesses to choose one market or the other.
UANI said it had sent letters to Maserati and Lamborghini about their dealings in Iran, but that the letters went unanswered. Mark Wallace, head of UANI and a former US ambassador to the United Nations, held a press conference in October of last year that referenced the two companies. Apparently Lamborghini contacted Wallace just after the press conference and told him "they were out, they weren't doing any business in Iran anymore."
Discussions with Maserati then took place, and the Italian automaker said it had been out of Iran ever since Fiat announced it was leaving the country in May 2011. UANI said Maserati had been in talks with an Iranian distributor, however, and that distributor was continuing to use the Maserati name. The carmaker has since cut all ties with Iranian interests and has prevented its name from being used, adding that its new models will not be able to be sold there because they won't pass regulations the country's regulations.