Fiat 500 production moving?

[steve_biegler]

Anyone heard of production moving to Poland? The Car Talk guys from PBS have posted it on facebook.

[jayhawk]

although wer'e not involved, i think i'd rather sell mexican fiats than polish fiats. product from that plant has always seemed world class to us.

[steve_biegler]

http://www.autonews.com/apps/pbcs.dl...#axzz2Khlw3lge

Just saw this. Guess some truth in it.

[XDCX]

Originally Posted by jayhawk

although wer'e not involved, i think i'd rather sell mexican fiats than polish fiats. product from that plant has always seemed world class to us.

I agree - In my eyes Chrysler's assembly plants in Mexico have a good reputation.

In fact, I remember years ago when the Wall Street Journal wrote a story encouraging K-Car shoppers to buy immediately because Chrysler was going to shift some production to Mexico. It turned out that the Mexican K-Cars were equal or superior to those made in the U.S.

[XDCX]

Originally Posted by steve_biegler

http://www.autonews.com/apps/pbcs.dl...#axzz2Khlw3lge

Just saw this. Guess some truth in it.

Thanks for the link.

While 2015 is still a ways away, it's interesting to see that Marchionne thinks he can build a Fiat 500 more cheaply in Poland then he can in Mexico.

My bet, for what it's worth, is Marchionne is simply consolidating the Fiat 500 in one plant because he knows he doesn't have the sales volume to support two plants. The Fiat 500 has been a disaster in the U.S. and there's no reason to think the next generation will do any better. This would fit with Marchionne's recent statements that the Alfa brand would eventually outsell the Fiat brand in the U.S.

That said, from a CJDR Dealer's perspective, the plans to free-up Toluca for another vehicle is probably a great thing. Chrysler makes a ton of money on the vehicles they sell from Toluca and hopefully Auburn Hills will build a vehicle there the dealers can sell in volume.