Alfa Romeos in the United States until the end of the year will be sold again

Paul A. Eisenstein, the Detroit Bureau

In an apparent turnaround from comments he made just this week, Fiat/Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne revealed that Alfa Romeo brand finally launches his long-awaited return to the United States make to the end of the year with the 4 c's new sports car.

The Executive also revealed that Fiat with Mazda has signed a contract, the them a new 2-seat sports car of the Japanese manufacturer factory from 2015 to produce. It serves as a complement to the Alfa line up and a replacement for the ageing Mazda Miata.

"We the car are now completed," said CEO Marchionne about the new Alfa 4 c, "so it here (should be in the United States) by the end of the year."

The message will resonate is expected also in some circles. Alfa Romeo was once one sells the most popular Italian brand in this country, but it abandoned the U.S. market due to a variety of problems, including poor quality two decades ago. It has since then repeatedly tries, but until now no such efforts were able to gain traction.

Marchionne made the revival of the brand Alfa one of his main points during a day-long Conference in November 2009 its plans to things at Chrysler, turning to break the control of the parent who had emerged to Alfa, Fiat SpA from bankruptcy.

But while the turnaround plan has been the most according to plan, a Media Roundtable has instead schedule dropped back, and while Alfa return, while the North American International Auto show was released on Monday, Marchionne is still be signaled a further delay. It shows that the work on the small 4 C sports car was not yet consent meet card and that he not ready to sign "out of reach" in his debut in the United States as the first new American Alfa model.

"This commitment to bring back Alfa is a one shot deal," he cautioned. "Are we not twice."

Very close to the hearts he hinted was the Powertrain, which he stressed had the right feeling and have assigned the correct sound, long last Alfas. Commment Marchionne known become often politically incorrect in the butt, he explained that it had a "Wop"-engine, one usually negatively on something or someone of Italian descent.

But even after warning system reporter, Marchionne came to the conclusion, "Alfa Romeo comes. «»"No one doubts there.»

It is unclear, the practical Executive allow what has happened in the past four days, a relatively specific timetable for the return to announce. But in his commentary today to an industry breakfast, the Marchionne, note that discussions about Alfa 4 c drive train not completed during the choice of the basic vehicle architecture is and the models in the United States are apparently locked in place.

The 4 C is the sports car, the Fiat is one of the most, as it struggles to revive the once vibrant Alfa, but it start only one of nine models that the manufacturer is confirmed, that it plans, by the year 2016. Alfa, Marchionne said, be a list, including Jeep - one of a group of selected brands of Fiat and Chrysler, the transatlantic alliance will take place globally in the coming years.

Most of these products are to be installed in Italy, but the manufacturer now a rear-wheel drive, small sports car in Japan wants to produce. It is the result of a joint development with Mazda, and it on one of the manufacturer's Japanese plants to be produced.

The project is similar, that Toyota and Subaru, the former producer the sports Coupe in the United States as the Scion FR-S, Subaru his version here under the name plate BR-Z bring together marketing. As part of the new joint venture, which is Mazda to replace the aging Miata sports car. There's no word what Alfa will call his model.

It is clear that Marchionne hopes that the news about Alfa future eventually will end speculation about the ailing brand.

In the last few months have the top officials with German rival Volkswagen AG, Fiat should they sell Alfa repeatedly suggested. Marchionne has repeatedly called, Alfa Romeo is not for sale, and on Monday frustrated told reporters, "I have come up with a German version of 'No'" I think they are called 'No'. "

Copyright © 2009-2012, the Detroit Bureau

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Nissan points out that altimas in United States loose for steering screw

Nissan Motor Co is 13.919 its top-selling Altima sedans according reminded in the United States because screws that can have improperly tightened during production, could be the risk of a crash increases security to U.S. regulators.

The Altima are limousines of the model from the 2012 and 2013 and Nissan plant in Canton, Miss., from May 10 to July 26, Nissan North America were in that said the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

"The theme of vehicles produced be link bolts and two power steering can screw with four cross rack, which is not turned on were the right specification," Nissan regulators in a letter said NHTSA showed on its website.

As a result notice the screws loose can shake while driving, the letter States and driver rattling noise.

There was no mention of any injuries or crashes due to this problem on the NHTSA web site.

Until September, percent of the vehicles were sedans in the U.S. market 27 selling Nissan Altima.

The Altima to September sales by 17 percent compared to the previous year to 234.040.

Altima owners are urged to bring their cars into Nissan dealerships, said where the screws of the correct specification will be rotated to NHTSA. The cars are protected guarantee.

"On the basis of the technical judgment found that if a loose screw completely falls out, the driver may occur problems controlling the direction of the vehicle," said Nissan NHTSA.

Nissan, said workers the problem that on 26 July, on the last day of the parties in the callback with the potential problem at the location Canton of produced vehicles were noticed during a routine test.

On 21 September, Nissan, confirmed that some of the subject vehicles at dealers. On 3 October decided there was a safety defect and a recall would be carried.

Nissan NHTSA said owners begins to be notified on 29 October.



Copyright 2011 Thomson Reuters.

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That Chevy from the available United States's

GM

Chevrolet caprice, sold only to police, not for sale to the general public is one more Chevy models available.

By Dan Carney, NBCNews-Le
Chevrolet old commercials compared his cars with baseball, hot dogs and apple pie as a way to promote the brand of all-American character. But the company has models it will not sell in the United States. These are not the small Chinese Microcars that Chevy only sold in emerging markets, either; This is the real cars that are on the roads in North America.

You are not only driving for sale to the general public.

You are the Chevrolet caprice full-size sedan, the Orlando mid-sized crossover SUV and the Captiva sport compact Division.

Caprice is powered a full-bodied, traditional rear-wheel drive V-8 sedan of the kind that the Chevy to a dominant position in the middle of the last century. Customers for such cars exist still, but Chevy does not currently offer it for sale to the average driver in the United States

But in Australia, Chevy of company cousin Holden still builds them, and they want American police. So, Chevy imported caprice for sale in police station. Traditionalists can heart, but, exempt very similar such as the caprice, also because next year of the SS, a "super sport" V-8 sedan Australia introduced Chevy will offer.

But whats with the Captiva sport? This is a vehicle in the red-hot compact crossover segment. It would be certainly ideal for the US market. The thing is that Chevy has the Equinox, which was so popular that the company extended production to an additional attachment, already reported spokesman Tom Wilkinson.

Plant should help, Chevy consumer demand after the Equinox meetings facilitate, but helped the Captiva sport fleet in the meantime by meeting the demand from rental for a compact SUV with this Mexican made model. Now, that it was enough said production capacity for the Equinox, Wilkinson that he does not know whether Chevrolet Captiva hire only dropping sports.

And there is the Orlando, a global hit for Chevrolet, in Korea made and sold in Canada. You would think that this is a vehicle that belongs in U.S. showrooms. No, said Willkinson. Because a market niche between the Equinox and larger cross beam in the size fits, everything what Orlando would do if it were sold in the United States, sales of those other models would be trace siphon. In most markets, selling the Orlando, Chevy Equinox does not or it has no traverse. The Orlando is a popular alternative to larger, more expensive traverse in Canada because of that country's higher gas prices and lower household income.

All three of these models not for consumer chaos and confusion would only contribute to the exhibition space, Wilkinson said. "She would have a large number of vehicles in showrooms and perhaps no great increase in sales," he said.

So is not the top-selling U.S. brand trying to make us interesting models. Chevy must only by the number of them to a reasonable level to trim. It is also good for the US economy, that the models they sell here as alternatives are mounted in domestic rather than imported from Australia, Mexico or Korea.

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Mazda built its last car in the United States

Small Mazda Motors has long been known for its own way of doing things, sticking with the rotary engine, for one thing, decades after other manufacturers there on the fuel inefficient technology. And the step, today companies are expected to again thwarted general industry trends. But it leaves many industry watchers questions, whether it a serious competitive disadvantage will leave the Japanese producers.
At some point today is the very last Mazda6 wagon in flat rock, Michigan by the band he international roll. Mazda builds built since cars at the factory in a suburb of Detroit for the last quarter century, AAI, a joint venture with the long-standing partner Ford Motor Co.

But Ford has all but completely selling out all except on a small proportion of Mazda in the last few years and decades product development sharing ending went away of this trans-Pacific partnership programs. Mazda, which is looking for a new partner and with sales decreases of the Mazda6, joint venture - go plant away from the Assembly in terms of a factory in Japan for the soon to be updated Mazda6 decided model.

The work of AutoAlliance remains open - but now only Ford's under control. In fact, the manufacturer has big plans for the plant and invested $550 million in it, adding 1,200 jobs to 1,700 employees already are.
Mazda actually keep their 50% stake, but everything there build going forward has no plans.

Flat Rock really began as a Ford casting plant was in 1972 under nine years later closed and by Mazda, Honda and Toyota, other Japanese makers so-called transplant assembly plants in the United States was opened then bought the Japanese company first turned to their own employees for a large part of the factory management team - even building one of Detroit of's first sushi bars in the vicinity.

Halt get Mazda's finance, advanced Ford quickly its stake in the Hiroshima-manufacturers - ultimately naming their own CEO the Japanese company running. Ford bought shares in the plant.
AutoAlliance has a variety of products over the years especially from the perspective of the Ford including small sporting sample produced Coupe and later the Mustang. Mazda has long focused on mid-sized models, known for a number of years as the Mazda6.

The problem, Mazda, officials have said, the volume is so steep be slipped, that it not more economically still although Mazda6 is the next generation comes into work - next year is most hampered by uneven exchange rates, other Japanese manufacturers rapidly production shift from the Japanese islands have.
Japan's big three, Toyota, Nissan and Honda, in fact have announced significant expansion plans for North America in the past few months.

And Honda, the first Japanese company to open a transplant factory, is marking the 30th anniversary of its Marysville, Ohio assembly plant this month with the introduction of the production of his ninth generation accord. Posted by mid decade John Mendel, American manufacturer's top executives, about 85% of the vehicles in North America is the manufacturer sold here are built.

Mazda is not completely retrenching. It plans a new plant in Salamanca, to set up Mexico to smaller products such as the Mazda2 and MAZDA3 to build, but if it returns its level on flat rocks it seems unlikely that it build vehicles in the United States for the foreseeable future.

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GM Recalling 47,000 Cadillac SRXs in the United States

DETROIT - General Motors co. is reminiscent of more than 47,000 Cadillac SRX crossover vehicle in the United States because of an error with the passenger side airbags.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration in documents written on your Web site Friday, said that head protection airbag is the right side in a crash, not inflate if no one is in the front seat.

As a result a right passenger in the back seat can be protected and could in front or side crash, hurt the Agency said in the documents. GM said no injuries were reported.

Airbag sensors in the 2011 SRX, SUV-like vehicle the nimble and effective, because it is based on car basis, are so programmed that the passenger side airbags clear, if no one is in the front right seat, the Agency said. But, the conflicts with the user's Guide that says that the airbags inflate regardless of whether the seat is occupied.

"Because the actions of the airbag and the operating instructions do not match, the vehicle is not compatible" with federal safety standards, NHTSA said.

The recall affects between 2 Feb. SRXs 2010 and April 29 this year produced and sold in North America. Traders will reprogram the airbag sensors to fix the problem free of charge. GM will notify owners by mail from Friday.

GM said that the callback is also about 3,000 SRX models sold in Mexico and Canada.

Copyright 2011, the associated press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or distributed.

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Subaru of Indiana: greenest automaker in United States

In the midst of tawny, Subaru of Indiana automotive plant cuts a swathe popcorn and soybean fields, weathered barns and silos rusty. One of the railway Centre of the island 3.4-Millionen-Quadrat-Fu?-Monolith SIA has a mountain of compost and the occasional Coyote hunting by the surrounding 832 hectares of forest.

Occur, though, and you'll discover why the most may be exemplary car factory in America.

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In its 22-year history - a period which U.S. car has spanned three recessions, a global financial crisis, massive bankruptcies and the departure of Isuzu, founding partner, from the holding - has SIA has rolled out more than 3 million vehicles and never resorted to layoffs. Instead it has workers a pay rise each year its operation given.

Employees enjoy also premium free health care, abundant overtime ($ 15,000 each, on average in 2010), paid volunteer time, financial advice and the ability to level on the spot purchase a Purdue University - all in a State, has lost auto jobs of 46,000 and suffered several plant foreclosures in the last ten years.

And the really amazing, which is how it achieves all this: through a relentless focus on the disposal of waste. "This is not about recycling or a nice marketing job," says Dean Schroeder, management Professor at Valparaiso University, who has studied the work. "This is a strict dollar and cents, making money and saving calculation that a safety and quality better drives."

Toyota Kaizen made famous - the Japanese principle of constant "Change for the better," with a special focus on efficiency, aka "lean slide". SIA, one could say, has green Kaizen, or push green instilled.

In 2002, SIA insert five year target for the will of the nation first zero-landfill car factory. Meant recycling or composting 98 percent of the plant with the waste - an in place estate agent the commandments for paper, plastic, glass and metal - and burn the remaining 2%, the irrecoverable a nearby waste to fuel operation is back on the network is to sell. Period of two years, said the results for yourself.

"Everyone saw quickly not wasting the Green dividend at all," says Tom Easterday system executive Vice President, passed a stack of yellowed styrofoam cases which have survived four round trips around the globe. "You reduce packaging, negotiate a better deal from suppliers, and then save everyone shares in the area."

Today, the plant is rich with boxes and container scribbled over with brands that show how many times they have travelled from Japan in Indiana and back (and back again). A tour of the plant accelerated Easterday a golf cart past welder whose metal asphalt swept chips off floors and auctioned off in a roaring bull market for copper.

Easterday says in the last year, SIA saved about $5.3 million of obsessively reducing, recycling, composting, and burn; Valparaiso's Schroeder expects discipline to reduce worker injuries and fatigue that Subaru stores multiple of this number by using NULL-landfill. He cited the example of the SIA switch of the under cars apart to check the quality of the welds - a process, the metal and risked Jackhammer injuries wasted – ultrasonic technology, the better, faster, much cheaper and.

SIA workers receive bonuses (Grand Prize: a new Subaru legacy) for the reference to excess packaging and processes, from the Assembly line cut and then friezes of suppliers can be. The savings effectively back in operations - and overtime are plowed the whole plant.

A cherished "assign" to count - it is a 10-1 ratio of applicant on openings - position in the factory are employees wannabe expected in hours learn and practice SIA production are low-impact. This means assessing every byproduct of welding slag, plastic packaging for savings. And obsessively procedure cut seconds before Assembly. And the willingness to whole months of six day shifts and probably still years to the night shift work and at the same time the Lockruf of the organizational level to resist. (Which is three times United Auto workers of the plant workers organize failed.)

There's always a catch, and SIA is this: all this ultra-efficiency - when applied to staff - unforgiving schedules can result. SIA workers who start at just over $14 an hour and peak at about $25 an hour, set in 47-hour WorkWeeks, the two Saturdays per month, the time and A half include - good for $50,000 to $60,000 per year per employee. (That is to say about 100 staff salaries of the above-mentioned 5.3 million $ NULL landfill discount protected.)

It on the head? If the earthquake Japan the delivery of parts in the March interrupted, slowing down of the plant could donate breakneck output, Ltd. its employees fully in the city to keep.

The disadvantage: "Everyone is burned here," says Kay Tavana, a 48-year-old, airbags and floodlights installed. Not, that they not grateful for the work and the SIA benefits. Work with chemotherapy for a blood disorder, uses Tavana which SIA free gym, rev for their shift by 4:30 pm to 3:30 am

Not too much would be the cost savings and social programmes at SIA, when Subaru were not in demand cars. From 2008 to 2010, sales jumped 41 percent, while last year was the company's 22 percent increase in the vehicle sales of the broader car market double increase.

"You get worker commitment to productivity through the offer of employment security," says Kristin Dziczek, work problems studied at the Center for automotive research in Ann Arbor, Michigan "but, the best job security is still a product people will buy."

With SIA to maximum capacity, and with an expansion plan underway, Vice-President Easterday says that this "in the middle of Indiana corn country experiment" one day could export its American Japanese cars in the rest of the world. His SIA case study left of Schroeder convinced that "transport dumpster diving for business can be great."

Copyright © 2011 Bloomberg L.P.All rights reserved.

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Chrysler gets even by Hock in United States

STERLING HEIGHTS, me. -With just a few keystrokes computer in an Office at the headquarters sent Chrysler Group LLC $7.6 billion in the U.S. and Canadian Governments on Tuesday, paying himself from most bailout money, which the company from financial disaster two years ago saved.

The repayment - for weeks expected — is a big step in the automaker of the unlikely comeback. Chrysler went from a company that almost ran out of cash and survived bankruptcy to one of his aging is revamping and published last quarter 2009 its first net profit in five years.

It removed the stigma of being a Government ward. It means the company must be on own and continue to a lineup to overtake, which still depends on old Chrysler designs and larger vehicles that fell out of favor due to the high gasoline prices.

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Chrysler took $10.5 billion from the Government two years ago survive, and before some of the money was repaid. On Tuesday, it drew a balance $5.9 billion to the U.S. loans and $1.7 billion to the Governments of Canada and Ontario.

"Chrysler repayment of outstanding loans for the U.S. Treasury and American taxpayers marked an important milestone for the turnaround of Chrysler and the countless communities and families who rely on the American automotive industry" President Barack Obama said in a statement.

Order to remove the Governments, Chrysler raised $3.2 billion through the sale of a bond and took $ 3 billion in lower interest bank loans. It will use also a 1.3 billion dollar investments by Fiat.

But government ownership with the loan repayment ends not. The US Treasury has 8.6 percent of Chrysler, received it in exchange for the bailout. About $2 billion the Government aid was part of Chrysler, which have been left behind in bankruptcy. The money is not repaid were. Some of them could be recovered if the Government sold the Chrysler stock in an initial public offering. But the Government admits that it unlikely that everyone will get the money back.

Chrysler wanted absolutely to repay of their loans partly due to the high interest rates of around 12 per cent, Governments the the company $1.2 billion in costs last year. The interest rates on new loans and bonds are 6 to 8 percent, saving of Chrysler 300 million in payments per year. She will also shed its Government ownership, because some customers oppose the bailout.

The loan repayment happened Tuesday morning. It went from the banks and Fiat to Chrysler's accounts and electronically to the Governments was transferred, said a Chrysler of spokeswoman for.

He raised to lose the moral of the Chrysler workers and traders, who arrived two years ago, close to everything.

The announcement of the repayment took place in a factory in Sterling Heights, Michigan, where Chrysler assembly line shutdown so that saw 1,100 workers. Cheers broke when Ron Bloom, Assistant to President Obama for type of production, announced that the money had changed hands.

Many people wore buttons with the word "Paid" on it, along with date of Tuesday.

Charles Mason, only six months working on the Assembly line, said he.

"I feel like it give me job security," Mason, 34, said of the Southfield Michigan "I am happy to be part of it."

Carl Galeana, who Chrysler and Fiat dealers in Michigan and Florida, said on Monday that Marchionne everything that he promised has done, the company to save an associated Press reporter. Vehicles such as the Jeep Grand Cherokee SUV, which was revised by Chrysler have helped return the company to profitability.

But Galeana and others know, depends on the company's future success models from Fiat, in particular small and medium-sized segments in which Chrysler remains unproven.

"What we have to show the public we have damn products," he said. "This is the kind of stuff that comes through the pipeline."

Chrysler action is his future in doubt to put the latest in the comeback of the Detroit auto industry after the recession. General Motors co. went through bankruptcy and got a bailout 49.5 billion in U.S. $ in exchange for 61 percent give the Government an equity stake. The Treasury Department now owns 26.5 percent of GM after the sale of part of the participation in November.

The third Detroit car makers, Ford Motor Co., are looking for any rescue operation.

It is not the first time Chrysler had to be rescued by the U.S. Government. In the early 1980s the company under the direction of legendary pitchman Lee Iacocca, off $1 billion in Government guaranteed loans paid in three years.

© 2011 The associated press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or distributed.

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Chrysler information plan, United States, Canada pay back

NEW YORK-Chrysler Group LLC detailed terms and conditions on Thursday, the high cost to repay Government loans a bond offering and term loans and put the U.S. based automaker on firmer financial ground to be used.

The company expects to refinance loans to the Government, on 24, the company confirmed in a press release.

All in all Chrysler $7.5 billion in new loans raised: $3.2 billion in bonds, $3 billion in a term loan and credit revolving a 1.3 billion dollar facility, said the company.

The bonds and the term loans, which total Fiat SpA from $ 6.2 billion and $1.3 billion in cash from Italian automaker repay $7.5 billion in government loan restructuring used is from Chrysler's bankruptcy in 2009.

Credit facility revolvierende $1.3 billion in Chrysler used for general corporate purposes and remains undrawn credit lines.

A sharp drop in car sales pushed the Auburn Hills, Michigan-based company to the brink of collapse in 2009 before his rescue. Under the direction of Fiat almost two years ago was created before the bankruptcy.

But the loans from the United States and Canada carry high interest rates, the Chrysler costs more than $1.2 billion last year, or more than 3 million USD per day. Chrysler declined to specify how much of the funding would save the company.

Chrysler is output from the in two parts: an eight year tranche amounting to $1.5 billion and a 10-year tranche amounting to $1.7 billion. The first part bears an interest rate of 8 per cent, while the 10-year bond has an interest rate of 8.25%.

The term of loan facility Chrysler Fund to 4.75 percentage points above the London interbank offered rate, subject to can lend the floor LIBOR rate of 1.25%.

This was the second time this week the U.S. based automaker the structure of refinancing package changed. Early Chrysler term loans and bonds of 2.5 billion was looking for a 3.5 billion USD $.

But investor concerns about its financial Outlook Chrysler the cut earlier this week to US$ 2.5 billion and boost the bond offers its term loan to $3.5 billion required.

Revised include Chrysler also the term loans to more bond-like properties. People familiar with the transaction said this week, that Chrysler's revised term loan was oversubscribed.

On Thursday morning, the deal had again changed structure. The term of loans grew to $3 billion, the bond offer was reduced by $3.2 billion and the revolver was cut $ 1.5 billion to $1.3 billion.

The U.S. based automaker will help refinance to reduce interest costs of an initial public offering that could come this year. Repayment of debts can Fiat, its stake in Chrysler increase to 46 percent from the current 30 percent.

Sergio Marchionne, Chief Executive of Fiat and Chrysler, has said that its aim is in this year, Fiat increase to 51 per cent stake in Chrysler.

A concern about Chrysler said it tends strongly to gas-guzzling pickup trucks, SUVs and minivans Wilmer Stith, Portfolio Manager at MTB investment advisors, expanded.

But he added: "you're going that marry with Fiat, which has many good small cars, and I think merging the two will be a good thing."

(Reporting by Michelle Sierra and Soyoung Kim;) Writing and additional reporting by Deepa Seetharaman; Editing by Lisa von Ahn, Gerald E. McCormick, Andre Grenon and Phil Berlowitz)

Copyright 2011 Thomson Reuters.

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Fiat back in United States with tiny, fun-to-drive 500

The 2012 Fiat 500 is petrol engine the newest and probably the cutest small car in the United States, with Federal Government fuel mileage ratings, which are at the top of the small car class.

The four-seater, 2-500, which are sold the first Fiat of by automaker in this country since 1983, is at 30 miles per gallon in city driving and 38 mpg on the highway with the standard manual transmission.

This is a higher rating than Toyota's littlest car here of Yaris, as well as all Mini Cooper model, which are also grown. The 500 binds the small car in 2011 Ford Fiesta, equipped with optional special fuel economy package, in combination of 33 mpg city/highway miles.

Also remarkable: The 500 has wonderful handling and fun-to-drive personality. In the sport trim with sports suspension and 16-inch, grip tires which travels 500 streets of the city with aplomb and takes on motorways with determination.

Best of all, feel compared with Fiat's old one, the 500 solid. Be fit and ready on the model of the test pieces in precise, fixed position was excellent, with body panels and plastic trim.

Start the manufacturer's MSRP prices, including goal for free, are moderate.

In particular, Fiat is 500 pop base model $16,000 with five speed manual transmission the 2012. The most affordable 500 with automatic transmission is $17,000. The sport hatchback with the sporting tools has a base retail price of $18,000, while the top-of-the-line 500 starts lounge model with standard automatic transmission and fixed glass roof at $20,000.

All 500 come with a 101-HP, 4-cylinder engine.

In size and price fits the 500 between the 2011 Mini Cooper hatchback, retailing at $20,100 cylinder starting with manual transmission and 121-HP, and the 2011 smart Fourtwo, a base retail price of $12,635 with manual transmission and 70-HP, three-cylinder engine.

The Fourtwo is classified by the Federal Government as a two-seater, no car, and is rated at 33 / 41 mpg.

Italian automaker Fiat comeback in the States following the purchase of a part of Chrysler Group LLC, after Chrysler's private property were a few years ago.

The 500 is the first Fiat officially to this coast in 28 years. Not every Chrysler dealers sold the 500, though. Traders use to get that, and it will have only 170 dealers around the country. Here, some 45,000 annual sales are projected.

In Europe, where the 500 to 1957 dates and is also known by its Italian name, Cinquecento, it is from a variety of smallest size, a-Klasse car competitors.

But in the United States, where larger vehicles and sport utility vehicles and pickup trucks fill streets, have not a-Klasse cars have been seen in the same kind of appeal. This may, but change be given gasoline prices today and the fact that more small models for introduction of car manufacturers are planned.

However, the question was certainly no 1 of curious passers-by is the 500.

Many tracks skeptical, even after hearing the 500 has seven airbags, including that the driver keeps right knee which have correctly placed the driver on the steering wheel during a crash.

The car has also a number of standard security features, see other, larger vehicles, including antilock brakes, Electronic brakeforce distribution and electronic stability control. And spec, are U.S. to front and rear bumpers.

However, the U.S. Government has posted not crash test results for this car. And there is no U.S. on durability and reliability of the 500.

But the test 500 was a memorable little car for the way, who abandoned it on the market, to other cars scooted, 30, 6-foot in really small, circles turn and was the smallest of the parking lots.

The four-banger is only 1.4 litre single overhead cam and looks under the short hood of 500 small. But the engine has Fiat's MultiAir technology, the small adjustments as needed, to the intake valves on the engine to maximize fuel economy and CO2 emissions to reduce. This is similar to BMW Valvetronic system, but Fiat's is less complicated and less costly.

In addition, fuel mileage is optimized because the 500 weighs only 2,300 to 2,400 pounds. The lightness is obvious in the spirited drive.

The five speed manual transmission in the test car had a notchy feeling and took some time to sort through the course. I stayed often in lower gears for energetic travel; Otherwise, the 500 might be slow.

However, I managed 33 mpg city/highway travel.

I liked that the 11.6 foot-long 500 has a rather high profile, so that some of the sidewalk sitting passengers. With this design the 500 offers a commendable 38.9 inches front seat headroom to 37.6 inches in the tester with glass sunroof have dropped.

The back seat is not so generous, with 35.6 cm headroom, I just found enough that, to me with my hair brushing the ceiling in the back sit can was.

Leg room in the front seat is on a par with many other larger cars at 40.7 inches. Rear seat leg room 31.7 inches can however negligible, if the front seats are moved forward on their trail.

Road to all but the smooth road passengers felt bumps.

The inner touched nice, as a large, round to the driver choose the speedometer and tachometer in concentric circles containing. Other information, such as time, fuel pump range and mpg, appear in the round central part of the gauge.

But only the driver receives a pull-down armrest, and ceiling material is coarse.

Fiat already plans a convertible 500 this year.

Copyright 2011, the associated press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or distributed.

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Honda recalls 21,700 civics in United States Canada,

Referring to DETROIT (Reuters) - Honda Motor Co on approximately 21,700 from its current model is small cars due to the possibility of Honda Civic the fuel in a rollover crash, leaving the company and U.S. regulators said Thursday.

"If a vehicle in a rollover accident is involved, a broken over roll fuel leakage from the gasoline tank in tank evaporative emissions can allow valve" Honda in a statement said. "No crashes or injuries were reported damaged in connection with them."

More than 18,000 cars in the United States and more than 3,600 in Canada be pointed out, the company said.

The fuel valve problem cars built in the United States and in Canada is related, the company said.

Honda said the approximately 1 percent of the recalled 2011 model year vehicles are likely to have the problem. In a rollover said crash a fire can occur, the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Owners of recalled vehicles mid-April by e-Mail will be informed, the company said.

(Reporting by Bernie Woodall, Detroit News Bureau;) Editing by Lisa von Ahn)

Copyright 2011 Thomson Reuters.

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United States, GM going global less dependent on

Dealing with automotive name tags, more Americans as General is not one clear Motors largest marque, a brand that long urged to think buyer "Hot dogs, Apple Pie and Chevrolet."

But not quite as American feel these days Chevy.

The famous Chevy bowtie seems everywhere, pop from Berlin to Beijing. A full 45 percent the brand sales came from outside the United States in the last year, and Chevy wants to increase its share of international markets in the year 2011. Chevy is a dominant force in Latin America and one of the fastest growing name in Europe and China.

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But seems as Chevy to GM grow global brand, it is not the burden entirely on its own. While humiliated GM have eliminated half of its North American brands which could to arise from the family in 2009, it was actually expanded the number of trademarks it worldwide operates, most recently the Baojun create brand - or "Treasured horse" - for the Chinese market.

The establishment of the brand reflects significant shift of the GM strategy. Half a century before, former Chairman of the GM "Engine" Charlie Wilson said Congress, that for years thought I which for the country was good for General Motors and vice versa. "" The comment is often misquoted as "what is good for General Motors is good for America." However formulated, which was a picture of GM indelibly with American manufacturing is connected.

No more. About two-thirds of the company's sales in 2010 from overseas markets, notes analyst Ed Kim, automotive research and AutoPacific marketing company came.

"GM will have them always less dependent on the US market, and the need," said Kim.

While GM be tarnished image in the United States over the years has as its fortunes have declined, it is a different story in much of the rest of the world (maybe with exception of Europe, where massive losses led almost the automaker a majority stake in the Opel subsidiary sell), End of 2009).

The Opel brand is still headache for GM and Chevy is elsewhere some Opel take up losses in Europe and the sales grow, especially in China. In fact, all the various GM brands have a hard time to keep up with the demand in the booming Asian nation.

While not the first Western auto manufacturers put a factory behind the curtain bamboo, GM was one of the early players and what was a controversial decision at the beginning of the new millennium is now considered a brilliant bet. In the last year GM was the first car manufacturer, to sell more than 2 million cars in China sell 2.3 million vehicles, and if the economy remains solid some analysts believe that it soon the 3 million mark will be hit.

GM's largest brand in China - in the fact that most car is brand in the Chinese market - seemed Buick, a name that until recently for the automotive scrap heap back are in North America. But it survived the post bankruptcy brand extinction, said Ed Welburn, GM Design Director "because it would have stained Buick's image [in China] if we eliminated the brand back home."

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So far the growth in the Chinese market has come most from the economically fertile Crescent of Pacific coast, but this trend is likely because the smog and traffic clogged cities like Beijing now slow target, automotive growth to shift. The Baojun brand was specifically go after consumers in the second and third tier cities in the Chinese inner created.

With 20 new products, which is under its different brand names, GM bets it its current 13 percent stake in the Chinese market clearly can - increase where it already sold more vehicles when it sold in the United States.

Also the pedal pushes the car manufacturers, the metal into other major emerging economies, in particular Brazil, Russia and India, which along with China, are known as the "Bric" markets.

Restore with the US market at a relatively moderate pace - and consumer demand strong incentives for them in showrooms curl - GM officials admit that they have led reflection to use their limited resources. Against the GM Chapter 11 filing, former GM Vice President and "Car czar" Bob Lutz acknowledged that probably more emphasis would put the automaker on overseas operations.

This is particularly evident with the Buick brand, where increasingly key product development decisions on GM Chinese Central, be made in Beijing. Much of the small car development work for Chevrolet, and other brands GM has moved what used to short or the old Daewoo brand in South Korea are called.

The shift reflects the GM move for global platforms. It is a strategy which adopted most car manufacturers - American, Asian and European. Rather than a product specifically for each market develop, GM global platforms, works the in, say, be released can China, Germany, and the United States.

This does not necessarily means that cars are the same. Can notable updates to regional demand reflect it. But the approach helps to build economies of scale.

On the question whether attention is away from the US market with a focus on a global strategy, GM is Vice President Steve Girsky States that "each market an own different tastes and desires will have." "The challenge for us is to meet those needs during communizing as possible customize as many parts and components."

The global approach will help expand its presence in new markets, GM also you "where we want to remain strong," said GM CEO Dan Akerson recently. The focus on global products a disadvantage but can, in particular, if you delay by other programs.

"As a result of bankruptcy proceedings, we are about 12-15 months behind where we would in new product launches in this country, his" Akerson recently recognized.

The Chief Executive approved developed Flash, a spending to fill, what a real product could be hole in the United States in the next few years, but it might be difficult to catch up, GM admit officials. If so, the carmaker is wind to be dependent on the much more foreign markets such as China, which pick up the slack.

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