2014 Fiat 500 Abarth on 2040-cars

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Fiat opens doors at Abarth factory on Google Street View

Google Street View has emerged as a great tool for checking out locations along your driving route, and even scoping out places you don't have a chance to go yourself. And that includes some great automotive installations. The online tool has taken us inside museums, race tracks and factories around the world, but while it has not to date allowed us virtual access to a European automotive factory, Fiat is out to correct that wrong by letting the Street View team inside Officine Abarth.
The new Abarth Virtual Tour allows online visitors to see the complex in Turin where it makes its hot hatches, including the lifts where the mechanics go to work, the paint spray booth, and a variety of technical workshops, as well as a display of historic Abarth models, a 360-degree view inside and out of the extreme Abarth 695 Biposto and even inside a reproduction of founder Karl Abarth's office. Scope it out for a visit inside Italy's premiere hot hatch studio.

Chrysler and Fiat offering $1,000 rebates to VW owners as Marchionne gets tough

The throw-down between Fiat CEO Sergio Marchionne and Volkswagen has heated up in earnest. According to Bloomberg, Fiat and Chrysler are now offering current Volkswagen owners in the US $1,000 rebates to trade in their ride. It's the latest in a series of shots Marchionne has taken at his German rival. As you may recall, the Fiat executive entered into a spat with Volkwagen board chairman Ferdinand Piëch and CEO Martin Winterkorn in October after the duo called for Marchionne's resignation from presidency of the European Automotive Manufacturers Association (AECA). At the time, the Volkswagen executives were quoted as saying Fiat would not survive the European economic downturn.
In response, Marchionne called the German executives "reprehensible," and accused Volkswagen of using a pricing strategy that has created created a "bloodbath" in the EU. Volkswagen has taken to steep discounting to carve out ever-larger slices of market share in Europe, but the company has a much smaller foothold in the US. Marchionne may be trying to hit Volkswagen where the manufacturer is weakest with the new Fiat new incentive program.
Late last week, the Fiat executive was voted to a second term as ACEA president.

2014 Fiat 500L now comes with a complimentary Italian family

Fiat's marketing machine has invaded Funny or Die, and the resulting web commercial is both entertaining and weird. Watch one couple buy the "most stylish" and "roomiest" car they've ever had, thinking they'd be able to transport golf bags and art supplies (and 32 basketballs?) only to have the roomy-for-a-Cinquecento back seat filled with a complimentary Italian family. In real life, we can't see this being a good thing; not only do they take up space, but their added weight most certainly would hurt gas mileage and performance.
But in commercial land, it comes off as funny, and Fiat does prove that the 2014 500L is roomy enough for five people (including the driver), if not golf bags, art supplies and 32 basketballs. Scroll down to watch amusing Internet short below.