Mexico To Get Chrysler Badged Mitsubishi Mirage Sedan

Not the 500's mission in life. Fiat doesn't have the capacity right now to export there from Brazil, and European exports are expensive and face federalization issues.

@Marcelo de Vasconcellos 500s are built in Toluca, Mexico-- why would they need to be imported from Europe or South America?

@iNeon I thought they were planning on shutting down the 500 line in Toluca. I don't know what they'll build there in its place, Sergio's crystal ball is very cloudy...

@iNeon Cheap, practical, hopefully fun sedans is what we're talking about. Plenty of those, from all makers, built in South America and Europe. The 500 is not cheap, not a sedan and not supposed to be practical (well, at least from a traditionally North American viewpoint as its size makes it eminently practical elsewhere). Some careful reading goes a long way.

@Marcelo de Vasconcellos What you'd written was not misunderstood, Mr. de Vasconcellos. I simply do not share your fantasy that a Fiat 500 is anything but a cheap little poverty car. A cheap little poverty car which is built in-house, in the selling market-- and as cheaply as this Mitsubishi. If Fiat is not providing this subcompact to Chrysler, it is because someone's playing some game. It may even be illegal, as they'd secured Chrysler's assets based-upon the premise that they would be providing Chrysler with subcompact vehicles. Saying this car is legitimately making-good on that promise is disingenuous at best.

@Marcelo de Vasconcellos Mr. iNeon, then you don't get the 500 and it's not for you. And the 500 is ahead of cars like the Mirage and others. I know because I sit in them everyday. You can see the 500 as you want, but to say the 500 is even comparable to the Mirage is very disingenuous. Different cars, different roles, different raisons d´être. As to your last paragraph, you have no idea if this fulfilling any so-called promise. That is between your government and Fiat. The government was just glad someone accepted to keep Chrysler alive. What was accorded has been judged good by your government which has passed on to Fiat ownership as according to the publicized deal. What really went on and what was really promised or not, is not really for us to know.

@Marcelo de Vasconcellos I know what the 500 is supposed to be, in the U.S. and Europe. But what could it be, in Mexico? This is a country that was still building and consuming the original VW Beetle until 2003. Small and cheap is something they'll buy. So why not a 500 with roll-up windows and vinyl seats?

@Marcelo de Vasconcellos You're right that I don't know, but now I'm curious enough to find out.

Argentine politicians periodically screw everything up in what should be a fairly wealthy country, so maybe there's nothing to compliment at home?

@Lorenzo Argentina is a wonderful country, full of potential and well educated people that do need better governance to realize whatever it is they want. As is, there is a quality of life that most people, neighbors and those in other continents, can only look on and hope to emulate one day. On top of that the soccer is amazing, the women are beautiful and the food is glorious. Argentina is a great country indeed!

@Marcelo de Vasconcellos Yes, I've worked with a civil engineer from Argentina: Highly intelligent, highly educated, Italian last name, impeccable British manners, flawless Spanish speaker. He represented to me the advantages Argentina had developing and still has, and he was very descriptive of what Argentina has to offer. But he always ended the description with a joke. He'd say, "Ask me about Argentine politics." When asked, he'd reply, "Don't ask!" When I pressed him, he said, since Juan and Eva Peron, Argentina has been afflicted with too many "caudillo-wannabe"s.