The whole product range will include the current hatchback version and its Abarth counterpart, the cabrio, an estate version which is going to be released in the upcoming months plus a small SUV based on the 500 which is yet to receive the final approval.
The Fiat 500 to be sold in the United States will be production in either the US or in Mexico. Anyway, the Italian manufacturer will use an existing Chrysler facility to build the five versions of the car.
"The Fiat 500 - we see that, like the Mini, as a sort of boutique car that we think we can sell in good numbers on the East and West coasts in the same way that Mini has been successful in the U.S.," Richard Gadeselli, vice president of Fiat communications in Italy, said adding that the model will be launched in the country in the next 18 months.
As for the other cars to be sourced from Fiat, Chrysler will develop several projects, including six small or mid-sized cars.
"There is a misconception out there that Chrysler is going to build the Fiat Bravo, just stick a different badge on it. They will be Chrysler products," Gadeselli says. "They will be specific to Chrysler. The vehicle architectures will be based on our stuff, and there will be some powertrains. The vehicles will be U.S. vehicles, designed for U.S. customers by a U.S. company."
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