*UPDATE: Fiat has jsut released a pic of what the 500L is going to look like. Click past the jump to check it out.

If the Fiat 500 is just a tad too much on the small side for you, stay tuned because there is actually a five door coming.

Dubbed as the 500L, the five door version will get a taller roof line than the three door and will ride on the same chasis of the Fiat Punto. The 500L is expected to be slightly wider as well.

Likely to power the 500L is a 1.4 litre Multi-air four cylinder to make about 105 horsepower. A diesel option is expected as well, but whether or not that makes it to Canada is anyone’s guess. And if you’re a gambler I’d suggest betting against a diesel version gracing our shores.

The 500L will officially debut at this year’s Geneva Auto Show and will go on sale in Europe in July. North American sales will probably begin in the fall.

The 500L joins an already various 500 line up with the three door, cabriolet, and Abarth. An all electric version is planned down the road as well.

[Autoblog Canada]

Fiat released an official image of the 500 Abarth a  while back and now we have even more images and official specs to digest.

The 500 Abarth will, as speculated, use a 1.4 litre Multi-Air engine that is both intercooled and turbocharged to 160 horsepower. 16 inch wheels are standard with 17′s optional (it’s also optional to have them painted either white or black) along with an upgraded rolling stock, suspension and brakes.

Inside you’ll fine highly bolstered bucket seats, a flat bottomed thick rimmed steering wheel, turbo boost gauge, shift light and sat-nav.

No price has been mentioned yet which I suspect will be the main factor of whether 500 Abarth sales keep an upward trend. And you know Fiat 500 Abarth vs. Mini Cooper S comparos are just itching to get underway so this should make for a very interesting segment.

Head over to Autoblog for more pics.

[Fiat]

The adorable Fiat 500 has officially been on sale in Canada for a few months now and is selling relatively well. And while the little Italian bug is fairly impressive in its current form, it’s leaving us performance enthusiasts begging for a hotted up version like Mini has with the John Cooper Works edition of the Mini Cooper. Abarth is Fiat’s main tuning company and they are mostly famous for injecting performance in the 500. Fiat has hinted for a while that the 500 Abarth will come to Canada, but now it’s officially confirmed.

There are few details about what the North American version of the Abarth 500 will look like, but it’s confirmed that a new 1.4 litre MultiAir turbocharged 4 cylinder will be the unit of choice from Abarth. It’s estimated that it will produce anywhere between 130 horses to 160. That may not sound like a lot but considering the 500’s size and weight, there will be no shortage of elevens it could produce on the tarmac. In addition, the 500 Abarth will get upgraded brakes, a fully revised suspension along with a host of performance enhancing technologies complete with a more aggressive look. The pic above is what our North American version will look like.

The 500 Abarth will officially make its North American debut at the LA Auto Show this year and we’ll likely have a better sense of the specs then.

In addition to the Abarth, there will be three other versions of the 500 that will be made available for Canada: a cabriolet, a five door and an all-electric three door.

[Fiat]

When Dodge introduced the Magnum back in 2004, I was pretty torn about it. The idea of there being a full-size wagon that wasn’t in the premium segment was really cool. The downside? Well, it was made by Dodge and that meant it was going to be about as good as Michael Jordan playing baseball. Not to mention it didn’t really look all that great.

The Magnum’s time was short lived on this earth as it was discontinued in 2008. But it may be making a return.

Ralph Gilles, president of the SRT division at Dodge, recently hinted to Automotive News that a successor is in the works. While he didn’t come right out and say it, he did mention that he was probably the biggest fan of the Magnum SRT-8 (which made an impressive 425 horsepower) and was sad to see it leave. But now since Chrysler was bought out by Fiat, there are many more wagon aficionados within the company, many of whom are eager to see the return of some sort of large wagon like Magnum. When asked if that meant a Magnum successor Gilles replied, “stay tuned, great things are coming”.

As cryptic as that response was, it does seem to bode well for wagon lovers, of which I self-identify as. If Dodge does make a Magnum replacement, it will likely be 10 times better than the one before it since Dodge is now starting to make credible product -better interiors, better styling, better handling and the like. And with Fiat at the reigns you can bet that there will be room for perhaps smaller wagons down the line if the rumoured Magnum successor is well received. So, I say go for it. The new Durango (which was rumoured to be called the Magnum before it debuted) would make an excellent large wagon if it were lowered to an acceptable height.

What do you think? Should Dodge take another stab at the wagon market?

[Automotive News]

The Fiat 500, a relative newcomer and arguably the only true competitor to the Mini Cooper, has been for sale on our shores now for the past few months. It is also Fiat’s first model for sale in North America in decades and it takes aim squarely at the offering from Britain Germany. The Mini Cooper has been for sale in Canada for close to a decade now and has been doing well since its introduction. It’s no secret that Canadians love hatchbacks and we love micro hatchbacks even more. So the question is, who is the sales leader so far?

Well the Fiat 500 has sold 889 units. The Mini Cooper’s sales over the same period were 475. Looks like the 500 has taken an early lead. This is likely due to the hype surrounding the return of Fiat, its low starting price and the strong marketing campaigns. In fact, it’s reported that the 500′s success in North America is so important that it’s delaying (possibly indefinitely) Lancia badged Chryslers from crossing the pond.

Chrysler is heavily relying on our market specifically for the 500′s success and it looks like it’s paying off as the 500 even beat U.S 500 sales by 7 units. That doesn’t seem like all that much, but it’s extraordinarily rare that any model from any brand outsells the U.S sales.

Things are looking good so far. Will Chrysler be able to maintain those sales once the hype dies down? I’ll have to get a review of the 500 up quite soon. Getting one to drive seems to be easier said than done, however. Stay tooned.

[BMW Canada, Chrysler Canada]

With the Fiat 500 officially on sale on our shores, it’s just the first of Fiat CEO Sergio Marchionne’s plan of an Italian invasion. We will see many more Fiats, the return of Alfa Romeo, and even some Lancias. Or will we?

According to reports, the idea to bring the Lancia Ypsilon (pictured above) and the Lancia Delta has been shelved. The latter was even shown off at the 2010 Detroit Auto Show badged as a Chrysler. So, what gives? Well, apparently the launch of the Ypsilon was too close for comfort to the launch of the Fiat 500. There was a fear of the Ypsilon stealing the 500′s time to shine in the spotlight and cannibalizing 500 sales.

I can buy that, but why not just stagger the launches? Why cancel the plans all together?

Plans to sell the Chrysler 200, 200 convertible, 300 and Town & Country are apparently still on, however. They will be badged as Lancias.

So, not the greatest news, but I guess we should thank our lucky stars that we’re getting any Italian cars in the first place.

[Italiaspeed]

No, Jeep didn’t drastically change its design language, that’s actually a spy shot of the upcoming Fiat Qubo which isn’t sold in North America. So why is it relevant to us Canucks? Well, the Qubo has been confirmed to come to North America – not as a Fiat though, as a Jeep in 2013.

This new Qubo was spotted cold weather testing in Sweden which means it should be able to withstand Canadian winters as well. The updated Qubo will get a 1.3 litre and a 1.4 litre engine with a 1.6 litre diesel available as well. It’s expected that these Italian engines will carry over to the baby Jeep. In Europe the Qubo is front wheel drive, but expect all-wheel drive to be the order of the day for our version. It is wearing a Jeep badge, afterall. As a result, there won’t be too much part sharing between the Qubo and the jr. Jeep but they will still share certain componants such as the chasis, so expect to see some Fiat parts taken from the parts bin.

And don’t worry all you Jeep purists, this new Jeep will get round headlights and a verticle grille. Jeep CEO Mike Manly has assured everyone that the design of the Jeep will be very much like his last name. Let’s just hope they take care of that rolling over problem that the current Qubo and Citreon Nemo have going on.

[Autoblog]

Canadians are eagerly awaiting the arrival of the Fiat 500 on our shores. In fact, some dealerships already have a few models in. Do yourself a favour and book a test drive. For a complete list of all the Fiat dealerships in Canada click here.

Anyway, the 500 will come to Canada in several flavours including a high performance Abarth version, an all-electric version and possibly a 4 door version. Also available will be a convertible version known as the 500c which is the next model to follow the regular 500. Fiat decided to let us in on some more details.

The 500c will get the same 1.4 litre 4 cylinder which produces 101 horsepower and 98 pound feet of torque mated to either a 6-speed manual or a 6-speed automatic. Those low power numbers are adequate considering the little 500′s size and weight, but they also help to translate into 6.1 l/100 kms combined fuel efficiency. The 500c adds open air, fun & efficient driving.

The 500c will use a power soft top that apparently can be opened at speeds up to 100 km/h. A reason why it’s able to do this is, as you can see from the picture, it’s not a traditional convertible. The windows, roof frame and side pillars stay stationary while the roof is the only thing that opens. This allows for open air driving without too much windiness.

The 500c can technically seat four, but in real life that would be a tight squeeze. Especially if you plan on carrying any extra cargo items because the 500c only offers 5.4 cubic feet of space with the rear seats up. That number grows to 23.4 with the seats down.

Expect the next 500 model to bow next year, and expect it to be the very exciting Abarth version!

[Chrysler]

Along with the return of Fiat, most Canadians are eagerly awaiting the return of another Italian brand: Alfa Romeo. However it seems we will have to wait a bit longer because reports are now surfacing suggesting it will be delayed. Alfa Romeo was originally slated to return to Canada in the fall of 2012.

The report is now pegging Alfa’s return sometime in 2013 citing production and styling conflicts. It seems CEO Sergio Marchionne (the man we all have to thank for bringing the brands back in the first place and for making Chrylser way less embarrassing) does not like the new styling direction of the Giulietta – the car that’s supposed to replace the ridiculous Dodge Avenger and the recently restyled (but still terrible) Chrysler Sebring (now known as the 200). This inevitably means a delay for those vehicles as well when they come to the end of their cycles.

But this doesn’t just affect us Canadians. Since the Giulietta is currently sold in Europe and Marchionne wants to make it a global car, that means Europe will have to make due a gap in the lineup until designers can come up with something that pleases their seemingly anal boss. But hey, it’s better to have a delay to make sure you come up with the best product rather than rushing it. Chrysler can speak to experience with that.

[Auto News]

If you wanted to be among the first to own a Fiat 500 in Canada, bad news. They’re all gone. Chrysler Canada announced today that five hundred models of the 500 Prima Edizione sold out in 12 hours.

Reid Bigland, president and CEO of Chrysler Canada had this to say about it:

“I don’t think Game Seven of the Stanley Cup Finals between the Leafs and the Canadiens would sell out this fast”

What a moronic thing to say. While 12 hours is pretty impressive, why don’t you call up Porsche, Ferrari and Lamborghini to find out how fast their limited models sell out. We’re talking minutes here.

So far as I can tell, the 500 Prima Edizione only has special edition badging so if you didn’t get one, it’s probably not a big deal. Just wait until early 2011 for get your hands on a regular one.

[Canadian Driver]

Chrysler Canada announced today that it will open 50 to 70 Fiat franchises through existing Chrysler dealerships and as it stands right now, it seems there will be Fiat representation in all of Canada. Oh wait, except the Maritimes. Shocker.

The only Maritime Fiat dealership will be located at Halifax Chrysler Dodge, which will now bear the name of Halifax Chrysler Dodge Fiat. So if you live in New Brunswick, PEI or Newfoundland and you want a Fiat, better start making preperations for a road trip. Oh and also be prepared for a road trip every time your Fiat needs to be serviced or repaired. In Chrysler Canada’s defense, they did say that there will be more dealerships to follow, but that will likely be in the distant future.

In other good news, Chrysler also announced that the high performance Abarth version of the 500 will be coming to North America. The bad news is, we probably won’t see it for a while as the 500′s introduction of models and trim lines will be staggered.

We’ll get the regular 500 first, then we’ll get the 500C, then an all-electric 500 then the 500 Abarth. That would put the 500 Abarth available sometime in late 2012 or early 2013. Good things come to those who wait I guess.

Hit the jump for a complete list of Fiat franchises across the nation.

[Chrysler Canada]

Eastern Region
Brampton Chrysler Dodge Fiat, Brampton ON
Capital Dodge Chrysler Jeep Fiat, Kanata ON
Downsview Chrysler Fiat, Toronto ON
Georgetown Chrysler Dodge Jeep Fiat, Georgetown, ON
Halifax Chrysler Dodge Fiat, Halifax NS
Islington Chrysler Fiat, Toronto ON
Johnston Motor Sales, Hamilton ON
J. Lockwood Chrysler Fiat, Oakville ON
North York Chrysler Jeep Dodge Fiat, Toronto ON
Ontario Chrysler Jeep Dodge Fiat, Mississauga ON
Oxford Dodge Chrysler Fiat, London ON
Peel Chrysler Jeep Dodge Fiat, Mississauga ON
Performance Chrysler Dodge Jeep Fiat, St. Catharines ON
Pinnacle Chrysler Jeep Dodge Fiat, Windsor ON
Raceway Chrysler Fiat, Toronto ON
The Remo Ferri Group Of Automobiles, Vaughan ON
Team Chrysler Jeep Dodge Fiat, Mississauga ON
Windsor Chrysler Fiat, Windsor ON

Quebec
Automobiles A. Gosselin, St-Nicolas QC
Capitale Chrysler Fiat Quebec, Quebec City QC
Automobiles Bernier et Crepeau, Trois-Rivieres QC
Desmeules Dodge Chrysler Jeep Fiat, Laval QC
Des Sources Dodge Chrysler Fiat, Montreal QC
Elite Chrysler Jeep Fiat, Sherbrooke QC
Excellence Dodge Chrysler Fiat, St-Eustache QC
Girard Automobile, Repentigny QC
Holand Chrysler Dodge Jeep Fiat, Montreal QC
J.D. Dodge Chrysler Fiat, Quebec City QC
Joliette Dodge Chrysler Fiat, Joliette QC
Kollbec Gatineau Chrysler Jeep Fiat, Gatineau QC
L’Etoile Dodge Chrysler Fiat, Jonquiere QC
Levis Chrysler Dodge Jeep Fiat, Levis QC
Longue Pointe Chrysler Fiat, Montreal QC
Pie IX Dodge Chrysler Fiat, Montreal QC
Pointe Aux Trembles Dodge Chrysler Jeep Fiat, Pointe-Aux-Trembles QC
Rondeau Chrysler Jeep Dodge Fiat, St-Jean-Sur-Richelieu QC
St-Hyacinthe Chrysler Jeep Dodge Fiat, St-Hyacinthe QC
Saint-Jerome Chrysler Jeep Dodge Fiat, St-Jerome QC
Trois Diamants Auto, Mascouche QC

Western Region
Auto Clearing, Saskatoon SK
Bridge City Chrysler Dodge Jeep Fiat, Lethbridge AB
Capital Chrysler Jeep Dodge Fiat, Edmonton AB
Carter Dodge Chrysler Fiat, Burnaby BC
Columbia Chrysler Dodge Jeep Fiat, Richmond BC
Crosstown Chrysler Jeep Dodge Fiat, Edmonton AB
Derrick Dodge Fiat, Edmonton AB
Eastside Dodge Chrysler Fiat, Calgary AB
Grande Prairie Chrysler Jeep Dodge Fiat, Grande Prairie AB
Kelowna Chrysler Dodge Jeep Fiat, Kelowna BC
Langley Chrysler Dodge Jeep Fiat, Langley BC
Maple Ridge Chrysler Jeep Dodge Fiat, Maple Ridge BC
Marine Chrysler Dodge Jeep Fiat, Vancouver BC
Pembina Chrysler Dodge Jeep Fiat, Winnipeg MB
Renfrew Chrysler Fiat, Calgary AB
Sherwood Park Dodge Chrysler Jeep Fiat, Edmonton AB
Steinbach Dodge Chrysler Fiat, Steinbach MB
Wille Dodge Chrysler Fiat, Victoria BC
Winnipeg Dodge Chrysler Fiat, Winnipeg MB
Other Fiat dealerships will be added over the coming months.

Beggers can’t be choosers I guess.

It would’ve been amazing to have the Alfa Romeo Giulietta in its current form, but apparently North Americans will have to settle for a Dodge version. It’s probably because the vomit inducing Caliber is scheduled to end its 5 year cycle in 2011. It will be officially dicontinued next year, so something needs to replace it and the Giulietta is a good fit.

As long as Chrysler doesn’t Americanize the design too much, it shouldn’t be too bad. Like I said, we’re lucky we’re getting the Giulietta at all.

We should also consider ourselves lucky as this likely won’t be the only Alfa to grace our shores as Fiat head Sergio Marchionne has promised at least 20% Italian influence into the faultering Chrysler brand.

Marchionne is also a Canadian, so thankfully he’s hooking us up with some sweet Euro product. Maybe we’ll even see some Canada only models? One would hope.

[USA Today]

There’s no doubt that Top gear is the best show on earth, and one of the reasons it’s so good is the challenge segments. This is where Clarkson, Hammond and May choose a car (under specific guidlines) and all go through a series of challenges to find out who bought the best vehicle.

Usually the challenge take place outside of the blokes’ home country of Great Britain, and usually it’s somewhere you wouldn’t quite expect. Case in point, the boys were spotted in Israel in what appears to be some sort of roadster challenge.

Richard chose a Fiat Barchetta, James took the wheel of a BMW Z3 while  Jeremy went with a Mazda MX-5. Jeremy’s car was even decked out with a hookah! I’m sure it was only used for legal substances.

What’s also interesting is the convoy apparently apparently went through the Isreal/Jordan border, which typically is for foot traffic only. Israeli officialy must be huge fans of the show to let them through, especially in unusual cars.

There is still no date set for the new season of Top Gear, but you can expect it sometime in late November.

[Autoblog]

And it wasn’t even the Abarth edition like the one pictured above!

The first of undoubtedly many Fiat 500′s in Canada was sold at auction in Windsor, Ontario at the anual Venetian Ball. What is the Venetian Ball? Well it’s a charity dinner that helps support elderly Italian-Canadians. So it seems quite fitting that the premium the Fiat sold for was for something Italian.

Chrysler says the $85,000 bid for the 500 is proof that there is lots of “enthusiasm” and “excitement” for the 500 to officially go on sale. For once, I actually agree with Chrysler. I genuinely believe they have a winner on their hands.

The $85,000 500 itself was a limited-edition model which features Prima Edizione badging. My Italian is rusty, but I’m pretty sure that just means “limited edition”.

The Fiat 500 will be available for all to buy by the end of 2010. And the good news is, it will be much cheaper than $85,000.

[Canadian Driver]

The good folks over at Auto North apparently got a quite a treat in the neighbourhood of Kings West, Toronto as they spotted a Fiat 500 parked on the street! Fiat is apparently hyping up the upcoming release of the lovable lil’ hatch in our market. If you live in Montreal you may see a similar sight as well as ciaofiat.ca is claiming some promotion there too. How about some promotion down in Halifax, Fiat!

Also spotted was a Nissan Micra which was filming scenes for a commercial for its UK market. It’s still up in the air whether the Micra will be offered in our market, but Autoblog Green is reporting that the next generation Micra will indeed come to the USA next year. And there’s no way Nissan would ever sell a small hatch in the U.S and not here in Canada where it’s likely to sell better anyway.

[Auto North]