“The pricing is the pricing. The younger generation doesn’t haggle. They don’t feel comfortable with it. They hate the experience,” said Laura Soave, head of the Fiat brand in North America.

“Dealers have been given advertising standards that include prohibitions on promoting vehicles for less than the manufacturer’s suggested retail price,” Soave said. The company limited its number of US Fiat franchises, in hopes to minimize competition.

Chrysler will introduce the 500 to a waiting US market at the same time it prepares a newly redesigned Chrysler 300 flagship sedan. These are among 16 models Chrysler has redesigned in the past year.

The 500 and redesigned 300 “really represent that this company is coming together,” said Rebecca Lindland, an industry analyst with IHS Automotive.

“Early next month, Chrysler is bringing together about 300 people from the 130 U.S. Fiat dealerships for special training in handling customers and selling the car which can be configured in 500,000 ways,” Soave said. Dealers “need to be able to take the customers and show them how to accessorize the vehicle,” she said.

Sales “consultants” will take a non-traditional role, which includes being the customer’s contact point for vehicle service, Soave added.

Source: Auto News

“Fiat 500 on sale in U.S. at end of the year”

That’s 1 – 2 years sooner then we thought Fiat vehicles would be on sale at Chrysler lots in the States. Fiat may have to adapt their tiny city cars to go along with US highway safety standards and fuel economy. Still, this is very exciting news!