Fiat and Chrysler have been united with the blessing of the American government, and this enabled Fiat to sell its little 500 in the U.S. (European model pictured). How great! The Fiat 500 is a cute little car, and it will be one of the most fuel efficient car on the American market, as it is in Europe, where it’s even more fuel efficient with a tiny 0.9-liter 2-cylinder engine. Available this February, the 500 will sell in the U.S. with a 1.4-liter inline four, because Fiat thinks Americans are not ready for a 2-cylinder engine. Maybe this will change… Meanwhile, we shall have a look at what’s going on on the other side of the Atlantic. We’ll discover the other side of product sharing between the 2 brands.

Fiat will start this summer to sell its own version of the Dodge Journey in Europe, rebadged as the Fiat Freemont. That model was previously available as a Dodge, but the American brand has few dealers in Europe, Fiat will give the Freemont a much wider exposure, and most important, better engines. The Journey’s engines in the US are a 2.4-liter four or a 3.6-liter V6, Fiat will launch it in Europe with a 2.0-liter turbocharged diesel making 170-hp. I’m expecting more than 30-MPG in daily driving. Or much better than what the Journey gets in the US. We don’t know yet if this engine could cross the Atlantic, but I want to point the good things about the Fiat/Chrysler partnership.

The Americans will be able to buy a new very fuel-efficient model. An American car not known for its frugality will become much better. That’s called progress!