Tag Archives: FIAT

2013 in Review: Top Brands, Top Cars, and Lots of Growth

ID-1001209992013 was an exciting year for the auto industry. Repossessions and late payments were down, sales at individual franchises were up, and a third of auto loans approved are for subprime credit consumers. Dealerships are selling more cars, and more consumers can obtain an auto loan with low interest rates.

Of course, the million dollar question at the end of the year is which brand came out on top. Which models sold the most units in 2013, and which brands saw the most improvement? According to figures compiled by Autoblog.com, Ford was the best-selling brand of 2013, and General Motors was the best-selling car company of 2013. Jaguar as a brand and as a company had the biggest growth, 41.1 percent growth brand-wise and 20.2 percent growth as a company.

Unfortunately, Fiat could not hold onto the momentum from the end of 2012, where they saw a 121.4 percent volume growth. At the end of 2013, Fiat was one of the brands that ended the year below their previous year, a 1.2 percent drop in volume, though Volvo had the biggest sales volume drop of the year with a 10.1 percent dip. Overall, however, most brands performed very well, and the brands with volume sales decrease saw a relatively small drop in sales.

Readers, we want to hear from you! Did you purchase a new or used car in 2013? If the answer is yes, tell us about your new car in the comments section below! If the answer is no, tell us why in the comments section as well. With low interest rates (even for subprime credit buyers), there is no better time to buy than now!

Are you ready to get into a new or used vehicle? Approved Loan Store wants to help YOU! Good credit, bad credit, no credit, we will work with you to get you into a car you want at terms you can afford! Get started today by filling out our secure online auto loan application here, and connect with Approved Loan Store online on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube!

Image courtesy of Stuart Miles / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Nominees for North American Car and Truck of the Year Announced

North American Car of the YearIt is that time of the year again. The long list for the 2014 North American Car and Truck of the Year awards have been released, and GM should be feeling pretty good right now.

29 cars and 18 truck/utility vehicles are being considered for the awards. At the end of the year, 50 automotive journalists will vote on 5 cars and 4 trucks to go on to the semi-finals, and the numbers will be trimmed down to 3 cars and trucks/utilities for the final round.

Winners won’t be announced until the 2014 North American International Auto Show next January, nearly half a year from now, which gives plenty of time for speculation. Last year, the Cadillac ATS and Ram 1500 took home the top prizes, and GM is looking pretty good this year with 2 Cadillacs, 5 Chevrolets, and 1 GMC on the list. Still, there are 29 cars and 18 truck/utility vehicles battling it out for the top honors, and the winners have to survive 3 rounds of voting. There is a definite possibility for a few surprises before next January.

Check out the full list below.

2014 Car of the Year

  1. 2014 Acura RLX
  2. 2014 BMW 4 Series
  3. 2014 Cadillac CTS
  4. 2014 Cadillac ELR
  5. 2014 Chevrolet Corvette
  6. 2014 Chevrolet Impala
  7. 2014 Chevrolet Spark EV
  8. 2014 Chevy SS
  9. 2014 Fiat 500L and E
  10. 2014 Honda Fit EV
  11. 2014 Infiniti Q50
  12. 2014 Jaguar F-Type
  13. 2014 Kia Cadenza
  14. 2014 Kia Forte, 5-door, Koup
  15. 2014 Kia Soul
  16. 2014 Lexus IS
  17. 2014 Maserati Ghibli
  18. 2014 Mazda3
  19. 2014 Mazda6
  20. 2014 Mercedes-Benz B-Class
  21. 2014 Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class
  22. 2014 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  23. 2014 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
  24. 2014 Mini Paceman
  25. 2014 Mitsubishi Mirage
  26. 2014 Nissan Versa Note
  27. 2014 Porsche Cayman/Cayman S
  28. 2014 Smart fortwo electric
  29. 2014 Toyota Corolla

2014 Truck/Utility of the Year

  1. 2014 Acura MDX
  2. 2014 BMW X5
  3. 2014 Buick Encore
  4. 2014 Chevrolet Silverado
  5. 2014 Ford Transit Connect / Wagon
  6. 2014 GMC Sierra
  7. 2014 Hyundai Santa Fe LWB
  8. 2014 Jeep Cherokee
  9. 2014 Kia Sorento
  10. 2014 Land Rover Range Rover Sport
  11. 2014 Mitsubishi Outlander
  12. 2014 Nissan Rogue
  13. 2014 Nissan NV200 Compact
  14. 2014 Ram 2500/3500
  15. 2014 Subaru Forester
  16. 2014 Toyota Tundra
  17. 2014 Toyota RAV4

From Toyotas to Kias, Chevys, and more, Approved Loan Store wants to find you the car you want at terms you can afford! Are you finally ready to get into a great new or used car? Get started today by filling out our secure online auto loan application here, and for more auto news and buying tips, like Approved Loan Store on Facebook, follow Approved Loan Store on Twitter, and subscribe to Approved Loan Store on YouTube!

Ford Wins Top Prize at International Engine of the Year Awards

IEOTYYesterday, the International Engine of the Year awards were announced, and Ford took home the top honor for the second consecutive year.

The Ford 1.0-liter EcoBoost engine won the International Engine of the Year award, earning 479 points from the award’s 87 voters. It is the highest accumulated score ever given, and with Ford’s back-to-back wins, it is only the third time that an automaker has won Engine of the Year for consecutive years.

Co-chairman of the International Engine of the Year Awards Dean Slavnich praised the engine and the work done by Ford, stating, “It says something very special about an engine when it can return to the awards for a second year and still be considered to be the best engine on the market. The victory is all the more impressive given that there are some spectacularly good new entrants into the market this year…but the Ford’s little 999cc unit managed to remain the judging panel’s favourite.”

The full list of winners is as follows:

International Engine of the Year – Ford 999cc three-cylinder turbo (479 points)
New Engine – Volkswagen 1.4-litre TSI ACT (234 points)
Green Engine – Fiat 875cc two-cylinder turbo CNG (184 points)
Performance Engine – Ferrari 6.3-litre V12 (294 points)
Sub 1-Litre – Ford 999c three-cylinder turbo (557 points)
1-Litre to 1.4-Litre – Volkswagen 1.4-litre TSI Twincharger (411 points)
1.8-Litre to 2-Litre – BMW 2-litre twin-turbo four-cylinder petrol (295 points)
2-Litre to 2.5-Litre – Audi 2.5-litre five-cylinder turbo (368 points)
2.5-Litre to 3-Litre – Porsche 2.7-litre DI (259 points)
3-Litre to 4-Litre – McLaren 3.8-litre V8 (333 points)
Above 4-Litre – Ferrari 6.3-litre V12 (270 points)

Are you looking to get into a new or used car? Approved Loan Store wants to help YOU! Good credit, bad credit, no credit, we will work with you to get a car you want at terms you can afford! Get started today by filling out our secure online auto loan application here, and for more auto news and buying tips, like Approved Loan Store on Facebook, follow Approved Loan Store on Twitter, and subscribe to Approved Loan Store on YouTube!

 

Auto Loan: January Auto Sales Surpass Expectations

We predicted it. With reports of lower interest rates and more flexible loan lengths, we predicted that January would be a good month for the auto industry, even coming off of such a strong year.

As it turned out, January was a great month.

January is done and the numbers are coming in, and U.S. auto sales were up 14 percent. It is much better than analysts were predicting, and these gains weren’t limited to one type or model of vehicle. Large pickups, small cars, and crossovers alike all saw increased sales in January.

Among the individual automakers, Toyota had a 27 percent increase. Ford’s U.S. sales had a 22 percent increase. GM had a 47 percent increase on Cadillac, and sales for their full-sized pickups increased 32 percent. Meanwhile, Chrysler’s car sales went up 50 percent with strong showings by the Dodge Avenger, Dodge Dart, and Fiat 500 line.

Automakers are ready to keep these sales numbers going with promotions and deals changing monthly. Now is a great time to get into a new or used vehicle. If you’re ready to get into that car today, Approved Loan Store is ready to help you. Good credit, bad credit, or no credit, we will work with you to get the car you want at terms you can afford.

Get started today by filling out our secure online auto loan application here, and get more auto news and buying tips by liking Approved Loan Store on Facebook, following Approved Loan Store on Twitter, and subscribing to Approved Loan Store on YouTube!

Image courtesy of renjith krishnan / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

The Paris Motor Show: What’s New and Shiny from Fiat

The Paris Motor Show is coming up in a little over a week, and all the major car manufacturers are giving auto enthusiasts an early sneak peek at what they can expect to see from the show. Up until the show next week, we are going to bring you the latest news and announcements coming out of the Paris Motor Show.

Fiat won’t be officially premiering their new Panda 4X4 five-door hatch until the Paris Motor Show next week, but a few weeks ago, they released a few promo pictures (and a rather lengthy press release) to pique our interest.

The Panda 4X4, dubbed the “Super Panda,” practically screams “off-road” in its design, though Fiat claims it is a versatile car that can tackle the “urban jungle” as well as rough terrain. The exterior is a dark forest green, and the interior color scheme reminds me of army camo with a mix of light tan and dark green. Buyers will have their choice of two different engines, either the new 85 HP 0.9 TwinAir Turbo or the 75 HP 1.3 MultiJet II diesel, and the interior will come with a standard manual climate control system, CD/MP3 radio, electric rear view windows, and more as well as other optional accessories.

I wouldn’t say that the Panda 4X4 is the most exciting addition to the Paris Motor Show, but it does offer something that none of these other off-road vehicles do not offer. Fiats have this adorable charm to them that is really hilarious when paired with the rough-and-tumble off-road vehicle culture. Even the dark green and tan color scheme doesn’t toughen up its image. When I look at the “Super Panda,” it reminds me of a roly-poly baby panda dressed up in army camo and trying to growl ferociously, and I can’t think of a single other off-road vehicle that offers that charm.

To see more of the upcoming show, stay tuned to the Approved Loan Store and check out the event’s official site here. Also, get the latest auto news by liking Approved Loan Store on Facebook, following Approved Loan Store on Twitter, and subscribing to Approved Loan Store on YouTube!

FIAT’s New “Immigrants” Ad Gets It Right

In the past few years, FIAT has tried commercials starring model Catrinel Menghia, Jennifer Lopez, Charlie Sheen, and an Italian-speaking baby. Overall, the ads have been hit or miss, and in my opinion, they have sold the commercial’s gimmick better than the car. After seeing FIAT’s new commercial titled “Immigrants,” though, I think they might have finally gotten it right.

The commercial opens in Italy and plays up the heritage with traditional music and images of an Italian wedding and cyclists dressed in red, white, and green. FIAT 500s zoom around through the town and along the oceanfront. Suddenly, one FIAT calmly drives off the edge of a cliff into the ocean, and like lemmings, the rest of the cars follow into the ocean. The traditional Italian music fades out, and then the cars emerge on the other side of the ocean with the Statue of Liberty reflected in the windshield. Music by Pitbull fades in as the “immigrant” cars drive through the streets of New York, and the narrator says, “The next wave of Italians is coming to America, and they’ve come to party.”

You can view the full commercial below.

More than any other ad, “Immigrants” captures what sets FIAT apart from other brands. The ad is quirky, cute, and memorable. It creates a distinct identity for FIAT that will appeal to car shoppers, something that couldn’t be done with random celebrity appearances and talking-baby gimmicks. Hopefully FIAT will continue in this direction with their new ad campaigns and not swayed by a pretty face or a famous name.

What do you think of the ad? Do you like this new ad campaign from FIAT? Leave a comment below and tell us what you think!

Are you looking for a great new or used car? Approved Loan Store can help! Fill out our secure online auto loan application here, and keep up with the latest auto news by liking Approved Loan Store on Facebook, following Approved Loan Store on Twitter, and subscribing to Approved Loan Store on YouTube.