Was Laura Soave fired for improper relationship?

[kmac33]

For those that haven't read or heard this yet.
http://jalopnik.com/5861493/was-fiats-l ... lationship

[lanciahf]

Nah just the usually Sergio going thru CEOs like they were water. Sergio is great at getting things for free but having a valid product line is not one of his strong suits. Sergio always has these lofty goals but sort of forgets he might need a valid product to achieve those goals.

Take a look at Alfa in Europe I think they are down to two models, both based on Fiat FWD platforms. Hell I think Fiat in Europe is down to two platforms, the Panda and Punto.

Its really a shame what Fiat has become in Europe.

[baltobernie]

Female managers are always subject to this sort of innuendo and gossip, and this columnist continues the noble tradition.

The "improper relationship" was choosing this agency in the first place.

I still have no takers for my beer bet that Fiat will not ultimately sell 170,000 new 500's in the US before abandoning the model or the NA market entirely. No, you can't count the Dodge rebadge in your numbers. After Fiat has left America (three's the charm) the Spider will still be the most popular Italian car in this country.

[TX82FIAT]

I doubt if a relationship was the reason for discharge. FIAT production, marketing and distrabution of the 500 model in the first year was a flop. Seriously, they are screwing up the Abarth edition right now! Go on-line and look at the Abarth. do you know how much it costs, can you order one easily? Should it have more than 160 HP to compete as a sports vehicle in the US even with the Abarth history of superb engineering from small low HP vehicles? How about the marketing of the 500 with J-Lo effectivey making this a chic car in the public eye just a month or two before unveiling the Abarth. My 16 year old son loves my Spider. I asked him what he thought about selling the copper brown 2011 Honda Civic and buying a sporty black Abarth 500 for him to tool around in. He said "No dad, no guy wants to own a 500." I could not believe it!!! He thought the 500 was a cool car just seven month ago!

I'm not sure top Fiat executives get it in the American market. Missed opportunity and IMHO Laura was the fall girl. It would not make a difference if she was a guy and the reported inappropriate relationship may or may not exist. I do not believe a relationship caused her termination. Pure and simple lack of results and multiple failures.

I hope FIAT can weather the storm and get on the right track for US sustainability. The clock is ticking and the marketing is Not getting better. How about pushing the enviromental button, cost saving button, engineering button. Nope..... they chose the J-low button. No doubt she is hot. However, is she really communicating the brand and all that the brand represents to a new group of American. Does she help motivate an old group of Americans to buy!!!

[katsi]

Anyone who thought J-Lo was a good rep for Fiat SHOULD be fired! They needed a Jeremy Clarkson or similar person to really sell the Fiat. Most people don't trust Fiat from back when. Now they are trying to re-introduce their products into a market with a bit of an aftertaste left and who do they choose? Freaking J-lo! How is J-lo supposed to give you confidence about a car's quality? I don't trust J-lo to give me advice on ANYTHING let alone a 17K + auto purchase. She probably doesn't know the first thing about cars. How the hell is she supposed to convince me I need a Fiat? The top gear guys loved the 500. I think that should have been their commercial. Or, at least a jumping off point. After all, your average Joe is not going to put his son or daughter in a Fiat with the old moniker of Fix It Again Tony stuck in his head. Maybe those folks down there at Fiat should stop thinking about the aesthetic beauty of the female form and just stick the Stig behind the wheel of a 500 on a track. That might work better. He could always get out and then have the bella jump into his arms afterwards. Think about it. A big lipstick kiss on the Stig’s helmet. Ugh, somebody should be paying me for these ideas .

IMHO anyway
Katsi

[Kent124]

They needed a Jeremy Clarkson or similar person to really sell the Fiat.

+1

[124JOE]

i think FIAT should reintroduce the SPIDER that would go GREAT
but who am i anyway?

[lanciahf]

124JOE,
That is exactly what Fiat should do!

[HuntingtonSpider]

I know someone who recently started working for fiat and I was told there's been talk of a new spider model being announced very soon. Let's hope they borrow some of Alfa, Ferrari or Masseratis design cues. Americans still have a lot of respect for those companies and ived never understood why they've never levereged that.

[katsi]

i think FIAT should reintroduce the SPIDER that would go GREAT
but who am i anyway?

That is exactly what Fiat should do!

They have a fiat called the Barchetta. Why not just call it a Spider here in the States? Really, what's the diff? You know the Barchetta is just the newer version of the 124.

[Kent124]

They have a fiat called the Barchetta. Why not just call it a Spider here in the States? Really, what's the diff? You know the Barchetta is just the newer version of the 124.

Fiat had a front wheel drive called the Barchetta. It was discontinued in 2005.

[ga.spyder]

And the Barchetta has no brand recognition whatsoever.It looks exactly like a Miata to everyone but a Fiat purist.I hate to say it ,but I have had a bad feeling about the Fiat return to these shores.And the car...I know this is unpopular,but I just dont care for the 500.The quirky styling doesnt appeal to me,and apparently many others.I feel like they were a little late with the 'retro' car theme.The Minis and Beetles have been here awhile,and the idea has grown stale.We shall see,but it is a shame they didnt bring us something exciting for the first offering.I wouldnt touch Bernies wager!!!!

[Kent124]

With the recall over contaminated brake fluid Fiat will be branded "Flush It Again Tony"

[AndyS]

Seems like Fiat didn't hire the right marketing people for the USA. I have seen better ideas on how they could have sold more cars from guys at the forums!

One thing though about the base model car, is it is kind of a chick car. I mean, look at it. what I never understand is why they wait to bring out the performance version. I know why they do it, I just think its dumb and counter productive. Fiat needed to sell a ton of cars the first year to establish themselves here in the US again. To do that, they needed to bring the best they car they could, and they didn't. the cars at the local dealer are all 2-3000 over priced in my opinion as well. if they sold them for a lower price instead of being greedy, they may have sold twice as many.

By the way, did you see this?

http://music.yahoo.com/blogs/amplifier/ ... 35716.html

[spiderverde]

They needed a Jeremy Clarkson or similar person to really sell the Fiat.

+1

+ 2 1/2

Ray