[2001 ZTS]

Michael Bettencourt

From Thursday's Globe and Mail, Wednesday, Jun. 10, 2009 04:24PM EDT

Fiat's cutesy 500 hatchback will come to North American shores by the end of 2010, to be sold by Chrysler dealers in the United States, Fiat officials say, although other models using Fiat platforms and engines will be designed and sold as Chrysler-specific vehicles.

At least, that was the timing planned before Chrysler's bankruptcy filing was stayed on Monday, when various U.S. creditors successfully appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court for reconsideration of the deal.

The move throws Chrysler's quick emergence from bankruptcy protection into doubt, while casting a pall over the future of the current deal which would give the United Auto Workers union, the U.S. and Canadian governments, Fiat and creditors equity control of the new Chrysler to start.

Fiat would gain an increasingly larger stake in the company as it brings over technology to share with the new firm, in lieu of cash payments.

Chrysler Canada is not saying whether the 500, the international 2009 Design Car of the Year, will make it to Canada as well. Actually Canadian officials aren't saying anything lately, while Canadian plants and workers remain idled until the American parent company can extricate itself from bankruptcy protection.

Richard Gadeselli, Fiat vice-president of communications in Italy, told industry journal book Automotive News early this month that the 500 would be sold at Chrysler dealers as a Fiat, the only Fiat- branded car coming to North America in the foreseeable future.

Six other small or mid-size models are coming that are underpinned by Fiat architectures, but none would look the same as their Fiat donor vehicles, as these would all be designed as unique Chrysler-specific vehicles, he said.

“The vehicles will be U.S. vehicles, designed for U.S. customers by a U.S. company,” he said.