(Fiat)
Fiat 500 will feature no-haggle pricing
Chrysler wants dealers to avoid haggling with shoppers over the price of the Fiat 500 when reintroducing the brand to America, betting that will make young customers more comfortable in showrooms. "The pricing is the pricing," says Laura Soave, head of the Fiat brand in North America. "The younger generation doesn't haggle. They don't feel comfortable with it." The 500 will start at $15,500, not including the destination charge. Chrysler has said it expects to sell 50,000 of the cars in North America.
-- Bloomberg
(Chevrolet)
'Motorweek' names Volt best of the year
"Motorweek," the long-running PBS automotive show, has named its Drivers' Choice Award winners, picking the Chevrolet Volt as its "Best of the Year." The winners, as chosen by the show's editorial staff:
Best small car: Volkswagen Jetta
Best family sedan: Hyundai Sonata
Best performance car: Ford Mustang GT
Best minivan: Honda Odyssey
Best pickup truck: Ford F-Series
Best eco-friendly: Chevrolet Volt
Best sport sedan: BMW 5-Series
Best luxury sedan: Infiniti M
Best sport coupe: Cadillac CTS Coupe
Best small utility: Chevrolet Equinox
Best large utility: Jeep Grand Cherokee, Dodge Durango
Best convertible: Mercedes-Benz E-Class Cabriolet
Best dream machine: Bentley Continental Supersports Convertible, Audi R8 Spyder, Alfa Romeo 8C Spider
--The Associated Press
Jesse Valadez's "Gypsy Rose" lowrider lives at the Peterson Automobile Museum in Los Angeles.
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Lowrider legend laid to rest behind his famous creation
Jesse Valadez, owner of "Gypsy Rose," an award-winning Chevy Impala admired for its elaborate floral paint job, was put to rest last week after dying of colon cancer Jan. 29 in Los Angeles. Gyspy Rose, which was featured in the NBC sitcom "Chico and the Man" in the 1970s, lead the procession. Valadez was a founding member of the Imperial Car Club and was a legend among lowrider collectors. " 'Chico and the Man' was the beginning of everything. That car opened the door for everything you see now," says Joe Ray, editor of Lowrider magazine. "I don't know how lowriding would be today without him, his car and that club. He was a pioneer. The name of his car and his car club and East Los Angeles are all synonymous to me."
--The Associated Press
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