Pope Francis is seen in his Fiat 500L at the Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland, Washington, on September 22, 2015. (Agence France-Presse photo)
Washington:
There's a black Fiat 500L sitting beside the highway outside Safford Fiat outside Washington with the doors open. It isn't the pope's, but Mark Cowdin, the general sales manager there, thinks he can sell it all the same.
Pope Francis arrived in Washington in what appeared to be an identical car, and is also using a Jeep Wrangler on his visit the United States. It's a minor coup for Fiat Chrysler, which manufacturers both cars.
"It's created a lot of buzz," Cowdin said. "We're very grateful for that. It's advertising we don't have to pay for." Buyers have been showing interest, and Cowdin hopes the dealership will at least double its typical monthly sales in the 500L.
His excitement is understandable: Fiat hasn't enjoyed this level of visibility since its long hiatus from the U.S. market ended just four years ago, after the Italian carmaker purchased a controlling stake in Chrysler and introduced the 2 door Fiat 500. Since then, revenues have been disappointing. Drivers here bought 28,421 Fiats in the first eight months of the year, a 12 percent decrease from the same period last year.
Americans remain pretty unfamiliar with Fiat. "It's still a new brand," said Irene Shtock, the marketing manager at Criswell Automotive outside Washington.
When the larger 500L, a five-door hatchback, was introduced in the United States last year, reviewers called it an awkward and ungainly combination of Italian aesthetics with American dimensions. Yet many of Shtock's customers need the additional space, and choose the 500L as a stylish alternative to similar vehicles from better-known brands.
"It's a fun, unique car," she said. "It's bright. It has very good design. It has personality."
While the cars may seem exotic to drivers here, Fiat is ubiquitous in Italy. The 500L, with its no-frills, 1.4-liter, four-cylinder engine and its starting list price of $19,935, is a proletarian workhorse that suits Francis's plain cassocks and his emphasis on humility.
"He's the people's Pope," said Cowdin. "He's just trying to show that he's kind of a regular guy."
The pope's other car on this trip, the Jeep, is a reminder that Fiat Chrysler is now an automotive conglomerate that makes a wide range of brands, from Dodge to Maserati, Ferrari and Alfa Romeo. The company reported revenues of $32.7 billion in the second quarter.
Pope Francis arrived in Washington in what appeared to be an identical car, and is also using a Jeep Wrangler on his visit the United States. It's a minor coup for Fiat Chrysler, which manufacturers both cars.
"It's created a lot of buzz," Cowdin said. "We're very grateful for that. It's advertising we don't have to pay for." Buyers have been showing interest, and Cowdin hopes the dealership will at least double its typical monthly sales in the 500L.
His excitement is understandable: Fiat hasn't enjoyed this level of visibility since its long hiatus from the U.S. market ended just four years ago, after the Italian carmaker purchased a controlling stake in Chrysler and introduced the 2 door Fiat 500. Since then, revenues have been disappointing. Drivers here bought 28,421 Fiats in the first eight months of the year, a 12 percent decrease from the same period last year.
Americans remain pretty unfamiliar with Fiat. "It's still a new brand," said Irene Shtock, the marketing manager at Criswell Automotive outside Washington.
When the larger 500L, a five-door hatchback, was introduced in the United States last year, reviewers called it an awkward and ungainly combination of Italian aesthetics with American dimensions. Yet many of Shtock's customers need the additional space, and choose the 500L as a stylish alternative to similar vehicles from better-known brands.
"It's a fun, unique car," she said. "It's bright. It has very good design. It has personality."
While the cars may seem exotic to drivers here, Fiat is ubiquitous in Italy. The 500L, with its no-frills, 1.4-liter, four-cylinder engine and its starting list price of $19,935, is a proletarian workhorse that suits Francis's plain cassocks and his emphasis on humility.
"He's the people's Pope," said Cowdin. "He's just trying to show that he's kind of a regular guy."
The pope's other car on this trip, the Jeep, is a reminder that Fiat Chrysler is now an automotive conglomerate that makes a wide range of brands, from Dodge to Maserati, Ferrari and Alfa Romeo. The company reported revenues of $32.7 billion in the second quarter.
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