Once Fiat took an interest in Chrysler, many figured it wouldn't be long before Chrysler-branded Fiat products would show up in the U.S. Now, the first one is here. Fiat subsidiary Lancia has rebranded its Delta hatchback as a Chrysler for the 2010 Detroit Auto Show.
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We heard a few weeks ago that the rebranding of Lancia vehicles was a possibility, but we were still pleasantly surprised to see a new model on Chrysler's stand next to a handful of badge-only special editions. In all that domestic rebadging, though, no one seems to have come up with a new name for the Delta. For now, it's simply known as the Chrysler Lancia. From the looks of things, it's a Lancia Delta with new-age Chrysler badges and a Chrysler corporate grille, and truth be told, it doesn't look that bad.
The real question is what this car represents. It very well could be a peek into the future Chrysler lineup, one populated with Fiat models. On the other hand, it could also be a look at Fiat's strategy to rebrand some its models worldwide as Chryslers thanks to the American brand's better name recognition in some markets. For its part, Chrysler isn't saying why it's here, but it's a good bet that they're testing the waters in Detroit for Italian rebadges.
What do you think? Should Chrysler give this idea the go-ahead and start building Chrysler Lancias for the U.S. market? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
And be sure to keep up to date with all the latest Detroit Auto Show happeningswith our live coverage from Cobo Hall January 11 and 12.
Were you one of those kids who taught themselves to identify cars at night by their headlights and taillights? I was. I was also one of those kids with a huge box of Hot Wheels and impressive collection of home-made Lego hot rods. I asked my parents for a Power Wheels Porsche 911 for Christmas for years, though the best I got was a pedal-powered tractor. I drove the wheels off it. I used to tell my friends I’d own a “slug bug” one day. When I was 15, my dad told me he would get me a car on the condition that I had to maintain it. He came back with a rough-around-the-edges 1967 Volkswagen Beetle he’d picked up for something like $600. I drove the wheels off that thing, too, even though it was only slightly faster than the tractor. When I got tired of chasing electrical gremlins (none of which were related to my bitchin’ self-installed stereo, thank you very much), I thought I’d move on to something more sensible. I bought a 1986 Pontiac Fiero GT and got my first speeding ticket in that car during the test drive. Not my first-ever ticket, mind you. That came behind the wheel of a Geo Metro hatchback I delivered pizza in during high school. I never planned to have this job. I was actually an aerospace engineering major in college, but calculus and I had a bad breakup. Considering how much better my English grades were than my calculus grades, I decided to stick to my strengths and write instead. When I made the switch, people kept asking me what I wanted to do with my life. I told them I’d like to write for a car magazine someday, not expecting it to actually happen. I figured I’d be in newspapers, maybe a magazine if I was lucky. Then this happened, which was slightly awkward because I grew up reading Car & Driver, but convenient since I don’t live in Michigan. Now I just try to make it through the day without adding any more names to the list of people who want to kill me and take my job.
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