Topic: 2015 Fiat 500L Adds Six-Speed Automatic, Does Not Replace Dual Clutch Automatic

[Autos_Editor]

Traditional automatic achieves better fuel economy, begging the question: why keep the dual-clutch automatic at all?

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[Noto]

My guess is trade partners: Fiat has an obligation to whomever the manufacturer of the DCT is.  By selling it as an option, it's not 'belittled' and is instead viewed as a 'premium'.

A way to avoid contract cancellation fees, I'd think.

[blotter]

My guess is trade partners: Fiat has an obligation to whomever the manufacturer of the DCT is.  By selling it as an option, it's not 'belittled' and is instead viewed as a 'premium'.

A way to avoid contract cancellation fees, I'd think.

that or just another way to increase consumer costs.  One more option to boost the price.

[Sir Osis of Liver]

The C635 DDCT is supplied by Fiat Powertrain Technologies, so it's essentially of an in-house design and supplier.

[Noto]

The C635 DDCT is supplied by Fiat Powertrain Technologies, so it's essentially of an in-house design and supplier.

All right, then:

My guess is trade partnerscost recovery: Fiat has an obligation to whomever the manufacturer ofto make back some of the $ the DCT iscost to employ.  By selling it as an option, it's not 'belittled' and is instead viewed as a 'premium'Fiat can try to make back some money.

A way to avoid contract cancellation fees diminish sunk costs, I'd think.

[Sir Osis of Liver]

The C635 DDCT is supplied by Fiat Powertrain Technologies, so it's essentially of an in-house design and supplier.

All right, then:

My guess is trade partnerscost recovery: Fiat has an obligation to whomever the manufacturer ofto make back some of the $ the DCT iscost to employ.  By selling it as an option, it's not 'belittled' and is instead viewed as a 'premium'Fiat can try to make back some money.

A way to avoid contract cancellation fees diminish sunk costs, I'd think.

Nice recovery! 

[Scaerio]

"When the 2015 Fiat 500L starts rolling into dealer lots later this year, the ugly funky family hauler will have another option to tick off on the order sheet."

What is it about the new crop of younger writers at autos.ca?  Yes, I'm all for a bit of creativity and humour in an article, but this kind of snarky, juvenile, smart-a$$, flippant, off-the-cuff comment just lowers the overall tone and quality of the site...

[Scaerio]

"When the 2015 Fiat 500L starts rolling into dealer lots later this year, the ugly funky family hauler will have another option to tick off on the order sheet."

What is it about the new crop of younger writers at autos.ca?  Yes, I'm all for a bit of creativity and humour in an article, but this kind of snarky, juvenile, smart-a$$, flippant, off-the-cuff comment just lowers the overall tone and quality of the site...

Every writer strives to be as witty and caustic as Clarkson.

...and they fail miserably.

[Blueprint]

If it's anything like the situation with the Dart, the DCT will be only available in combination with a single, obscure, not-advertised trim, but only if factory mudflaps are ordered.

I remember reading a post about Edmund's early-build Dart stranding them with a DCT issue...and then the car just vanished from the fleet, no further reports.

[EV-Light]

"When the 2015 Fiat 500L starts rolling into dealer lots later this year, the ugly funky family hauler will have another option to tick off on the order sheet."

What is it about the new crop of younger writers at autos.ca?  Yes, I'm all for a bit of creativity and humour in an article, but this kind of snarky, juvenile, smart-a$$, flippant, off-the-cuff comment just lowers the overall tone and quality of the site...

I disagree...!

[MarkStevenson]

"When the 2015 Fiat 500L starts rolling into dealer lots later this year, the ugly funky family hauler will have another option to tick off on the order sheet."

What is it about the new crop of younger writers at autos.ca?  Yes, I'm all for a bit of creativity and humour in an article, but this kind of snarky, juvenile, smart-a$$, flippant, off-the-cuff comment just lowers the overall tone and quality of the site...

Every writer strives to be as witty and caustic as Clarkson.

...and they fail miserably.

It's funny how these forums work...

When we give straight up details, we are chastised for not giving our opinions. And, when we give those opinions, you chastise us more for sharing them.

I honestly just think the 500L is the ugliest thing on the market right now.

[OliverD]

=I honestly just think the 500L is the ugliest thing on the market right now.

I have to agree, and I'm not quick to call unconventionally styled cars ugly. On the road they look deceptively massive and bulbous.

[blotter]

"When the 2015 Fiat 500L starts rolling into dealer lots later this year, the ugly funky family hauler will have another option to tick off on the order sheet."

What is it about the new crop of younger writers at autos.ca?  Yes, I'm all for a bit of creativity and humour in an article, but this kind of snarky, juvenile, smart-a$$, flippant, off-the-cuff comment just lowers the overall tone and quality of the site...

Every writer strives to be as witty and caustic as Clarkson.

...and they fail miserably.

It's funny how these forums work...

When we give straight up details, we are chastised for not giving our opinions. And, when we give those opinions, you chastise us more for sharing them.

I honestly just think the 500L is the ugliest thing on the market right now.

you should know that you just can't win!

I'd say the Juke takes the ugly prize though.

[Fobroader]

"When the 2015 Fiat 500L starts rolling into dealer lots later this year, the ugly funky family hauler will have another option to tick off on the order sheet."

What is it about the new crop of younger writers at autos.ca?  Yes, I'm all for a bit of creativity and humour in an article, but this kind of snarky, juvenile, smart-a$$, flippant, off-the-cuff comment just lowers the overall tone and quality of the site...

Every writer strives to be as witty and caustic as Clarkson.

...and they fail miserably.

It's funny how these forums work...

When we give straight up details, we are chastised for not giving our opinions. And, when we give those opinions, you chastise us more for sharing them.

I honestly just think the 500L is the ugliest thing on the market right now.

You cant please everyone all the time, keep at it, youre doing alright!! Also, yeah, between the 500L or the Juke is a tossup.

[Noto]

It's funny how these forums work...

When we give straight up details, we are chastised for not giving our opinions. And, when we give those opinions, you chastise us more for sharing them.

I honestly just think the 500L is the ugliest thing on the market right now.

Applauded you for that one.  In particular, kudos for standing up to that bully, Scaerio!    I'm teasing, you're not a bully, Scaerio, but Mark's right - we, the readers, yearn for opinions.  That's what sets autos.ca apart from cars.com, driving.ca, edmunds.com, etc.  (that's to say that all have different writing styles - no two articles are identical, so you can read an article from each about the same car and still enjoy the read).

The 500L doesn't follow convention.  The Kia Soul doesn't, either.  Opinions are just that and they are welcomed in this context so long as they're based on fact.  The fact is, the 500L, in defying convention, is subject to subjective opinions - both positive and negative.  It's not libellous to opine that a vehicle's design is ugly, nor is it childish or immature.



FFS, how many bulges and forward light housings does one vehicle need?!

I think Fiat's just compensating for something
(^^ see, that was childish/immature)

[MarkStevenson]

"When the 2015 Fiat 500L starts rolling into dealer lots later this year, the ugly funky family hauler will have another option to tick off on the order sheet."

What is it about the new crop of younger writers at autos.ca?  Yes, I'm all for a bit of creativity and humour in an article, but this kind of snarky, juvenile, smart-a$$, flippant, off-the-cuff comment just lowers the overall tone and quality of the site...

Every writer strives to be as witty and caustic as Clarkson.

...and they fail miserably.

It's funny how these forums work...

When we give straight up details, we are chastised for not giving our opinions. And, when we give those opinions, you chastise us more for sharing them.

I honestly just think the 500L is the ugliest thing on the market right now.

You cant please everyone all the time, keep at it, youre doing alright!! Also, yeah, between the 500L or the Juke is a tossup.

The Juke used to be up there for me (and around friends, I still call it the Nissan Joke Puke). But, at least it's somewhat fun to drive (from what I've heard/read as I haven't been in one myself).

At last year's TestFest, I judged the Family Car Under $30k category, and the 500L was up against the Kia Soul and Kia Rondo. The Kia's were by far better vehicles to drive, even without looking at the sheetmetal.