Chrysler’s alliance with Fiat will most likely bring the stylish, tiny Fiat 500 to America. Strangely, if the 500 goes on sale in America, it could also bring its competition with it, in the form of the Ford Ka. The Ka and 500 are based on the same platform, and European models of the cars are produced in the same factory in Poland, according to Left Lane News.
Sharing a platform with a competitor isn’t as rare as you’d think in the auto world. Most light duty pickup trucks sold right now have a close cousin in the same market. Despite sharing a basic platform, the Ka and 500 aren’t all that similar and occupy different enough marketing segments that the parent companies wouldn’t have to worry about splitting their market in half.
If the 500 is sold in the U.S., it would most likely be built somewhere in the western hemisphere. It would make sense then for Ford to share some of the expenses for the manufacturing plant and put the Ka on sale in America.
The Ford Ka and Fiat 500 are called “city cars” in Europe because their tiny size makes them easy to maneuver and park in urban areas, but their tiny engines make them a little sluggish on the highway.
The small size of the 500 and Ka also means that the cars would be easy to ignore for land yacht drivers, so if they gain popularity, don’t be surprised to see the ‘CityCar Safety Foundation’ start to release tips for drivers of bigger vehicles, like the MSF does.
Picture via wikipedia.
