Sad news... Yugo is finally dead...

When I was a kid my dad drove me to primary school in a brown Yugo 511. This was mid 90's. Most of the time I rode in the boot peering over the back seats. :wacko:

Build quality not the best.... The rear view mirror fell off on the first drive and the seat collapsed and was eventually bolted back up with a piece of my old swing set from the garden :( The exhaust also fell off. Straight from the downpipe whilst driving along.

Funny cars.
 
Might not have been so in all markets...

Everyone seems pretty happy with the new 500 and Fiat's return to the States but a few very troubling points from my perspective... Most may or may not know I have owned/driven Yugo's since late '90s. No need to apologize they are very near cousins to classic Fiats in every way. Well mechanically, styling is clearly not a communist strong suit.
The Fiat dealer for Charleston, SC is a used car lot. Try as I might I almost never see anything Fiat, aside from the sign by the road, that says Fiat and Alfa Romeo lately. I think any stock is parked out back. My brother and sister both former X1/9 owners have 500s brother also bought a Renegade (Jiat?) I have driven both...not so much... I have looked around Abarth models and while at the dealership for test ride I checked out the undercarriage... solid rear axle, even the Yugo has 4 wheel independent! I drove the Cabriolet so added weight may have fouled the test drive, salesmen's enthusiasm was surely not to blame he was absolutely certain I was driving that baby home! I think it was my expectation having driven Xs for all but a few years since '81 I can't bridge these two cars together... you know? Take any other brand and compare '82 to 2012 models and there are steps every few years linking one to the next. Not so for the 500. I am not their target market, or I hope I am not, because I am not buying that many more cars. My kids will but they don't see 17k of value in the entry level cars. (OK maybe I don't and I am speaking for them...) The last troubling point,which is the reason for the header, local Dodge dealer advertised "buy a New Ram get a new 500 free" now the Yugo buy a Caddie get one was get the car and the 500 was a year lease free but that was not in the disclosure. Now the Fiata 124... I understand sharing platforms cost saving and all that but I question Fiat's commitment to this market. I hope not but Mike you might want to start working up your "500 jokes" time will tell but I really hoped for better. Just my thoughts...
Regards
Reading through post I think I may get blow back on the rear axle comment... perhaps it is some type of torsion blah blah blah and not two wheels hanging off one pole but it is not what I would ever call "independent rear suspension" and it seemed a detriment to ride quality.
 
I'm just happy as heck

to again be able to buy and drive a new Fiat in the USA. My first new car purchase was a 1974 X1/9 and it remains my sentimental fave, so many good memories, friends and good times are associated with it. And now I enjoy my '81 X and I also enjoy my problem free, grin producing, solid rear axle 2012 Abarth.

The car is ridiculous and is obviously not for everybody, but it is a blast to drive.
 
Rocco,
Yugo jokes??? I have more Fiat jokes than I do Yugo jokes... My first Fiat was a yellow X1/9. I pushed it more than drove it. That sucker cost me two girl friends and for a 16 year old that was the last straw. She went to the recycle place.
Today, I would have let the girls go and kept the X.
As for Yugo, I have never owned one so I cannot say anything good or bad about them.
V/r, Mike


Nebraska Mike
 
I remember that in the 80's Bricklin's import headquarters (IAI) were around the corner from me in Montvale, NJ (along with MBNA).
 
He brought in all kinds of cars...

Were they all through that office? I think he played a part in Subaru in the early days. He continued to import Xs and Spiders from 1983 on and he brought the Yugo to the US... I bought an '83 X as a Bertone, new in '85. For some reason that car was not on any radar... perhaps now it shows up in some classic NADA listing but for years after I got it nothing for a bank to look at. Parts were easier as I just got things for an 82 Fiat... strange times...
Regards
 
There were a number of good things about Yugo.

For those who have 128's, the transmission cases will accept the gear sets from our older 128's. Why? Because the oil passage ways in these sets are actually much better than the older Fiat designs. I ran a number of race cars with them.

The other gold medal item was the electronic ignition system. Someone once posted the spark from a Yugo dizzy was enough to weld by. I don't doubt it. Great feature for any 128 driver.

Too bad some of the parts leads to it's early demise. Soft camshafts, etc.
 
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