Long Fiat: Fix It Again, Tony

Fiat has a long history in the United States, although that history has not always been particularly enjoyable for its owners. In 1908, the Fiat Automobile Company established a plant in Poughkeepsie, NY and began producing Fiats a year later, long before Chrysler opened for business in 1925. Sales grew through the 1970’s until Fiat earned the derogatory “backronym” Fix it again Tony for the brand’s poor reliability and problems in the 1980’s. Consequently, Fiat left the United States in 1983 with a reputation for poor quality cars that has plagued the brand for years.

The company has been running scared from Tony ever since; but not...