Grand Opening of Macomb Twp. Fiat Marks New Era in Auto Industry

Macomb Township found its place on the international map Monday with the grand opening celebration of .

Of the three Fiat studios destined for Michigan, Fiat of Lakeside is the only one finished and ready for business. It is No. 50 of 130 slated to open by the end of the year, said Laura Soave, head of Fiat North America.

Chrysler and Fiat management, Italian Cultural Center dignitaries and the press flocked to the Hall Road dealership on Monday to welcome the Fiat officially back to the U.S. market after almost four decades.

"(There were) a number of problems to surpass," said Fiat CEO Sergio Marchionne. "We were given this incredible opportunity to come and help Chrysler be put back on its feet. It is our expectation that Chrysler will again regain its footing in the public market. (That) gut instinct brought Fiat back here."

Chrysler Group LLC will announce its intent to pay back its $7.5-billion federal loans in their entirety tomorrow, a move Carl Galeana, president of Galeana Auto Group and owner of Fiat of Lakeside, said he believes will alter consumers' attitudes toward the auto company.  

"I and others had to stick to this (commitment to Fiat)," Galeana said. "There was a lot of cynicism, but guess what? This (dealership) is a product just a few years after these promises were made."

Marchionne said he, too, is proud that Chrysler and Galeana accepted the challenge to bring Fiat back to the U.S. market.

"This facility is a tribute to the commitment Carl (Galeana) has made," Marchionne said. "Thank you to everyone who works in Carl's dealership. ... Tomorrow will be celebration not just on behalf of all the people at Chrysler but also on behalf of all the people who believed in us."

The opening of Fiat of Lakeside is a solid step toward Marchionne's commitment to turn Chrysler into an international powerhouse, but do so from Michigan.

"Michigan is the center of the revival of Chrysler and ultimately the auto industry," Marchionne told WJR's Paul W. Smith during the 2010 Mackinac Policy Conference.

The grand opening was also celebrated with a full buffet, gelato bar featuring six different flavors and an espresso/cappuccino bar.

The Fiat 500 is the only model the dealership offers, but in three types: Lounge, Sport and Pop. The 500 starts in the range of $15,000 and runs up to $19,500 when fully loaded. The vehicles are offered in 14 colors.

The dealership currently boasts 15 employees, but could grow to 40 by this time next year, Galeana said.