Chrysler LLC Vice-President Jim Press surprised the media during the opening of the New York Auto Show yesterday by driving onto the stand to kick off the press conference at the wheel a Fiat 500.

Chrysler LLC Vice-President Jim Press surprised the media during the opening of the New York Auto Show yesterday by driving onto the stand to kick off the press conference at the wheel a Fiat 500. "Bet you didn't expect me to come in that, did you, ciao," he told the gathered journalists and onlookers. The stunt, on the occasion of an event as significant on the North American automotive calendar as the New York Auto Show however served to emphasise the seriousness that Chrysler is placing on reaching an agreement with Fiat.

Press enthused about the Fiat 500 saying that the little A-segment car would be just ideal for driving around New York and that it clearly demonstrated the potential upside in the planned alliance between Fiat and Chrysler.

The supermini has been Fiat's biggest hit of the decade and unashamedly builds on the aura created by its iconic predecessor. Built at Fiat's Tychy factory in Poland, the 500 is being turned out at the rate of around 200,000 units per year. As well as being hugely popular in Europe, where it was awarded the most prestigious of accolades, that of Car of the Year 2008, the 500 is now sold around the world in countries as diverse as Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Brazil, Argentina, Mexico, South Africa, India and Thailand. The 500 could arrive in the USA by 2011 if the Fiat-Chrysler alliance gets the green light at the end of the month.

Press told journalists that Fiat and Chrysler were making progress daily on negotiations to finalise the alliance and that the ailing American carmaker doesn't see "any reason" why it shouldn't go ahead. Press believes that the two companies are a good fit for each other.