Fiat may shift Dodge Dart launch off April Fool's

Associated Press
Ceo of Fiat Sergio Marchionne visits during the press day the Geneva International Motor Show in Geneva, Switzerland, Tuesday, March 6, 2012. The Motor Show will open its gates to the public from March 8 to 18, presenting more than 260 exhibitors and more than 180 world and European premieres. (AP Photo/Keystone, Sandro Campardo)

GENEVA (AP) — Fiat and Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne says he may shift the date of the Dodge Dart's production launch off of April 1 to "to avoid being jinxed" by an April Fool's Day launch.

The Dodge Dart is the first Chrysler model to use Fiat architecture under the nearly three-year-old alliance.

Marchionne on Tuesday called the Dodge Dart "a huge step forward in terms of moving the brand into the American heartland."

Fiat, which controls a 58.8 percent share of Chrysler, sells the city car 500 in the United States, hitting sales of 2 million last year.

It plans to bring over the 500L — a larger version of the 500 that was launched at the Geneva Motor Show on Tuesday — in 2013.