If you go to Europe, notably Italy, you'll quickly discover the local rental car companies' new favorite family carrier: the Fiat 500L. But in the US, sales of Fiat's only other model aside from the 500 itself, haven't been all that wonderful. Clearly the 500L isn't much of a looker. In fact, it's downright awkward looking. It's not ugly like, say, the Pontiac Aztek. Perhaps it's just too funky - even for Europeans. And now word has come out that Fiat has temporarily halted 500L production at its factory in Serbia.

No indication was given as to how long the shutdown will last, but Fiat did say that "the causes of this temporary setback are external and related to the situation in the European and global automotive markets." Translation: sales are slow. In just a few weeks' time, Fiat will unveil its third model, the 500X. It shares the same platform with the 500L, but it's intended to be a Nissan Juke fighter. We're willing to bet that'll be much more successful, sales wise.