We don't want to indicate that we're more pruriently-minded than others, but there's some serious car-on-chick-on-masked dude dragon action in these photos. Isn't that called a 'Lucky Puff The Magic Dragon' or something?

[Studiotorino via CarScoop]

18/02/2008 Abarth The return of the Abarth brand continues to bring new challenges. The 'Scorpion' philosophy, which is conveyed in all the brand's activities with passion and tradition, continues to excite sports car lovers everywhere. As envisaged by the plans to revive the brand, the Abarth & C. Spa company has set up new premises in the Mirafiori complex in Turin, bringing together the manufacturing, design and management functions for the whole company, as well as the staff of the Racing Team who were formerly housed in the historical plant in the nearby town of Chivasso. This fully-fledged industrial structure was put up in record time, just eight months, and stands in an area of more than 23,000 square metres, where all the brand's activities are concentrated. It employs more than 100 people. The inaugural ceremony is also an excellent opportunity to present the 2008 season of the Abarth Racing Team. After the brilliant results achieved in last year's rally season, which marked the Scorpion's official return to the racing world, the team will tackle 2008 with the same guts and determination; it will start with the Intercontinental Rally Challenge, which will be contested by two official Grande Punto Abarth S2000s, driven by Giandomenico Basso and Anton Alen, with the support of its main sponsor Selenia and with the collaboration of Sabelt. And the Grande Punto Abarth S2000 will also compete in the Italian Rally Championship, sponsored by Metis and Api-IP, with two cars driven by Andrea Navarra and Renato Travaglia. Finally, Umberto Scandola is a pilot from the Abarth Team that will carry out development tests as well as several prestigious international competions. An Abarth Trophy will also be contested this year, maintaining a tradition begun in 1977: the Grande Punto API-IP ORO DIESEL Trophy is a championship reserved for the Fiat Grande Punto R3D which is now in its second edition (the pilot Alessio Pisi won the first edition). From racing to our everyday roads, but always with a sporty approach. This is the goal behind the debut of the long-awaited '500 Abarth', announced for the coming Geneva International Motor Show. The new car was developed by the Fiat Group Automobiles Style Centre in the spirit of the legendary Fiat 500 Abarth of the 1960s, and will be marketed from July through the exclusive Abarth network. With a strong sporty personality, the new car will be powered by a Fire 1.4 16v petrol Turbo engine, which delivers a maximum of 135 bhp (99 kW) at 5,500 rpm and peak torque of 206 Nm at 3,000 rpm in 'Sport' mode (in 'Normal' mode, torque is reduced to 180 Nm at 2,500 rpm). This brilliant, smooth new engine is also a friend of the environment: like the regular Fiat model it is derived from, the new Abarth will respect future Euro 5 legislation. Another interesting feature of the 500 Abarth is the fact that it adopts the new TTC (Torque Transfer Control) system, which improves the transfer of drive torque to the wheels, but, above all, ensures that the car behaves impeccably on bends, making it safer and more entertaining even with a sporty driving style. In other words, it is faithful to the phrase coined for the Abarths of the 1960s 'small but wicked'. While the 500 Abarth represents the brand's future, fans today can already enjoy a sporty drive at the wheel of the Grande Punto Abarth, equipped with the 1.4 Turbo petrol engine that delivers 155 bhp at 5500 rpm combined with a 6-speed mechanical gearbox, which has a top speed of 208 km/h and accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in just 8.2 seconds. An Open Day in April will mark the Italian launch of two elaboration kits - 'Assetto' and 'esseesse' - which will make the Grande Punto Abarth even more aggressive and powerful.

Kicking the tires:
First walk around the car is impressive, especially for the high-end models (€14,500). The 500's design is harmonious in every detail. This particular dealer is smart enough to have a vintage 500 right next to the new one; the size difference is astounding. We mistook the old 500 for a roller skate at first glance.

Warming the seats:
We're not ashamed to say that the interior is the best part of the nuova 500. The fit and finish is spectacular. The haptics should make the guys over at Lexus think twice about their quality. We know, we know, it sounds crazy, but it's really that good. One weird aspect is the lack of a traditional glove box. In its place is a Lotus Elise-like shelf. If you have your heart set on a place to store contraband, you can order a cool little storage box that goes under the passenger side seat bottom. Shockingly, if you put two six footers in the car, there's still plenty of legroom in the back. Rear headroom, on the other hand, is a struggle. Hopefully your friends are short or don't mind having their heads bash against the roof.

On the road:
Our tester was equipped with the top shelf petrol engine, a 1.4L 16-valve four pot good for a hundred horsepower and mated to a manual six speed. Even though the engine in the tester has the highest output currently available, (Abarth, you can toss us a tester any time) it's sort of a buzzy, lazy lump. Take off is peppy, but it's a flat experience after first gear. Engine braking is not a possibility as the RPMs just jump up to redline without actually providing any resistance. The car tosses into the corner happily, but the crappy tires on the test car protested loudly. We'd be interested to know how cars equipped with better shoes perform. Amusing for this segment is the "Sport" button. As far as we could tell, the purpose of the button was to light up the "Sport" indicator light, that's it.

Bottom Line:
The 500 is very pretty, very comfortable, a sipper of fuel, and great as a daily driver in the cramped streets of Europe. It will probably do very well considering the low price, handsome styling and three-page long options list. We're definitely smitten with the great interior and we like the packaging better than the Mini. If Fiat ever plans on bringing it over to the US, they'll need to rework that motor to have a chance of competing with the unter-Bimmer, but we see great possibilities in this little car.

Fiat 500 & Grande Punto Abarth Spy Photos [World Car Fans]

Related:
Spy Photos: Fiat 500 Abarth on the 'Ring; Spy Photos: Suzuki Swift GTi [internal]

Related:
More on the Fiat 500 [internal]

If you thought Mini buyers had a lot of accessories to pore through, better sharpen your number-two pencil. The Fiat 500's order sheet is like sweating out the SATs, without the raging hangover. Need a refill for the "Summer citrus fruit+Essence of the night+Breath of freedom" diffuser? Better check it off. Frau leather upholstery? Check. Ivory jacket-hanger for front head-restraint? Check. No, a black one. Check. "Italian flag" badge for wing? Check. Barcode racing stripe? What the hell. Click through for more customization trinketry. – Mike Spinelli

Press Release:

Fiat 500: CUSTOMISATION

Line and Styling
185/55-15 alloys 18 spokes*
185/55-15 alloys 5 spokes*
185/55-15 alloys 9 spokes*
185/55-15 alloys 5 spokes two-tone*
195/45-16 alloys 5 spokes*
195/45-16 alloys 7 spokes*
195/45-16 alloys 17 spokes*
Chrome-plated nudge-bar on front bumper
Chrome-plated trim on bonnet
Sideskirts
Rear spoiler on tailgate
Front air dam
Rear air dam
Chrome-plated exhaust terminal
Sticker 500 Italia stripe
Sticker White barcode
Sticker Black barcode
Sticker Red sport band
Sticker White sport band
Sticker Black sport band
Sticker White roof+bonnet arrow
Sticker Red roof+bonnet arrow
Sticker Black roof+bonnet arrow
Sticker Red monochrome 500 stripe
Sticker White monochrome 500 stripe
Sticker Black monochrome 500 stripe
Sticker Lateral Italia band
Sticker Black chequered roof
Sticker Red chequered roof
Sticker White chequered roof
Sticker Black number 5
Sticker Red number 5
Sticker White number 5
"Italian flag" badge for wing
500 Italia badge for rubbing strips
Black chequers badge for rubbing strips
Red chequers badge for rubbing strips
Sport badge black with white background for rubbing strips
Sport badge red with white background for rubbing strips
500 badge red thread with black background for rubbing strips
Black 500 badge for rubbing strips
Red 500 badge for rubbing strips
Barcode badge for rubbing strips
Chrome-plated mouldings for bumpers
Car cover with picture of 1st 500 series
Steel kick plates
Sporty aluminium pedal covers and footrest
Black jacket-hanger for front head-restraint
Ivory jacket-hanger for front head-restraint
Kit of three "Sport" key covers
Kit of three "Italia" key covers
Kit of three "barcode" key covers
Frau leather upholstery*
Leather knob*
Comfort
Aluminium bars on tailgate
Ski holder for tailgate bars
Snowboard holder for tailgate bars
Side air deflectors
Rear splashguards
Black fragrance diffuser
Ivory fragrance diffuser
Refill for "Summer citrus fruit" diffuser
Refill for "Essense of the night" diffuser
Refill for "Breath of freedom" diffuser
Refill for "Summer citrus fruit+Essence of the night+Breath of freedom" diffuser
Rubber mats
Carpeting mats with black border ivory graphics
Carpeting mats with ivory border ivory graphics
Carpeting mats with black border black graphics
Luggage compartment storage unit
Luggage compartment organiser
Nets for luggage compartment
Pull-out trailer hook with cable
Car Care Kit

Related:
More on the Fiat 500 [internal]

Fiat Auto, Microsoft and components developer Magneti Marelli whipped up the "Blue & Me" system gracing the Fiat 500's furnishings (along with those of other Fiat models). The tech platform uses Microsoft's Windows Mobile operating system to manage a network that integrates voice activation, steering wheel control buttons and the dashboard display and any Bluetooth-enabled mobile phone. The setup is similar to Ford's Sync system; It reads incoming SMS messages aloud to the driver and incorporates music stored on a mobile phone, smart phone, MP3 player or USB memory into the audio system via console-mounted USB port. For a few extra webdollarz, Blue&Me Nav adds navigation and telematics services like emergency management, service info and as-yet indeterminate insurance services. A next evolution, Fiat says, will include interactive navigation and information services like addresses, weather and traffic forecasts, satellite localization in case of theft. The whole dealy underscores the company's tech-urban positioning of the 500, which will likely squeeze higher profit margins out of the Euroeconobox. Click through for corporate-release details. – Mike Spinelli

Press Release:

Blue&MeTM and Blue&Me NavTM:

communicating and travelling without frontiers

Just one year after its launch, the Blue&Me™ system is proving to be a huge commercial success (in fact it is requested by 20% of purchasers of all Fiat Group Automobiles models) and it has won several prestigious international awards. The Fiat 500 will be available with either the first level Blue&MeTM (including a hands-free function with Bluetooth® interface, advanced voice recognition, USB port, MP3 player and SMS text message interpreter) or the latest version of the device, Blue&MeTM Nav, which adds a navigation function at a very competitive price. The Blue&MeTM Nav will be available after the launch and is already wired to enable a range of telematic services such as SOS Emergency, Info Service and insurance services.

Blue&Me™ Nav offers a simple, intuitive pictogram navigation system that features an innovative method of introducing the destination using voice controls.
The destination is located in real time: the map of the country is memorised on the USB pen drive, and this makes access to the data faster and quieter than when a CD is used. And with Blue&Me™ Nav, all the functions are built-in, and the telephone, music and navigation information is available on the instrument panel. What is more, as he navigates, the driver can listen to his favourite music, which he has memorised, together with the map, on the same USB pen drive or media player, or make a telephone call using the hands-free device.

All the strong points of the system
Blue&Me™ was developed in 3 years by Fiat Auto and Microsoft. The partnership was ratified in June 2004, with the long-term goal of designing innovative telematic systems for cars, and it has created a product that has established itself on the market, exploiting a perfectly integrated technology that is in complete harmony with the user, as its name suggests.

Based on the Windows Mobile for Automotive system, this device features an open system that is always in step with the times, updateable, flexible and modular. With the help of Magneti Marelli, Fiat Group Automobiles and Microsoft offer a platform that adapts to most cell phones, music players and other personal devices, replacing current expensive, rigid hardware, with the great benefit of being able to constantly adapt to innovations on the market, remaining perfectly integrated into the car. All at an accessible price.

Blue&Me™ is extremely safe and easy to use. The voice control system, which is perfectly integrated into the controls on the steering wheel and the information on the instrument panel, allows a customer with a Bluetooth® cell phone to use it even if the phone is in a jacket or bag, without taking his hands off the wheel. And the advanced voice recognition system allows immediate interaction, because the voice does not have to be 'learned', even allowing incoming text messages to be interpreted aloud.
Occupants can listen to hours and hours of digital music in MP3, WMA and WAV format recorded on an iPod, a cell phone, an MP3 player or a USB pen drive, by connecting the digital device to the USB port.
The customer who purchases the Blue&Me™ Nav system will receive a navigation kit comprising a USB pen drive with the memorised map, and a back-up CD that can be used to transfer the map onto a personal MP3 player or iPod.

The Nav key on the dedicated control board on the roof panel connects directly to the navigation menu, which can also be accessed via the controls on the steering wheel, or vocally. The USB key is inserted to start navigating, and the driver uses the keys on the steering wheel to choose his destination by selecting the initial letters of the address; he can even complete it vocally.

Like all other information, navigation details can be displayed on the control panel: destination address, pictograms of the directions to follow, information on arrival and the usual vocal suggestions of the manoeuvres to make, reproduced through the speakers. Unlike other navigators, on which it is not possible to navigate and listen to music CDs at the same time without a CD changer, with Blue&Me™ Nav the driver can navigate as he listens to the music saved in the media player.

The navigation program can be used on a personal computer together with the back-up CD, to save the maps of a number of countries, purchased separately, on the USB pen drive. Then the driver can select a whole country (for example Italy, France, Germany, etc.), or part of a country (for example northern/central/southern Italy), or even a region that groups together maps of different countries (for example northern Italy and Switzerland, Austria and southern Germany).

Blue&Me™ MAP 500:
a latest generation portable navigator
Six months after the launch of the Blue&Me Nav™ system, which has attracted a great deal of interest on the international automotive market, Fiat Automobiles now announces the world première of a new development for the Blue&Me™ platform: MAP 500, a multifunction portable navigator with an original design developed for the Fiat 500 that is incorporated in the car using innovative technology.
Available after the launch and developed with Magneti Marelli, leader in the first equipment navigation systems market, the device represents a new frontier in the portable navigation systems market, as a safe user-friendly system that is incorporated perfectly on board the vehicle from both an electrical/mechanical viewpoint and in terms of connectivity.

This new architecture offers numerous advantages via the Blue&Me™ technology, which simplifies the direct integration of the portable navigator and the car: the data from the CAN network on the vehicle improve the accuracy of the navigator and the voice messages are reproduced through the car audio system. This guarantees higher standards in terms of comfort and of safety. In addition to map satellite navigation, the Blue&Me™ MAP 500 system also incorporates a number of multimedia functions that can be exploited in portable mode, such as the reproduction of music and the display of films and pictures.
Another feature of the device is the excellent mechanical and electrical integration on the car, which does not call for loose cables or temporary supports. Fiat Automobiles has taken great care over the incorporation and ergonomic positioning of the new device in the facia so that it is easy to install and to remove, respecting the latest automotive standards.

The new portable navigator uses a wireless connection with the Blue&Me to exchange information, so that it can be used in complete safety and the utmost comfort.

Some advantages for the user:
• More accurate navigation compared to conventional portables; possibility of navigating even in tunnels or areas where GPS reception is poor.
• Simultaneous management of all the audio, radio, CD, telephone and navigation sources.
• All the Blue&Me functions: hands-free, USB port, steering-wheel controls, voice recognition and text message reader.

The radio and the 'Interscope Sound System' Hi-Fi system

The Fiat 500 offers a radio complete with audio CD and MP3 file player, and a choice of two Hi-Fi systems. The radio is part of the design of the dashboard, in an ergonomic position in the upper part of the facia (the best position for the driver), where it can easily be reached by the passenger. The device can easily be connected to the Blue&Me system so that, thanks to the hands-free function with Bluetooth® interface, the driver can use a Bluetooth® cell phone even if it is in a jacket or bag, without taking his hands off the wheel. And because the Blue&Me incorporates an advanced voice recognition function, interaction is immediate and the voice does not have to be 'learned'; the system can also interpret incoming text messages.

The original sound system has six speakers: two 30 Watt tweeters and four full-range (two 40 Watt and two 35 Watt).

The second system is available on request. Known as the 'Interscope Sound System' it is an absolute novelty in this segment, characterised by refined technology, and ideal for the motorist who wants a particularly sophisticated Hi-Fi system, because it was designed and calibrated specifically for the Fiat 500 passenger compartment.

The new Interscope Sound System comprises six speakers (two tweeters, two woofers and two full-range, all 40 W), one 100 W sub-woofer and a 30 W amplifier. What makes the sound experience on board the car really unique is the fact that the Interscope Sound System uses 3 different methods of processing the signal and the related acoustic effects simultaneously: the first (TruBass) extends the perceived frequency field towards the bass without needing a subwoofer so that the listener has the sensation of listening to a system that produces extended, very deep basses.

The second method (Focus) raises the apparent position of the sources of sound to ear level. This gives the sensation of listening to speakers positioned higher than they actually are, and simultaneously the response in perceived frequency goes back to being 'natural', because the 'colouring' caused by the filtering of the head has been removed.

And finally, the third method (3D) which spatially equalises stereo reproduction, correcting any errors due to the position of the speakers and improving spatial perception. The result is a more embracing sound, which recreates a correct stereophonic effect even for listeners who are positioned further away from the symmetrical axis of the speakers (as in the case of the car).

Related:
More on the Fiat 500; Microsoft And Ford Get N'Sync At The Detroit Auto Show And CES, We Get First Exclusive Hands-On: Part 1 [internal]

Fourth of July was the official launch date — 50 years after the original "Nuova 500" debuted. And a press conference this morning confirmed and elucidated what had been known for nearly a year. Fiat's new, new 500 is here. That is, in Europe; Fiat CEO Sergio Macchione dashed all hopes of a US-bound 500 in a statement earlier today. Nonetheless, as expected the price will be between €10,500 and €14,500 — a sweet spot for minicars — and will come with a catalog of accessories that makes Mini's choices seem downright Victorian. Stay tuned... More 500 to come. – Mike Spinelli

Sergio Marchionne is undoubtedly stocking up on black turtlenecks as we write this. The revived Cinquecento, according to the Fiat boss, is the cornerstone of his attempt to turn the company into "the Apple of cars, and the Cinquecento will be our iPod." The diminutive hatchback has already seen orders in excess of half of the fifty thousand units of goodwill the automaker plans to crank out this year, and they're considering raising full-model-year targets from 120,000 cars to 140,000, at a base price of ten thousand euros. Meanwhile, does anyone know where we can get Abarth tape stripes for a 30 gig iPod? Thanks. – Davey G. Johnson

Fiat wants Cinquecento to be the iPod of cars [Reuters]

Related:
Spy Photos: Fiat 500 Abarth on the 'Ring [Internal]

Judging from the satisfying exhaust burble that surfaces near the end of this clip, the return of the Abarth Cinquecento will be a watershed moment for the modern Fiat brand. It could even elevate the 500's revival to the pinnacle among retro plays, a trend that appeared to be fading out with each passing Mini Cooper. Rumors place the Abarth-tuned 500 on American shores by decade's end. Would that it were true. – Mike Spinelli

[via Carscoop]

Related:
Fiat 500 Abarth Coming to the US? [internal]

That sound you just heard was our heart doing a triple gainer off our sternocleidomastoid muscle. Apparently, Automotive News Europe reports Fiat is considering the sale of an Abarth-tuned Fiat 500 in the US. Such rumors have been ripping through the car-o-sphere since word first came down about the revived cinquecento. But now, it's Fiat CEO Sergio Marchionne's loose lips doing the gossiping. Marcionne says he's like to sell an Abarth 500 in the US as competition with BMW's Mini Cooper and Volvo's C30. But it's unclear whether such a car would get a Fiat badge, considering the company's more intent on keeping Alfa Romeo's US return on track. That means we could see Alfas by 2009, and perhaps an Abarth 500-based Alfa Junior? The mind reels. – Mike Spinelli

[via Motor Authority]

Related:
Spy Photos: Abarth 500 Wrung Out On the 'Ring; Fiat Boss Says New 500 Could Maybe, Sort of Reach the US; The Scorpion Returns: Fiat's Abarth-Tuned Puntos Coming to Geneva; Sketches Emerge of New Fiat 500 [internal]

Glory, glory be. Well, glory to those in the places that Fiats are sold, at least. While the new Fiat 500 (and its platform-mate) the Ford Ka may not make it to these shores, nothing can prevent our lust from afar. Of course, the hot Abarth version of the nuevo Cinquecento is the one to get, and as such, the mad hatters of Torino have been making last-minute evaluations of the hot micro-hatch in none other than the Green Hell. The blokes at Car have the spy shots. We have the hots. – Davey G. Johnson

CAR Online scoops the new Fiat 500 Abarth [Car]

Related:
Sketches Emerge of New Fiat 500 [Internal]

Fiat is still pulling out every gimmick from its tome of promotional trickery to hype its revived 500 subcompact. Gimmick #17: the limited edition. Exactly five hundred models will go on reserve at the International Milan Furniture Fair this week (April 18-23) as an Opening Edition model. The numbered series comes with a choice of styling: A Cappellini edition that includes sky blue molding, and one in pearl white that comes with an engraved badge. The rest of the cars will go on sale July 4, exactly 50 years after the original Cinquecento hit the market in 1957. No pics yet, but watch this space. – Mike Spinelli

Press Release:

Fiat and Cappellini present a Limited Edition of 500 of the new Fiat 500 which may be booked in advance of the world premi re

During the International Milan Furniture Fair it will be possible to reserve 500 numbered examples of an Opening Edition of the new Fiat 500 before the official launch, choosing between two versions, one of them designed by Cappellini.

The new Fiat 500 is a symbol of Italian styling excellence, a state-of-the-art solution for people who enjoy their cars in total freedom, motorists who want a car they can use every day, that is entertaining and practical, eco-friendly and accessible, but also appealing and original. This model confirms Fiat Automobiles' undisputed leadership in this category - a result of the extraordinary technological, design and human heritage that it has built up in more than a century of life. The model takes a quality leap forward for its segment, where design and safety, technology and equipment are concerned, without turning its back on its historical, cultural and industrial identity.

The new model's debut will be an exciting, important event, and the official launch, to take place in Turin, on July 4, has been preceded by a number of different initiatives. One of these has linked Fiat and Cappellini, an internationally renowned brand of Italian design, in a project that focuses on the new Fiat 500 and its stylistic concept.

During the International Milan Furniture Fair (from April 18 to 23), some of the companies exhibiting at the Fair will organise events in other parts of the city, transforming its entire urban fabric into an attractive centre for social and cultural aggregation. And one of the best-known sites organised outside the Fair, that arouses particular expectation with the public, is the one that Cappellini has set up this year in the former Upim store in Piazza San Babila.

The "Cappellini Temporary Store" is located right in the centre of town, and it occupies approximately 2000 square metres on two floors. It will be open to the public from 10 am to 8 pm, from April 18 to 24. In one area of this interesting venue, known as the "500 Lounge", the public will be able to reserve one of the 500 numbered examples of the Opening Edition of the new Fiat model. They will be able to choose between a version customised by Cappellini, featuring exclusive Light Blue, elegant mouldings, and a version enhanced by Pearl White bodywork, with an exclusive numbered badge on the outside pillar and a plate inside on which the customer's name can be engraved. Anyone interested can sign a non-binding purchasing request, granting him the right to a place on the waiting list for the assignment of one of the 500 Opening Edition versions of the car. Potential purchasers will be told details of the price and outfit at a later date, when they will be able to confirm or cancel the purchase.

At the entrance to the Cappellini Temporary Store is a 'black box' measuring about 250 square metres fitted with an autostethoscopic system. Outside the structure the visitor will access a multimedia station, where he can configure a Fiat 500 concept car, choosing the colour of the bodywork, the stickers to apply and some accessories. When he has terminated the operation, he will enter the 'black box' to see a life-size 3-D projection of his personal 500 Concept Car, and will then receive a print out of his prototype.

In line with the philosophy of the new model ("a car created for the people with the people's own ideas"), the configurator is an evolution of the famous Concept Lab, the virtual laboratory found on the site www.fiat500.com, that has already collected more than 160,000 configurations, and suggestions for the accessories and customisation of the new model. The inauguration of the Cappellini Temporary Store was the ideal occasion to announce the three winners of the Designboom international competition, divided into the "accessories", "everywhere" and "lifestyle" categories (the three projects are exhibited in panels displayed in a dedicated area, together with other outstanding proposals).

Developed in collaboration with Designboom (an independent web magazine for the design world), the competition is only one of the many initiatives studied by the creative team of "500 wants you", the interactive multimedia platform which, in advance of the official launch, is touching all sectors of communication: from advertising to viral marketing, fashion and photography. But it is on the web, thanks to the www.fiat500.com site that the "500 wants you" site really comes into its own. And the figures confirm that it has been a huge success: since it went online on May 3, 2006, the site has been visited by over two million users, and boasts a community of 50,000 fans.

Related:
The Fiat 500 Returns: More on the New Cinquecento [internal]

Fiat's resurrection of the Cinquecento is nearly complete. The company's already sent out shots of the Nuova 500 to the auto press, given it its own minisite (curse the faux-reggae sound bed!), and targeted it for hipster-dork uptake. The last stage is to show the damn thing. And according to a set of images on Autoblog.it, that's happening on July 4th, in time for the 50th anniversary of its ancestors birth. – Mike Spinelli

Nuova Fiat 500 in viaggio - 4/4 [Autoblog.it]

Related:
The Fiat 500 Returns: More on the New Cinquecento; Fiat 500? Real Soon!; Cinquento Nuovo! New Fiat 500 Pics Arrive [internal]

Related:

The Fiat 500 Returns: More on the New Cinquecento; Designing 500: Fiat Looking for Ideas; Cinquento Nuovo! New Fiat 500 Pics Arrive! [Internal]

Fiat launched its new 500 officially today, indicating neither a rear-mounted engine nor wicker seats were in the offing (not that anyone was expecting either of those). With the Nuova 500 in the can, Fiat's not the first European automaker to trade on past romances. The New Beetle beat it by several years, though the 500 still made it to market before the Nouveau Citr en 2CV (not that we're holding our breath). Nonetheless, the new bearer of the Cinquecento torch will get a range of three tiny engines, including a 69 hp 1.2-liter, a 100 hp 1.4-liter 16v burner and a 75 hp version of Fiat's 1.3-liter Multijet turbodiesel. But despite their size, they still make the 500's original, 13-hp 479 cc look like something from Mssrs. Briggs and Stratton. – Mike Spinelli

Press Release:

The new Fiat 500

On July 4, 1957, in Turin, Fiat presented the Nuova Fiat 500, a real icon of our times, with which Fiat concluded a revival that had begun straight after the Second World War. On July 4, 2007, exactly 50 years later, again in Turin, Fiat will present the new Fiat 500 which will be marketed immediately after the launch. And the new car will conclude an equally important cycle of revival for Fiat Automobiles SpA.

Developed by the Fiat Style Centre and manufactured in the plant in Tychy (Poland), the new 500 is a 3-door model with very compact measurements: it is 355 cm long, 165 cm wide, 149 cm tall and has a wheelbase of 230 cm. The car is extremely entertaining to drive, due to its three engines: a 75 bhp 1.3 16v Multijet turbodiesel unit and two petrol engines, the 69 bhp 1.2 8v and the 100 bhp 1.4 16v, all of which are available with five or six speed mechanical gearboxes.

The model confirms Fiat Automobiles SpA's undisputed leadership in this category - a result of its extraordinary heritage of technical, design and human experience accumulated in over a century - and it takes a quality leap forward in terms of comfort and safety, technology and equipment for this segment. The new 500 is the most up-to-date solution for the motorist who 'enjoys' his car in complete freedom, appreciates it for day-to-day use, but also wishes to drive a car that is entertaining and practical, environmentally-friendly and accessible, but also appealing and full of fun.

Related:
Cinquento Nuovo! New Fiat 500 Pics Arrive [internal]

Before the geysers of Diet Coke, the freshmaker was forced to rely upon commercials to advertise itself to the sugar-obsessed public. The worst best of those went something like this:

Only an unfresh person would park his car in such a way as to make his fellow motorist unable to go about her merry way, but that's just what our heroine is faced with in this episode of the Mentos saga. After an exchange of dirty looks, and communication of the parkee's need for promptness, the young girl contemplates her dilemma with the aid of a freshmaker. She has a revelation, and summons what looks to be the Pittsburgh Steelers offensive line from a construction site across the way. With surprisingly little convincing, the barbarians lift her Fiat 500 into the road, and as she thanks them she glances in the way of her nemesis, the douche-y little i-banker, only to add an exclamation point to her freshness.

The Mentos(tm) v.1.1 FAQ [IJMC]

Related:
It's Happy! It's Fun! It's Happy Fun 500! [internal]

If you find yourself in Japan, bored with the look of your Nissan Micra, just call Duesen Bayern. Don't worry, it's a local call. The Japanese company builds replicas of European iron from other hardware. Such is the company's the Ritz model, for example, for which the company refits a Micra with sheetmetal add-ons to bring out its inner Fiat 500. Sure the dimensions aren't perfect, but they'd still be a hit at the Venetian in Las Vegas. – Mike Spinelli

Fiat 500? Relax, it's just a Japanese replica based on the Nissan Micra; More on Japan's Mini VW Bus Replicas [Carscoop]

Related:
Holy Housewares: Conran-designed Micra at British Show [internal]

With just months until Fiat's revived Cinquecento (sorry, 500) subcompact appears in the sheetmetal, a leaked presentation highlights the company's plan to accessorize the urban hipster transport to within an inch of its life. The scoop comes via French site Le Forum Fran ais des Scoops, which makes no mention of the documents' source, accuracy or context. Still, it's apparent the company is lodging an assault on the Mini's quirky retro theme and youth-lifestyle appeal, based on what seem to be a range of toys, from snowboard holders to iPod docks and a multitude of wheel styles — all the way to a prospective anime roof panel. Hold for the commerical featuring free-running in Paris and club kids in a K-hole. [Thanks to Teo for the tip.] – Mike Spinelli

Fiat 500 [Le Forum Fran ais des Scoops]

Related:
AutoExpress Specs Out the New Fiat 500 Cabrio; More on the new Fiat 500 [internal]

A few generations ago on Top Gear — sometime in the mid-1990s — Jeremy Clarkson paired up what would be among the last of the old-style Mini Coopers against a contemporary Fiat 1.3 Cinquecento. It's a fine segment, but we'd have given a gland or two to see, perhaps, a Mk I Mini Cooper S in Group 2 rally trim square off against a Abarth-tuned Fiat 500 of 1963 vintage. In fact, we may have to take such matters into our own, geeky hands. Anyone possessing one or the other of those vehicles, and willing to allow us a few mild hoonage-hours, please contact us immediately at tips@jalopnik.com. That is all. [Thanks to James for the tip.] – Mike Spinelli

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Top Gear Plays Their Small Ukes, Roadie For the Who, Test Vans [internal]

The UK's AutoExpress offers its take on what the Fiat 500 revival subcompact will look like in cabrio form. Fiat's reportedly working with Ford Europe on the new version of the iconic cinquecento, which insiders say will share innards with the next-generation Ford Ka. Whether or not Fiat's planning an Abarth performance version is a matter of debate. And AE reports Fiat hasn't confirmed a cabrio edition is on its way, but the mag's sources say it'll sport a cloth top not a folding hardtop like the slightly larger Opel Astra TwinTop, and launch with really small engines in the range of 1.1-liters. Still, that's more than twice the displacement of the original's 500cc engine, which makes the new model a relative monster. We'll see the finished product sometime in 2008. [Thanks to Dave for the tip.] – Mike Spinelli

Fiat 500 blows top! [AutoExpress]

Related:
More on the Fiat Cinquecento [internal]

Last night, while enjoying the marvelous food coupled with terrible service French restaurants are known for, Spinelli exclaimed, "Look! There's that Fiat concept!" We grabbed our camera and sprinted down the street chasing the Oltre Fiat, which debuted at the Bologna Auto Show last December. Fortunately for the not-exactly-Carl-Lewis-esque us, the big lug was being held up by a group of guys in white hoodies attempting to hustle an out-of-commission Fiat 500 down the narrow Paris street. Lo and behold, we'd yet again stumbled across the "500 Wants You" crew, a group of boys and girls travelling around Paris drumming up hype for the new Cinquecento, which debuts precisely a year from today.

The procession of all Fiats great and small turned a corner and then rounded another bend into an even narrower street, where they began attempting to diagnose the issue. We asked a pretty blonde what the problem was. "I don't know. Maybe the battery," she shrugged. "It is an old car."

"And Italian," we didn't add.

The boys eventually got the diminutive classic push-started, and everyone piled back into their respective vehicles and drove off, but not before the pretty blonde girl tied a promotional bracelet around our wrist. Ah, Paris. [Gallery]

Oltre Fiat Concept Unveiled in Bologna; It's Happy! It's Fun! It's Happy Fun 500! [Internal]

Walking back from whatever the French is for bodega for a pack of Gitanes we ran across a mini parade of Cinquecentos. And really kids, what could be six-button cuter than that? Nothing, motherfuckers. That's what.

Related:
Designing 500: Fiat Looking For Ideas [Internal]

Think you can turn Giorgio Armani's head with your doodlings? Then Fiat 500 wants you. No, really, the company's "Fiat 500 Wants You" competition is rounding up contributors of "ideas and designs for the new car and everything that surrounds its launch, sale and customer interaction." The categories are accessories — personalization features for the new 500 subcompact (think: wheels, spoilers, tailfins, cumberbund, technicolor wig, etc); lifestyle — designs that translate the FIAT 500's style into everyday life, such furniture, gadgets, clothing, paperweights, corporate inspirational posters, bookmarks, hand puppets and Hummel figurines; and "everywhere" — designs for places, streets, parking areas, shops, pubs and public spaces, etc. etc. There's a 5000-Euro prize in each category, and Fiat will pay 3000 Euros for a design that makes it into production. Think Idol, only without the public humiliation factor, and the singing.

[Fiat 500]

Related:
More on the new Cinquecento [internal]

It promises to be eerier than Ezaine Helgado as Sofia Loren. The ragazzi at Eurocar Blog point us toward shots of the upcoming Fiat 500 — a neue-retro take on the lovable Fiat Cinquecento of old. The project is an outgrowth of the Trepiuno concept, unveiled at the 2005 Geneva show to shrieks of delight by Zegna-clad journos (only in Italy), Swiss traditionalsists and Albanian gelato vendors alike. Word is the new 500 will share parentage with Ford, in a joint project that will also bear the next-generation Ka.

Fiat 500 Spy-shots [internal]

Related:
More on the Cinquecento [internal]

Fans of race-bred Fiats of old will be pleased to see the Abarth badge associated with the Fiat Trepiuno concept, which is said to be a harbinger of a new, retro-styled Fiat 500 on the way. Eurocar Blog located some sketches that depict the Trepiuno in the red-and-white livery of legendary motorsports tweaker, Abarth, along with renderings of what could be the new 500's interior. Word is the new model will show up in mid-2007, possibly developed in partnership with Ford.

Fiat 500 - Interior & Abarth sketches [internal]

Related:
The Fiat Abarth 500: Racing Prowess in a Tiny Package; Ford and Fiat Team up on new Fiat 500 [internal]

Two Italian men have arrived in China, after a three-month trek in a Fiat the size of an Anoplophora glabripennis. The average Asian Longhorned beetle, however, would have had far fewer miles on it than the 1973 Fiat 500 R did before the two began their trip from Turin, Italy to Bejing. Along the way, the two were nearly done in by unrest in Kyrgyzstan, the harsh plains of Siberia and submarine-grade close-quarters insanity. But holy hell, they made it.

Danilo Elia and Fabrizio Bonserio have reached Beijing [Italiaspeed]

Related:
Fiat 500 Updated with Interactive Doo Dads; Fiat May Roll Out New, Nostalgic Cinquecento [internal]

Fiat may build a new city car styled after the iconic cinquecento (that's "500" to you, Johnny) of the 1960s and 1970s, according to news reports. Likely based on Fiat's Trepi no concept, shown at this year's Geneva auto show, the production model probably won't share the same 500cc motor with the original, but will have the same quirky style that's making it a new theme of restaurants, sweatshirts and Hoobastank ballads (ok, not the last one). Fiat has yet to confirm or deny its plans to re-release the 500, though some say it's the linchpin of a comeback strategy for Italy's largest automaker.

Fiat plans retro-style Cinquecento cars [Financial Express]

Related:
Fiat 500 Updated with Interactive Doo Dads [internal]