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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 More »
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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 More »
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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. More »
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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. More »
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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. More »
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It's official: Fiat is building a new Cinquecento (500) minicar with an unlikely partner. As you may remember, Fiat showed an updated 500 in the guise of the Trepi no concept in Geneva this year. Now, the company has announced it will develop a production version of the Italian icon — the cultural equivalent of the New Beetle — with Ford, which will rebadge the product as its new European Ka. The companies will use Fiat's Panda small-car architecture to underpin the new models, which will be launched in 2007 (Fiat) and 2008 (Ford). Italian-languant fluents can read more at Autoblog.it. [Update: CNN/Money picked up the story. Thanks, Chris.] More »
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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. More »
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