The new Fiat 500 will go on sale in India during 2008, as part of an effort by Fiat to boost it’s image in a crowded and increasingly competitive market. No official prices or launch date have been announced at this time.
The Fiat 500 has also recently picked up another accolade, this time it’s the Top Gear Awards 2007 Best City Car category the baby Fiat has romped home with.
According to inside reports the hot Abarth versions of the new Fiat 500 could arrive in the UK as early as the second half of 2008, will be available in two flavours, and on sale at dedicated Abarth dealerships.
Rumour suggests the Abarth dealerships will be stand alone units, although they may be attached to Fiat dealers in a similar way to the association between BMW and MINI dealerships.
The two Abarth Fiat 500s will be the 135 hp 1.4 litre petrol engine Abarth and a hotter 155 hp Abarth SS derivative, also powered by a 1.4 litre t-jet petrol unit.
Apparently the little pocket rockets will be serviceable at around 35 Abarth service centres nation-wide in the UK, presumably made up of the ten dedicated Abarth dealerships and 25 or so chosen Fiat service centres.
Apparently this new Fiat 500 police car is not actually going to be used as a squad car, or high speed pursuit vehicle, but is rather a little piece of PR on behalf of the police and Fiat in the Netherlands. But we still considered it easily quirky enough to devote some lines to here.
Via AutoWeek.nl
Fiat 500 supply to the UK dealership network will be strictly limited, bad news for those still considering a purchase maybe, but equally likely to be good news for those with deposits already placed.
According to a source from Fiat, supply could be limited to around 10 Fiat 500s per dealership per month, at least for first quarter of 2008.
Using the most obvious comparison of the new MINI at launch, supply was also limited, and as such waiting for a new car to your specification was par for the course. This in turn helped to improve residuals, with customers more ready to pay a little extra for a car similar to their ideal immediately, rather than joining the new car queue.
Of course, this all depends on demand for the 500 in the UK outstripping the limited supply that dealers will apparently have to make do with.
Reports are appearing on the forums here at NF500 that dealer display Fiat 500s are arriving at dealerships in the United Kingdom ahead of the January 21st 2008 launch.
Fiat 500s were spotted recently at the docks on their way into the country, and now several appear to have made their way onto shop floors, so interest should start to increase in the build up to the UK launch, which will include an event featuring the London Eye and the Fiat 500, flashing lights, and celebrations.
There’s an interesting article, more of an opinion piece, on the new Fiat 500 and the “retro car craze” (if indeed there really is such a thing) of the MINI, Beetle, and now the new Fiat 500. Written by author Giles Smith the report includes some articulate observations about the new 500, as well as the draw of cars taking inspiration from the past in general.
The Fiat 500 is European Car of the Year 2008, and little wonder. It is smart, sassy and, for what is basically a small, soft blob of metal, enormously covetable. But it is also, essentially, half a century old.
Worth a read we think, and available online at the Guardian website.
The Monaco Elite Fiat 500 M is another aftermarket upgraded 500 that is more focused on style than performance, featuring upgraded interior and exterior details.
The Monaco Elite Fiat 500 M exterior receives an opaque paintjob, sport exhausts, aluminum front grill and other special material exterior ornaments including revised wing mirrors.
The Monaco Elite Fiat 500 is poised on 16″ Racing wheels, it has wider fenders to enhance the sportier side of the Fiat 500, which also have the option of the Corsa riveting.
The interior of the Monaco Elite Fiat 500 M includes a complete leather trim.
The Monaco Elite Fiat 500 M package is priced at 8600 € and takes around 3 weeks to install, more details on the Monaco Elite website.
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