NF500 / bambina

Studio M are to present a rather special Fiat 500 in Rom during the Scrigno - Tesori d’Italia exposition.

As the headline grabbing price suggests, this Fiat 500 is far from factory standard. For the exterior the paint is gold. But not just gold metallic fleck, we’re talking paint enriched with 24 karat gold powder.

It’s not just all show on the outside, the interior is embellished with Loro Piana Kashmir carpets and Swarovski crystal encrusted into the pedals, gearshift and hand brake. The interior is retrimmed with Australian leather and alcantra.

But, as with the Fiat 500 you can buy from your local dealer, customisation is still the key here. If the display model is not quite to your satisfaction, feel free to chose from a range of 48 stones and range of leather such as Ostrich, Crocodile or Snake.

This particular Bambina has been christened Pepita, with it’s named engraved on the dash, with “I” made from Emerald, “T” diamond and “A” Ruby.

So if you’re looking for a small car for the lady of the estate, or just a Fiat with a little more bling, then this effort from Studio M could be just to your tastes.

A new book entitled “500 - by the people for the people”, which we expect may be of interest to all Fiat 500 aficionados, has recently been published.

The book offers a brief overview of the history of the original Fiat 500, before focusing heavily on the design and development of the new 500. Apparently unprecedented access was granted to Fiat’s inner sanctum during the creation of the book so it should offer an interesting insight into how the new bambina came into being.

The book, which includes English and Italian text, costs euro 22 and is available for worldwide shipping direct from the publishers website.

This press release from Fiat dates back to March 2007. We’re repeating it Today, ahead of the 500 Live event taking place this evening, to provide a reminder of Fiat’s goals and ambitions for their new Bambina. The press release was accompanied by the first official photographs of the new Fiat 500, which you can view in the NF500 Flickr Group.

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.