NF500 / cabriolet

…and it’s going to be a soft top too!

That’s according to a report published today in Just-Auto.com.

Roberto Giolito, styling director for the Fiat brand, reportedly informed a just-auto reporter that the convertible variant of the new Fiat 500 was definitely going to be produced and that the design would be simple, affordable and “aimed at bringing maximum customer enjoyment”.

The Fiat 500 Convertible will sport a traditional fabric roof, as opposed to joining the hordes of overly fussy and in our opinion downright ugly “coupe convertibles” which seem to have flooded the convertible market over the past few years.

Fiat are confident that progresses in the technology of fabric roofs means a space-saving fabric folding roof can offer excellent insulation against the elements and exterior noise. We certainly welcome this decision and cant wait to see what the designers come up with.

Fiat have revealed they are now seriously considering how best to expand the Fiat 500 family, following a rapturous reception from the public and a vast majority of motoring media alike.

Of course, beyond the three engine types offered for the new Fiat 500, a hot new Abarth version will be unveiled to the public at the Tokyo Motorshow later this year, and a Cabriolet is already under development to be premièred next year. Although it remains to be seen if the 500 Cabrio will sport a full cabriolet soft top, or perhaps be more like the traditional 500, with a full length canvas roof peeling back, leaving the side-pillars and cross section in place.

Beyond these variants, Fiat will decide “by the end of the year” on how viable SUV and Wagon versions of the new 500 would be. Fiat has indeed already shown a station wagon concept, which appeared in a video shown at the 500’s media introduction last week. Like the original 500 Giardiniera launched in 1960, the new model concept shown in the video was a three-door wagon.

So the Fiat 500 family could quite possibly end up consisting of the hatchback, including Abarth and 155 hp Abarth Super Sport, Cabriolet, Station Wagon and SUV.

The SUV could potentially utilise the body of the station wagon, and AWD system from the Fiat Panda.

Yet talk of all these future possible configurations feels somewhat premature, as demand for the hatchback alone as exceeded all expectations, with Fiat Automobiles CEO Luca De Meo telling Auto News Europe

If Italian orders continue at this pace, we might delay the new 500 introduction outside Italy.