NF500 / cars

Fiat CEO Sergio Marchionne has reaffirmed the company’s desire to launch the Fiat 500 brand in the United States. However, and in contradiction to quotes from the Fiat CEO published by Forbes only a matter of weeks ago, Marchionne stated his desire to introduce a second Fiat 500 production site in the USA.

The full quote, taken on the sidelines of a foreign policy forum in Venice, reads

We are examining ways and means to manufacture the cars in the United States, I don’t want to bring it over made. I want to manufacture [in the North American free-trade area]

You have to feel a little pity for any American eagerly awaiting the Fiat 500, the situation gets more confusing with every turn.

The Fiat 500 1.4 sport beat the MINI One around the track on UK TV channel Five’s “Fifth Gear” motoring magazine show this evening (25th February).

The white and red Fiat 500 beat the MINI One by a clear second around the Fifth Gear track. Both were cars commandeered by Vicki Butler-Henderson, the Fiat 500 completing the circuit in one minute and 35.1 seconds.

Unlike previous MINI V 500 features, Fifth gear at least made an attempt to compare more similar vehicles, the 1.4 Sport and the 1.4 MINI One, coming in at around £1,000 difference in retail price (the MINI the more expensive of the two).

More on the official website.

Fiat has halted production of the 1.3 Multijet Diesel engine, as fitted to the Fiat 500, as a result of ‘anomalies’ in an externally supplied component. This means further delays for those waiting to get hold of their Diesel Fiat 500s.

Full press release from Fiat follows:

As a result of the constant quality controls carried out on all the components of Fiat Group Automobiles cars, a number of anomalies have emerged with
regard to an externally-supplied component for the 1.3 Multijet engine.

In order to verify that this supply of components meets the quality standardsrequested by Fiat, the Company has decided to suspend production of the
engines and cars on which they are mounted.

This decision has led to the suspension of production in the Bielsko Biala plant, where these engines are manufactured, as well as at certain production lines of the Mirafiori, Melfi, Termini Imerese, Tychy and Bursa plants, where models equipped with 1.3 Multijet engines are produced.

The Company is making every possible effort to speed up controls and adaptations that could become necessary, so as to reduce delays in delivery to
customers to the minimum.

Although Fiat is aware that this suspension of production will have repercussions on its delivery volumes for the month of February, it has
nonetheless decided to adopt an uncompromising and rigorous approach so as
to guarantee the highest levels of product quality to its customers.

While the increase in price of the London congestion charge for “Chelsea Chariots” and other gas guzzlers was grabbing the headlines in the British media Today, on the much more positive side there is good news to be found for owners of vehicles with lower emissions, below 120 g/km of CO2, and it’s no surprise that the diminutive new Fiat 500 fits into that category, in 1.2 petrol and 1.3 diesel guise at least.

The new rates, which will come into effect from October if all goes to the plan of the Mayor of London, offer a strong incentive for purchasing cars below the 120 g/km CO2 range, and will heavily penalise the largest polluting vehicles. Whether this will lead to more Fiat 500s being seen cruising the streets of London come autumn time will only tell, but it can surely only help.

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 Warsaw Business Journal has a report on the launch of the new Fiat 500 in Poland. That’s right, Fiat’s new baby has finally been released in the country where it is produced.

Despite being the country to produce the 500 Fiat are placing modest expectations on the uptake of the new car in Poland, with a spokesperson quoted as expecting sales of around 3,000 vehicles a year. Considering orders had reached around 105,000 cars by the end of November 2007 following launch the same summer, you can see just how conservative that estimate is.

The new Fiat 500 will be the first of Fiat’s premium models to go on sale in Poland, but with prices starting at less than the equivalent of £7,000 (or €9,700) Fiat in Poland are hopeful of making inroads in the lower end of the luxury market.

For those in the UK, set your alarms for 9pm this evening when leading TV car show “Top Gear” will be featuring the new Fiat 500 tackling the streets of Budapest. James May, AKA Captain Slow (and apparent fan of the Fiat Panda) will be the team member taking the new baby Fiat to task.

Generally speaking Top Gear hasn’t been much of a car review show in recent times, more a bunch of lads messing about with cars and other diverse forms of transport, while banding about petrol head banter. But it’s always worth a watch and it will be interesting to see their take on the Fiat 500, not least as it’s the most watched, and therefore most influential car show on British TV.