NF500 / cinquecento

Fiat CEO Sergio Marchionne has once again stressed his desire to relaunch the Fiat brand, and the Cinquecento in particular, in the USA; if only they could find a way to sell it.

Apparently Fiat are seriously considering following in the footsteps of Smart by teaming up with a dealer network with a strong US base to distribute the 500 in America. This would ideally lead to an established and trusted brand stateside offering a foot in the door for Fiat, who haven’t had their own dealer presence there for 25 years.

In an article published on Just-Auto.com, Marchionne is quoted as saying

I am convinced that the full range of the Cinquecento would be a huge smash in the US if we do it right…. I think the full Cinquecento product range is a brand within a brand and can probably carry the market - we’re looking real hard at this now.

Fiat representatives have been quoted in the past as wanting to emulate the success of the MINI Cooper stateside, however MINI had the distinct advantage of a ready and willing BMW dealer network who put not an inconsiderable investment into making the brand a success, with the aid of some very clever marketing. It will be interesting to see how Fiat can make waves to the same degree without a strong parent company to piggy back on.

A pretty much glowing report from start to finish has been published by VerdictOnCars, here’s their summary.

Highly recommended. One of the most interesting, desirable, charming, best value, fun city cars on the market. It’s not the most dynamic to drive, but the forthcoming Abarth version could resolve that. Fiat’s got the basics of its modern Cinquecento absolutely right - it earns a rare five stars.

Fiat are reportedly planning a range of finance packages linked to incrediby long warranties to ensure the new 500 is affordable to as many as possible when it goes on sale in the UK, following similar moves in the Italian and French markets.

In Italy, buyers of the new Cinquecento can chose any model with a mix of 100 accessories for five Euros a day, while in France the 500 is available for a 50% down payment with the remainder payable as a lump sum after two years. Buyers opting for either of these packages are also given a five-year, 500,000 kilometre warranty. Fiat is planning to bring similar schemes to the UK.

Also available will be roadside rescue packages, going so far as to help you if you run out of petrol or lose your keys! In addition collect-and-deliver servicing deals like those more commonly offered with higher-end cars are planned.

This is all according to What Car? who report Fiat claim the 500 is about individualism, not exclusivity, with UK prices possibly starting at around £9,000 for the basic model.

With the launch of the new Fiat 500, the World’s press have been scribbling away voicing their opinions not only about how the new baby Fiat drives, but also offering their own slant on exactly what the new 500 brings to group, and to the wider motoring world.

However, whatever the context of the article, the new MINI almost always seem to get a mention.  Yet the new MINI wasn’t the first on the scene reinventing and reinterpreting a classic design for a new generation.  Before the MINI Volkswagen had made their own attempt at bringing the past back to the future with the new Beetle.  But somehow, the MINI seems to have set the mark by which all other “retro cars”, such as the 500 and more than likely the new Citroen 2Cv, will be judged upon.

Two examples that show the contrasting views on the MINI and Fiat 500 and how they relate to one another come from Car, who’s magazine this month dedicates many column inches to the new cinquecento, and Infomotori who have not surprisingly devoted much time to the arrival of the new Fiat 500.  In Car’s feature, they focus on what Fiat can learn from BMW in their search for success with the new 500, whereas Infomotori take a more pragmatic approach to the comparison, considering factors such as price against power and specification.

It’s certainly an interesting comparison to make, and while the similarities are obvious; both the new 500 and the MINI are small cars, both reinterpret automotive icons that had a huge impact, particularly in their home markets five decades ago, both original cars changed the motoring landscape in their own way, both are “premium” cars offering a little more more style, flair and individuality, but at a price premium.

But as much as the two cars are similar, they are also quite different.  Fiat want the 500 to be a flagship, a jewel in the crown, the iPod to their Apple.  The MINI was never that for BMW.  In fact, when the MINI launched in 2001 it was supported by BMW’s own image of premium class cars and quality engineering.  It was as much an affordable BMW to many as it was an enthralling car in it’s own right.  Early reviews focused on the driving, the charm, the character.  Quality, it seemed, was assured, for this was a BMW.  For BMW it was a new concept, something small and fun, an affordable compact car, and something unique and set apart from the rest of their range.

With the Fiat 500 things are quite different.  Fiat are well on the way to rebuilding their brand image, but in the not too distant past Fiat wasn’t a name the most would associate with quality engineering and premium class products.  But now Fiat are on their way up and the 500 is considered to be the epitome of what Fiat have achieved, their ambitions and their future aspirations.  Big responsibilities for a small car.

What Fiat have to do with the new 500 is prove that they can build a quality car.  Not just a car that looks unique, that stands out in a crowd and comes in half a million different flavours.  The new Fiat 500 must have substance, it will no doubt face a much tougher time and be asked to prove itself much more than either the MINI or new Beetle ever were.  Fiat can make small, affordable cars, everyone knows that. With the new 500 they have to prove beyond doubt they can make small, quality cars too.

The new Fiat 500 will also face the potentially tough task of asking people to spend more money on character and non-essential yet desirable features alone.  How many people will wander into a Fiat showroom, or specify their new 500s online only to think “I could get a Panda for much less than that”.  Many spoke of the Volkswagen Beetle in a similar tone.  It has always been seen by some as nothing more than a Golf made to look pretty, at the expense of practicality, and at greater expense to the customer.  Fiat must do all they can to avoid that happening to the 500.

So it’s going to be a balancing act for Fiat, and only time will tell if they’ve got it right with the 500.  They’ve certainly captured some of the spirit and fun of the original, and the timing of the launch could not have been better.   The reception has been incredible with almost blanket coverage from Italy to Australia, America to the UK, everyone in the motoring media has been talking about the 500, and those who have driven seem unanimously impressed.  But when the party atmosphere has calmed, and you’ve got a customer wandering in from the street into the fluorescent glow of a Fiat car showroom, that’s the real test of the magic of the new 500.  Will it win over enough paying customers to truly become a new cult Classic, will it capture the hearts of a new generation of true enthusiasts, or will the 500 be snapped up by the fashion concious hoards, only to be dropped at the tip of hat when the next big thing comes along.

If initial reports are anything to go by Fiat are on the right track to success with the 500, but the World is watching and you feel the baby 500 has just got to deliver.

If you enjoy looking at photographs of the new Fiat 500, then we highly recommend you pour yourself some of your favourite beverage, take a break, maybe put on your favourite tunes and wander over to the NF500 New Fiat 500 Flickr Group.

At the time of writing several contributors have generously shared a total of over 200 images of the new Fiat 500. In the group Photo Pool you will discover varied and interesting photographs of the new Cinquecento. The photographs offer a great mix of interior and exterior portraits, as well as individual takes on the Fiat 500 launch and Birthday party in Turin. There are also some great images from around Italy where the new Fiat 500 has been placed on display this weekend.

So go on, spoil your eyes and take a trip over the NF500 Flickr Group, and if you have some photographs of the Fiat 500 of your own to share, feel free, the more the merrier!

Courtesy of Fiat Press, we have a video presentation of over four minutes touring the exterior and interior of the new Fiat 500. The video shows all around the new 500, so for those of use who have yet to meet the little car, this is about as good as it gets! The Cinquecento shown obviously includes a number of interior and exterior options, far from a basic 500.

Customisation. It’s worked wonders for the MINI, and Fiat appear to be pinning their hopes on it doing the same for the new Fiat 500.

The array of options, packages, colours and trim levels available for the Fiat 500 is indeed impressive, Fiat claim they make for more than 500,000 possible combinations. With production expected to be around 120,000 baby Fiats per year, it could be several years before any two identical cars are produced. That’s the theory of course, however as we’ve seen with the MINI before, the reality can be a little different, with many owners opting for popular, and value for money packages and strong, familiar colour combinations.

Designed by the Fiat Style Centre and developed in parallel with the 500 project, the Customisation range of the new car offers all customers, even the most demanding, an opportunity to choose between over 100 items that adapt perfectly to the car’s characteristics, underlining its qualities and the friendly impression it imparts at first glance. They are accessories designed to increase comfort on board, to make free time more enjoyable, and to improve quality of life.

With the dedicated Fiat 500 Customisation programme, the new cinquecento is clearly stating intentions as a stylish Italian car, lavishly equipped and good value for money.

If you fancy jazzing up your new 500, Fiat offer 19 original decals: from the ‘chequered flag’ for the roof alone, to the tricolour or monochrome 500 stripe that streaks over the length of the car, a quirky barcode design and a badge with the Italian flag above the direction indicator. It’s also possible to match your exterior livery with the door trims. Motorists who like a bit of sparkle and bling can order chrome-plated wing mirrors, bonnet trims and the nudge bar on the front bumper. However, the untamed racer in you can opt to add sideskirts and a front and rear air dam.

Once you’re finished making the exterior of the new Fiat 500 your own, you can move inside, and find plenty more option boxes you may want to tick there too. According to Fiat, in side the new 500 innovation and practicality merge in an ideal environment, with references to obvious and specific elements of the past reinterpreted in a modern key. For example, you can forget your Magic Trees and cheap overpowering interior smellys the 500 can be purchased with an innovative ‘fragrance diffuser’, a new system developed by Fiat that offers a choice of three fragrances. The device is positioned inside the glass-holder and supplied by a 12V socket; it is turned on by a button and the intensity of fragrance can be adjusted. The colour of the cover can also be chosen to match the car interior. The fragrances are on sale through the Fiat sales network.

The Fiat 500 debuts with a new ignition key, with a changeable protective cover. Like some mobile phones, the cover can be replaced very rapidly in “snap-on” fashion, so that the key matches the bodywork, or simply to reflect your mood. There are several other accessories with an original design available for the Fiat 500, from the elegant soft plastic ivory or black jacket-hanger that fits on the head-restraint. Or the cell phone holder and iPod player, USB port and 12V socket, which guarantee calm journeys with no crossed wires. And the car covering tarpaulins decorated with a picture of the Fiat 500 of the Sixties, an original way of recalling the new car’s forebear.

It is also possible to order aluminium pedals or a plate with the 500 logo for the kick panels, and three different types of leather upholstery for the matching gear lever knob and steering wheel. Plus accessories for leisure time, such as the elegant luggage rack that fits on the rear window to carry skis and snowboards in total safety, with an extra touch of styling and originality.

The long list of accessories that customise the Fiat 500 concludes with a practical unit that fits into the loading bay, where you can store items of all shapes and sizes.

You can see view several photographs of the new Fiat 500, and many of the available options at the NF500 Flickr Group, and you can build your own virtual Fiat 500 on the official Fiat 500 website.