NF500 / frank stephenson

The immediate sales success of the new Fiat 500 has revived talk of Fiat putting into production a microcar concept first shown in 2005 when the Fiat 500 “Trepiuno” was considered too impractical and expensive to be made by many industry observers.

In 2005 the concept vehicle, rumoured to measure just 2.65 metres in length, was shown originally by Italian motoring magazine Quattroroute.

At the time, Italiaspeed.com reported Frank Stephenson, then the recently appointed head of design at Fiat, wanted to steer away from the “retro” market he’d so successfully won over with his design for the new MINI, and the microcar would include many innovations to enable an extremely compact car to accommodate four people at an affordable price.

Those innovations were rumoured to include Fiat’s trademark all-glass roof and a sliding door for easy access in confined spaces with the 1.3 litre Multijet diesel engine sat behind and under the rear seats driving the rear wheels to allow for a comparatively spacious and flexible interiroir space.

As we all know, this never came to light and recently the “Trepiuno” hit the streets as the new Fiat 500. However, the instant popularity of Fiat’s new baby has lead to rumours of the microcar coming back. How much weight such rumours hold is yet to be seen, but the success of one car does not guarantee the success of another, or indeed mean a manufacturer suddenly has the funds to put a relatively complex concept into production and the one thing Fiat have shown in recent times is sharp business acumen.

The Economist has an excellent report on the Fiat group.  The article in particular focuses on the companies remarkable turnaround from the brink of bankruptcy to returning a profit, culminating in the release this month of the new flagship Fiat 500.

As many writers have done recently, the author believes the new 500 will serve to add a halo effect to the company, enhancing and reinvigorating Fiat’s image, particularly in their home market of Italy.

The new 500 raises Fiat’s game further. Some analysts have questioned the impact it will have on Fiat’s future, arguing that it is a niche model that will be built at a rate of “only” 120,000 cars a year. But the reaction of the usually hard-bitten motoring press suggests otherwise. In recent years no small car, not even the new Mini (designed by Frank Stephenson, the man behind the new 500), has been greeted with such enthusiasm.

The report, particularly for an online edition, is detailed, informative and well worth a read if you want to appreciate a little better what the 500 means to Fiat, and how the financial world believe it will affect the companies fortunes.

Automotive News have reported Today that the new Fiat 500, in Abarth form in particular, could well be sold in the USA.

This isn’t a new rumour, but when it’s Fiat CEO Sergio Marchionne who’s the one doing the gossiping, it surely adds some rather juicy fruits to the grape vine!

Apparently Marcionne has said he would like to sell an Abarth 500 in the US in competition with BMW’s MINI Cooper and Volvo’s C30.

The bad news is that if this happens at all, it wont be until at least 2010. Before Fiat can even begin to make this dream a reality they will have to get themselves back on track in the USA with the Alfa Romeo badge (who’s design team is now headed up by Frank Stephenson, who also lead the design team on the new 500).

Could the new 500 AND the new MINI Cooper prove cult smashes in the USA? Who knows, but we’d care to bet there’d be a lot of people excited by the prospect.

Early reports of the first drives of the new Fiat 500 are appearing in the media Today, and it all appears to be a case of so far, so good for Fiat’s new baby.

One of our personal favourites, 4Car, has a great photo gallery, and sum up their positive review by saying:

See one, drive one and you’ll want one.

Can’t get much more glowing than that, although Auto Express come across equally as gushing and state that:

…there’s no doubt that, after 50 years, the 500 is back with a vengeance. Is there a better small car on sale? After our test drive, we seriously doubt it.

CAR Magazine have the Fiat 500 as their cover star, a review and an in depth interview with Frank Stephenson.

So the British motoring press, known for their honesty, and and at times downright cynicism seem to have been well and truly won over by the new Fiat 500’s charms, despite the fact people in the UK will have to wait for a few more months than mainland Europe to get their hands on the car.