NF500 / peter newton

Talking to Fiat UKs PR Director Peter Newton last week we couldn’t help but notice one line that popped up in conversation more than once was the insistence that the new Fiat 500 is “not some retro pastiche”, but rather a proper car, with a grown up attitude and bursting with new ideas, modern technology and state of the art safety systems.

During our discussion it certainly became clear that comparisons drawn to the new MINI were viewed as far more favourable than any made with the VW Beetle, with the MINI seen as a successful reinvention of an historic brand and the Beetle frankly not so.

But the only reason these three cars are thrown together so keenly by members of the media and public alike is indeed their retro nature, and once again we come to the point being made to us that the 500 is a car that can and will sell on it’s own merits. Sure the appearance may offer a little throw back to a halcyon age of motoring, but the message was clear, Fiat want the 500 to be seen as a thoroughly modern car in it’s own right, and to not rest in the shadow of its revolutionary namesake of the past.

During a broad ranging conversation held with Fiat UK head of marketing Peter Newton this week, NF500 sought clarification and reassurance for eager fans regarding the release schedule of the new Fiat 500 in the UK and other markets.

This all began with reports that the phenomenal success of the new 500 in it’s début markets of Italy and France, were orders have exceeded 60,000 cars, would lead to the rest of the World waiting longer as the factory in Tychy struggles to meet demand.  Potential 500 customers have understandably gotten twitchy with this news, wondering if their agonising wait could be further delayed by the veracious appetite of continental consumers.

The good news is that everything is on track for a release early next year, and while country specific allocations may be reshuffled and reassessed to best meet demand (as is common practice in the automotive industry) there is no reason to believe that those who have already managed to place themselves on priority lists at their local Fiat dealer should be waiting any longer than expected.

While discussing pre-orders and waiting lists, Mr Newton suggested that order books for UK Fiat 500 customers are likely to open “not before October” of 2007, by which time prices and specifications for the UK market should all be settled and in place, ready for launch. But many dealers already have lists of customers keen to get their hands on Fiat’s new baby as soon as possible, many taking small deposits to ensure you’re ahead of the queue when the books officially open on the reborn 500.