NF500 / variants

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.

If you were concerned that as much as you love the new Fiat 500, it’s just outside of your grasp, or your planned budget has been blown out of the water after being tempted by the impressive array of options available, then Fiat may have come up with the answer.   Fiat have announced a series of unique finance, maintenance and support packages exclusive to the new Fiat 500.  Details are given below:

‘500 cents’ and ‘50to500’: innovative solutions from Fiat Group Automobiles Financial Services

In perfect harmony with the many ways of customising the new model, Fiat Group Automobiles Financial Services has developed two innovative solutions that also underline the strategic nature of the Financial Services, and its role of captive finance company.

For Fiat Group Automobiles, ‘500’ is both a name and a brand, and the two formulae offered by Financial Services are based on this principle: ‘500 cents’ is the ideal product for the customer who purchases with a loan, while a motorist who usually uses cash, will be able to try out the new ‘50to500’ financial formula.

The new products were designed with the ‘advantages for the customer’ firmly in mind, and the loans include ‘additional services’ offered by Parts&Services, a Fiat Group Automobiles company that specialises in after-sales services and loyalty programmes.

Both financial products include a 5 year/500,000 km warranty and the ‘500 Free’ package at a discount price.

These two products will be available on all European markets, starting in Italy through Sava, and in France through Fiat Crédit, namely in the first two markets where the Fiat 500 will be launched.
With ‘500 cents’ the customer can customise his car with over 500,000 variants but the instalment remains the same: ¤ 5 a day to buy any version, engine, option or accessory. In Italy the Sava proposal is based on instalment payments (even with no down payment) varying in length up to a maximum of 5 years. In France on the other hand, the Fiat Crédit proposal is based on a leasing agreement with a final repurchase value.

With ‘50to500’ the customer collects the car, paying just 50% immediately, and the remaining 50% after two years, with no intermediate instalments (in Italy this is an instalment agreement with a large final instalment, while in France it is a leasing agreement).

The concepts of the two proposals took their inspiration from the positioning of the new 500: extreme customisation to reflect one’s own personality. It is the concept of ‘mass exclusiveness’, a car for the people that should be accessible to everyone.

‘500 Free’ from Fiat Group Automobiles Parts & Services

Fiat Group Automobiles Parts & Services has developed ‘500 Free’ for the new car, an exclusive package whose very name evokes a sense of freedom. In fact, the customer does not have to worry about anything: a mobile workshop will be at his disposal 24 hours a day to guarantee complete roadside service, even if he runs out of petrol or fills up with the wrong fuel, has a puncture, a flat battery or forgets his keys; and when it is time for periodical maintenance, the car collection service will pick the car up from his home, and his mobility will be guaranteed by the reimbursement of any taxi fares (bonus up to ¤ 50). To use the service the customer only has to call a freephone number. ‘500 Free’ will be available on all European markets for the customers who choose it, and will be included in the range of financial solutions dedicated specifically to the Fiat 500.