Will the Fiat 500 be worth the wait?
Our first experience with the Fiat 500 has left
us desperately wanting a few more miles behind the wheel.
Absolutely. Our first experience with the Fiat
500 has left us desperately wanting a few more miles behind the wheel. Fiat has
always been at its best when channelling its creativity and engineering skills
into the smallest of cars – think 1937 Topolino, the 600 of 1955, the 500
of 1957 and the Mk1 Panda – and the 500 proves that Turin has lost none of
its small car magic. It’s quite brilliant, a car influenced by the
nostalgic charm of the past but still perfectly judged for the 21st
century’s high-profile premium supermini
sector.
Fiat knew just who to get in to ensure that the 500 stayed true to the star of the 2004 Geneva Motor Show. It called on former head of Ferrari design Frank Stephenson to hone the 500’s design for production. There’s no one better out there for the job – Stephenson designed the Mini for BMW, after all.
The critter uses Panda architecture. Drivetrains range from a 75bhp 1.3-litre turbodiesel w/54mpg [US] to a 100bhp 1.4-litre “gas-guzzler” w/44mpg [US]. Euro guesstimates price it at $12,000 landed in the States.
Now, if they’d only make a turbodiesel mini pickup for me.
Fiat knew just who to get in to ensure that the 500 stayed true to the star of the 2004 Geneva Motor Show. It called on former head of Ferrari design Frank Stephenson to hone the 500’s design for production. There’s no one better out there for the job – Stephenson designed the Mini for BMW, after all.
The critter uses Panda architecture. Drivetrains range from a 75bhp 1.3-litre turbodiesel w/54mpg [US] to a 100bhp 1.4-litre “gas-guzzler” w/44mpg [US]. Euro guesstimates price it at $12,000 landed in the States.
Now, if they’d only make a turbodiesel mini pickup for me.
Posted: Fri - July 6, 2007 at 07:03 AM