Fiat dropped a product onslaught at the LA show, revealing two variants of the 500L, and an Abarth version of the 500C, so I can better sunburn my enormous bald spot.
But since you already know what the 500C looks like, let’s focus on the Fiat 500L. All three cars share the Abarth’s 160 horsepower 1.4L turbo engine. The 500L will be available in standard trim or as a pseudo-crossover known as the “Trekking” (shown above). Despite sounding horribly lame, the Trekking isn’t that distinguishable from the standard 500, and the visual changes are minimal. The 500L will launch in mid-2013, with pricing announced closer to launch.
Now, make plans to bring over the Panda!
Posted in Future Vehicles, Marketing, New Cars, News Blog
Tagged as 2012 los angeles auto show, Fiat, Fiat 500, Fiat 500C, fiat 500L, los angeles auto show
Tagged as 2012 los angeles auto show, Fiat, Fiat 500, Fiat 500C, fiat 500L, los angeles auto show
I think they ruined the look of the 500. The 500L is no longer cute.
Its not like they disontinued the 500, they just made one that is more practical and that will probably sell better
I agree. The 500′s look just doesn’t graft well onto a larger vehicle. I think this looks like a bastardized MINI Countryman, and I’m sure it has a price premium to match…
I know I speak heresy, but that yellow 500L is a very handsome car. Better proportioned than the 500 IMO.
Three cars does not an onslaught make.
well, it doubles the number of offerings, so it is a relative onslaught
Hahaha… True enough!
What ?! An Abarth convertible 500c? How much more $$$?
Not digging the looks.
I thought I read on TTAC that they planned a 500 based Panda rather than the actual Panda for the US.
I thought the Panda (or the next one, maybe) was coming as a Jeep.
The 500 is already built on the (2003-vintage) Panda platform.
So it is. I wonder how I got that backwards.
At least there will be a choice between the normal or plasticlad look; for a few hours I was worried the 500L would only be made available in this country in bulked-up guise. I like the Trekking’s wheels but I like the smoother L’s looks more; I can already envision a decent secondary market for Trekking customers who wish to fit aftermarket wheels and want to ameliorate the cost of that choice by selling to a bling-obsessed 500 fan.
I would enjoy seeing the XL available here upon request; there have been enough calls on this site for compact 3-row vehicles for it to have viability in the new automotive landscape.
The Countryman got a lot of flak, but it’s now a full THIRD of MINI sales. This is a smart move for US-product-starved Fiat.
Agreed. I thought the Countryman looked like a turd and diluted the Mini brand. But my fellow american car buyers proved me wrong.
I think this Fiat 500L looks like a turd and dilutes Fiat’s brand identity. But this time I am not going to underestimate the bad taste and tackiness of my fellow americans.
Your fellow americans are getting fatter & wider. Hence, it will sell.
The U.S. spec 500L looks better than the Euro version, especially in the Trekking trim. I’m also pretty sure that those are different/updated headlamps.
With that said, its still a kind of fugly, toad-like jellybean of a vehicle. And oddly appealing.
Ok can I have my Panda now?
I really like the looks of the 500L Lounge. Especially noteworthy is the A pillar. Take a good look at it. Go ahead, I’ll wait.
The only other automaker I can remember doing this– and it was purely a design exercise that never saw the light of day, mind you– was Volvo, probably a decade or more in the past.
I look forward to seeing the 500L in the flesh. Er, sheet metal. Whatever.
Hopefully MINI can scale up the Cooper better than Fiat did with the 500.