By Robert Farago
January 25, 2008 - 3,595 views
The new retro-styled Fiat 500 economy car is a major score for the storied Italian automaker, whose turnaround was funded by GM CEO Rick Wagoner's not-so-finest hour (a $2b+ payment to not buy the carmaker). Auto Express reports that Fiat will extend and defend the 500's position as the cutest of city cars when it unveils a drop-top version at the Geneva Auto Show. "The newcomer will use a full-length fabric roof that slides back to store on top of the parcel shelf. It will retain a glass rear window, plus full-frame doors and the hatch’s roofline." Fiat will also unleash the 500 Abarth SS hot hatch motorvated by a 1.4-litre turbo four good for 155bhp. That's got to piss-off Brazilian Ferrari F1 driver Felipe Massa, who just took delivery of a "special" turbo 500– with only 120-horses. Well, at least until he gets the new new car.
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POWERED
January 25th, 2008 at 7:48 am
Ladies will line up to buy the Fiat 500 convertible if they market them here. Earlier Fiat Abarths were pocket rockets. Young men will buy 500 Abarths by the boatload. SmartCar showrooms may become the loneliest places in town.
January 25th, 2008 at 8:10 am
I think Gardiner has a good point about Smart showrooms, but I must be getting old - I think driving such a tiny car with 155bhp under your right foot will lead to some big frights… this from someone who drove a Caterham 7 on the road for 3 years and lived to talk about it!
January 25th, 2008 at 8:36 am
I had a Fiat 500 back in the 60s and I had more fun with that car (and worked on it more) than any car I have ever owned. The apparent quality (paint, etc.) was great, but mechanical bits kept falling off the little 2-pot engine and oil leakage left smokescreens behind me.
Traffic was a lot different then. With me, it would definitely be a very limited city car today. Limited in the sense that I would NEVER drive one on the expressways in this city without a death wish.
January 25th, 2008 at 9:01 am
What is it with America’s fear of small cars? Do we think that driving such cars will somehow reduce our (self-perceived) masculinity? For years I drove a Honda CRX Si, and then a Del Sol (should have NEVER sold the CRX) and loved it. Never felt less for driving those versus, oh, say an Expedition…
January 25th, 2008 at 9:23 am
I dunno about you, but my seat time behind the wheel of a Toyota Echo is what spawned my claustophobia of teeny tiny wheels.
January 25th, 2008 at 10:07 am
@Pahaska
“Limited in the sense that I would NEVER drive one on the expressways in this city without a death wish.”
Umm… 5-star Euro-NCAP safety ratin in every test?
January 25th, 2008 at 11:17 am
Maybe this is why Nick2NY is selling his Smart?
January 25th, 2008 at 12:17 pm
Looks like a fat ladybug. No style to its design what-so-ever. I agree it’s a inner-city car. Tell me if you were going down the highway at 65 mph and a tractor-trailer pulled along side you, it wouldn’t make you a little bit nervous.