Overgrown Fiat 500 Launched

Bertel Schmitt
by Bertel Schmitt

Fiat launched a seven-seat version of its Fiat 500, a car that used to be known for its cramped space in the original model. Called the 500L Living (as in Living Room …), the seven seater “is about a meter longer than the classic 500,” writes Reuters.

The car gained 20 centimeters on the Fiat 500L, on which it is based. The MPW is “essentially a stretched version of the 500L,” writes Autoexpress. “That allowed engineers to squeeze in a third row of seats, but don’t expect acres of space back there.”

Other expectations are pretty big: “We expect to sell about 20,000 to 30,000 of them in Europe in the next 12 months,” Gianluca Italia, Fiat brand chief for Europe, Middle East and Africa, told Reuters.

Bertel Schmitt
Bertel Schmitt

Bertel Schmitt comes back to journalism after taking a 35 year break in advertising and marketing. He ran and owned advertising agencies in Duesseldorf, Germany, and New York City. Volkswagen A.G. was Bertel's most important corporate account. Schmitt's advertising and marketing career touched many corners of the industry with a special focus on automotive products and services. Since 2004, he lives in Japan and China with his wife <a href="http://www.tomokoandbertel.com"> Tomoko </a>. Bertel Schmitt is a founding board member of the <a href="http://www.offshoresuperseries.com"> Offshore Super Series </a>, an American offshore powerboat racing organization. He is co-owner of the racing team Typhoon.

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  • AJ AJ on Jul 06, 2013

    I know a number of families with three kids, and having three kids really does limit the car choices beyond a minivan. However I'd still have concern about putting a lot of kids in a small car. I'll be curious to see how it does in safety tests?

    • See 2 previous
    • Cornellier Cornellier on Jul 07, 2013

      @Marcelo de Vasconcellos European parents are less worried about colliding with bubba's full-size pickup.

  • Sgt Beavis Sgt Beavis on Jul 06, 2013

    Just think, you can use that 3rd row to torture people that secretly despise.

  • Lou_BC Actuality a very reasonable question.
  • Lou_BC Peak rocket esthetic in those taillights (last photo)
  • Lou_BC A pickup for most people would be a safe used car bet. Hard use/ abuse is relatively easy to spot and most people do not come close to using their full capabilities.
  • Lorenzo People don't want EVs, they want inexpensive vehicles. EVs are not that. To paraphrase the philosopher Yogi Berra: If people don't wanna buy 'em, how you gonna stop 'em?
  • Ras815 Ok, you weren't kidding. That rear pillar window trick is freakin' awesome. Even in 2024.
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