2012 Fiat 500 U.S.-Spec
Fiat is reentering the U.S. market in a sector that is booming and the opposite of boring, and into which its infiltrator fits perfectly. Small-car segments are growing fast, and some of the most daring bodies in the business are among the smallest: the Nissan Juke and Cube, the Smart Fortwo, even stuff like the Ford Fiesta and upcoming Chevrolet Sonic and Spark ooze personality in a way few larger vehicles do. And, of course, the Fiat 500’s small, cute, and affordable approach is a close copy of the strategy that worked so well for Mini. If the 500 can match Mini’s average of about 40,000 U.S. sales a year, Fiat will be mighty pleased.
If you think you understand the Italians, consider the take of Roberto Giolito, the head of Fiat styling. He compares the original 500—or, in Italian, Cinquecento—to Bibendum, the Michelin spokesthing that, in his words, is “a fat man made from several tires.” He says this without a hint of irony and without the slightest consideration that a fat man made from tires might not be a good design goal for a car. It’s not just the original, either. He sees the same thing in the modern 500. We don’t quite see the same disarming heftiness, but have to admit that the car is cute.
More Colors than a Double Rainbow
It’s retro-adorable inside, too, where an option swaps out the black surrounds for the HVAC and stereo controls for white Bakelite-look plastic. Checking this box also whitens the steering wheel and column—including the windshield-wiper and blinker stalks—as well as the trim around the gauge cluster. It’s actually not a cluster, really, but rather one enormous gauge comprised of concentric circles. In the middle is a digital display reporting engine temperature, fuel level, date, time, and exterior temperature. Wrapped around that is the tach, and around that the speedo. In reference to John Madden’s Thanksgiving feast—which consists of a chicken stuffed inside a duck stuffed inside a turkey and is referred to as a “turducken”—one C/D staffer called the monster gauge a “speedtachen.” If it sounds confusing, it isn’t. And no matter what info you want, you always know where to look. As a bonus, although the 500 might need a lot of time to reach top speed, at redline in every gear, the tach needle points to 120 mph on the speedo. So it’s got that going for it.
We love the optional white accents, but they do highlight the fact that the rest of what surrounds occupants is an interior befitting a $16,000 car. Hard, hollow black plastic makes up the top of the dash, the door panels, and the center console. And we noticed not all of the segments of the digital clock were uniformly illuminated. That and the fact that the HVAC controls felt as if they might fall off in our hands might sound nit-picky, but we haven’t had similar gripes about any other car in years.
The basic interior design is complemented by a page taken directly from the Mini playbook. (Actually, Fiat hasn’t just stolen a page; it has lifted the entire book. Where’s the FIA investigation?) In addition to the 14 available interior trim colors, some 50 accessories are available at launch, from interior lighting kits and roof racks to a variety of exterior graphics. Fourteen exterior colors are available for the 500, including two reds, yellow, orange, two different browns, and two greens.
High Standards
Fiat is hoping to distinguish the 500 further with its equipment. The base trim level, the Pop, includes power windows, locks, and mirrors; seven airbags; air conditioning; and cruise control. It’s not a ton of stuff, but neither is the $15,995 price. The company expects most of the sales volume to come from the middle trim level, the 500 Sport. For $17,995, the Sport adds 16-inch wheels (in place of the Pop’s 15s), unique fascias front and rear, a Bose sound system, and red brake calipers. At the top of the line sits the Lounge, at $19,995. It adds a six-speed automatic, a fixed glass roof, an alarm, satellite radio, and a leather-wrapped steering wheel. On Pop and Sport models, the automatic is a $1000 option. For reference, Honda Fit base prices range from $15,850 to $19,990, and the Nissan Cube’s, from $15,070 to $21,970.
Fiat is reentering the U.S. market in a sector that is booming and the opposite of boring, and into which its infiltrator fits perfectly. Small-car segments are growing fast, and some of the most daring bodies in the business are among the smallest: the Nissan Juke and Cube, the Smart Fortwo, even stuff like the Ford Fiesta and upcoming Chevrolet Sonic and Spark ooze personality in a way few larger vehicles do. And, of course, the Fiat 500’s small, cute, and affordable approach is a close copy of the strategy that worked so well for Mini. If the 500 can match Mini’s average of about 40,000 U.S. sales a year, Fiat will be mighty pleased.
If you think you understand the Italians, consider the take of Roberto Giolito, the head of Fiat styling. He compares the original 500—or, in Italian, Cinquecento—to Bibendum, the Michelin spokesthing that, in his words, is “a fat man made from several tires.” He says this without a hint of irony and without the slightest consideration that a fat man made from tires might not be a good design goal for a car. It’s not just the original, either. He sees the same thing in the modern 500. We don’t quite see the same disarming heftiness, but have to admit that the car is cute.
More Colors than a Double Rainbow
It’s retro-adorable inside, too, where an option swaps out the black surrounds for the HVAC and stereo controls for white Bakelite-look plastic. Checking this box also whitens the steering wheel and column—including the windshield-wiper and blinker stalks—as well as the trim around the gauge cluster. It’s actually not a cluster, really, but rather one enormous gauge comprised of concentric circles. In the middle is a digital display reporting engine temperature, fuel level, date, time, and exterior temperature. Wrapped around that is the tach, and around that the speedo. In reference to John Madden’s Thanksgiving feast—which consists of a chicken stuffed inside a duck stuffed inside a turkey and is referred to as a “turducken”—one C/D staffer called the monster gauge a “speedtachen.” If it sounds confusing, it isn’t. And no matter what info you want, you always know where to look. As a bonus, although the 500 might need a lot of time to reach top speed, at redline in every gear, the tach needle points to 120 mph on the speedo. So it’s got that going for it.
We love the optional white accents, but they do highlight the fact that the rest of what surrounds occupants is an interior befitting a $16,000 car. Hard, hollow black plastic makes up the top of the dash, the door panels, and the center console. And we noticed not all of the segments of the digital clock were uniformly illuminated. That and the fact that the HVAC controls felt as if they might fall off in our hands might sound nit-picky, but we haven’t had similar gripes about any other car in years.
The basic interior design is complemented by a page taken directly from the Mini playbook. (Actually, Fiat hasn’t just stolen a page; it has lifted the entire book. Where’s the FIA investigation?) In addition to the 14 available interior trim colors, some 50 accessories are available at launch, from interior lighting kits and roof racks to a variety of exterior graphics. Fourteen exterior colors are available for the 500, including two reds, yellow, orange, two different browns, and two greens.
High Standards
Fiat is hoping to distinguish the 500 further with its equipment. The base trim level, the Pop, includes power windows, locks, and mirrors; seven airbags; air conditioning; and cruise control. It’s not a ton of stuff, but neither is the $15,995 price. The company expects most of the sales volume to come from the middle trim level, the 500 Sport. For $17,995, the Sport adds 16-inch wheels (in place of the Pop’s 15s), unique fascias front and rear, a Bose sound system, and red brake calipers. At the top of the line sits the Lounge, at $19,995. It adds a six-speed automatic, a fixed glass roof, an alarm, satellite radio, and a leather-wrapped steering wheel. On Pop and Sport models, the automatic is a $1000 option. For reference, Honda Fit base prices range from $15,850 to $19,990, and the Nissan Cube’s, from $15,070 to $21,970.
