FIAT500 makeover
Discussion
what do you think of the new fiat 500 design? to me it's just another travesty like the new mini cooper. good marketing exercise though. they'll shift boatloads on a nostalgia driven public with no idea about history. there's a cute gadget on the fiat website that lets you build your own virtual car complete with optional accessories and graphics. the 500 won't even be out til xmas season. fiat sure are a lot less secretive than lotus.
Personally I like it, nice to see Fiat putting some better effort into what is effectively their specialist subject, small cheap cars.
If I can find fault with one thing, the rear of the the production version isn't nearly as nice as the concept, but thats about it.
Thumbs up for me.
If I can find fault with one thing, the rear of the the production version isn't nearly as nice as the concept, but thats about it.
Thumbs up for me.
I love it. It's an honest effort and far better than the cartoony Mini which is horrendous. I also like the new Punto and hope to see Fiat enter a new design led era even if the cars underneath are no more than average, style goes an awfully long way to profitabiity and no-one actually minds them making money. It's only the Germans we resent doing that.
The new design is anything but a travesty - it is a genuinely small car unlike the new mini and as such remains true to its origins. Performance is never going to be anything more than spritely but then again neither was the original except where worked upon by specialist tuning companies. The other point is that it should also hold true to the other principle that made the original so popular - the price is going to be low since this is set to be the entry level option in the Fiat model range.
Given that the car is still a year away from the public though it is still a bit early to start forming real opinions.
Given that the car is still a year away from the public though it is still a bit early to start forming real opinions.
thanks ernest. i'll try and remember the general section is here next time.
regarding the 500: i didn't want them to just copy the original shape, but the new one would not have been recognised as a 500 to me, except from about 20 degrees out of 180 degrees, car being symmetrical. can't blame them for tagging on the 500 name to get attention. i can see some design elements from their competitors grafted on, which is always a bad sign. the car debuts this year, so we aren't too far from the final product, although we can't buy them for another year.
regarding the 500: i didn't want them to just copy the original shape, but the new one would not have been recognised as a 500 to me, except from about 20 degrees out of 180 degrees, car being symmetrical. can't blame them for tagging on the 500 name to get attention. i can see some design elements from their competitors grafted on, which is always a bad sign. the car debuts this year, so we aren't too far from the final product, although we can't buy them for another year.
have to say that i enquired about one today but the dealer isn't expecting any info for a long time yet.
apparently they are getting people trying to put orders in already (me for one) for the car. one woman last year was insistant that she wanted to order two "here and now" when the concept car was shown last year and couldn't understand that it was still only a concept at that stage.
apparently they are getting people trying to put orders in already (me for one) for the car. one woman last year was insistant that she wanted to order two "here and now" when the concept car was shown last year and couldn't understand that it was still only a concept at that stage.
on closer inspection, you'll notice my lotus is made from plywood and silicone sealant. no i'm not joking, and yes it came that way from the factory. looks like something macguyver put together on his lunch hour.
the original fiat500s were never sold in america, i'm not qualified to comment on reliablility. saw a few in france though still kicking around on country roads. probably due to dedicated owners.
the original fiat500s were never sold in america, i'm not qualified to comment on reliablility. saw a few in france though still kicking around on country roads. probably due to dedicated owners.
tinman0 said:
have to say that i enquired about one today but the dealer isn't expecting any info for a long time yet.
apparently they are getting people trying to put orders in already (me for one) for the car. one woman last year was insistant that she wanted to order two "here and now" when the concept car was shown last year and couldn't understand that it was still only a concept at that stage.
apparently they are getting people trying to put orders in already (me for one) for the car. one woman last year was insistant that she wanted to order two "here and now" when the concept car was shown last year and couldn't understand that it was still only a concept at that stage.
That is not unusual - a close friend of mine put an order in for the then concept 206cc at the motorshow. He had to argue with Peugeot before they would take the order but he did end up with the very first UK customer car when it did (finally) arrive.
This is the concept:
But I've found this elsewhere which looks a radical departure from the original concept with it's "plain grilleless" face which is the essence of the design to a Punto-esque face which destroys the point.
Not sure if this is a photoshop though. I understand that the original 500 was rear-engined and this one is Panda-based and front-engined but surely there is enough cooling for a bottom-fed radiator rather than despoiling the cute visage with a grille. I have to say this version is vastly less appealing. It appears that the new Ford Ka will also be shared with the 500 platform and so competition for a cute and funky design will be intense. Now a retro "sit-up-and-beg" would raise a few eyebrows and raid some of Morgan's waiting list.
But I've found this elsewhere which looks a radical departure from the original concept with it's "plain grilleless" face which is the essence of the design to a Punto-esque face which destroys the point.
Not sure if this is a photoshop though. I understand that the original 500 was rear-engined and this one is Panda-based and front-engined but surely there is enough cooling for a bottom-fed radiator rather than despoiling the cute visage with a grille. I have to say this version is vastly less appealing. It appears that the new Ford Ka will also be shared with the 500 platform and so competition for a cute and funky design will be intense. Now a retro "sit-up-and-beg" would raise a few eyebrows and raid some of Morgan's waiting list.
yep second one is a dog's dinner (but is a photoshop).
i almost think the std 500 should only come with the 1.3 multijet. and then there should be a 1.6 turbo abarth or something
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i really hope the punto 1.9 sporting depreciates as i expect cos i reckon that would go nicely with my MCS/insead of if i get something older and quicker...
i almost think the std 500 should only come with the 1.3 multijet. and then there should be a 1.6 turbo abarth or something
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i really hope the punto 1.9 sporting depreciates as i expect cos i reckon that would go nicely with my MCS/insead of if i get something older and quicker...
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