2011 Fiat 500 Review
Italians are just cooler than Americans. Walking around the Fiat stand at the 2010 Los Angeles Auto Show after the press intro of their 500 (Cinquecento in Italian, if you didn’t know…) you could tell who worked for the parent company.
They were better dressed and even if they weren’t particularly attractive the whole speaking in Italian thing really makes you sound far more cosmopolitan. And no I am not talking about the drink or the magazine. They exude a style and grace that is embodied in the small little Fiat that they are hoping will spearhead a reintroduction of the brand in the United States.
Now, if you are the type to still hold the whole “Fix It Again Tony” thing against them remember that it isn’t still the 1980’s. Besides, if you owned something like the old X1/9 you should at least remember how cool that car was at the time. That was until it completely rusted out, the electrics caught fire and you left it by the side of the road.
So remember it’s going to be 2011 soon and that sort of stuff (probably) won’t happen with a 500. Sure, it feels a bit smaller inside than even the Mini but it holds a nice middle ground between that premium contender and the Smart car. It’s cute, roomy enough for two but at its core it is an in-town car.
One area where these (admittedly pre-production) 500 samples could learn from Mini is in the quality of interior materials. The design, of course, was minimalist and Italian to the extreme but the plastics on the door panels and along the lower dash seriously need upgrading. I understand Fiat is trying to undercut the Mini in price but people will pay for perceived quality.
Also on hand at the show was a classic Cinquecento from the 1950’s and while most Americans don’t know it this car is as special to Italians as the original VW Bug was in the United States. Not only does it hold sentimental value but it was also the first widely affordable car available to many post-war Italian families.
So will the 2011 Fiat 500 sell in sufficient numbers to warrant the reintroduction of the brand to the United States? Well, the 500 has been a runaway smash across the globe and part of the appeal of the Fiat/Chrysler merger was the fact that it came with a manufacturing plant in Mexico where they could increase production.
I think I can safely say that even though I have never ridden in or driven the 500 that it will be a hit on looks alone. In the short time I was walking around the Fiat stand I heard two (admittedly female) journalists say they would buy the 500 if the dealers had them ready tomorrow.
And guys, don’t fret if you can’t admit that you like the looks of the 500. A high performance turbocharged Abarth (Fiat’s tuning arm) version is rumored to be on the way. I for one couldn’t be happier that Fiat is back.
