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Fiat 500 NEWS/VIDEOS

The Auto Channel
Detroit Bureau

Detroit August 3, 2009; Every since this year's Geneva Auto Show where the new FIAT 500c was shown with Elle Macpherson, I have wanted to check it out again...this week in Grosse Pointe and Detroit I had the pleasure.

The new Fiat 500C reminds me not of their first small Centro from Fiat back in 1957 but of the first Mini I drove in 1962. The Fiat Style Centre designed the 500C and they gave us a rock solid masterpiece that is very functional. Electric windows and sunroof. The model shown will be for the American market. I hope that they can also bring in the soft-top convertible model.

Continued:

GREAT VIDEOS Must see Link:


Il Nuovo (Chrysler) Fiat 500C Hits Motor City - GREAT VIDEOS

 

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Jaws drop for Fiat 500

VIDEO: Jaws drop Fiat 500 | Video | 6abc.com

KING OF PRUSSIA, Pa. - August 14, 2009 (WPVI) -- As the American auto industry fights for survival, the Chrysler company is trying to turn the corner by unveiling its latest venture.

Could the new Fiat 500 and its technology be the savior of the new Chrysler?

Chrysler and its new partner Fiat hope so.

This is the second 500 officially brought to North America.

t's in Philadelphia this weekend and it already has fans who have driven European versions that get 40 to 45 miles to the gallon.

"This car has personality and it has, I hate to use the word, soul. It has character," Brett Melancion of Tennessee said.

Chrysler decided to show off the new 500 at an annual convention of Fiat collectors held this year in King of Prussia.

After decades of jokes about Fiat reliability, Fiat now is getting rave reviews worldwide.

"The new Fiat 500 is a hip car; it's retro looking, but it has all the modern conveniences and the build quality equal to anything in the world," Bobb Rayner of the Fiat-Lancia Unlimited said.

"This car is so popular in Europe, they can't build them fast enough," Nick Puopolo of Canada said.

In its first day on local roads, the little Italian was turning heads says Lisa Barrow of Chrysler.

"Especially 18 to 25-year-olds, yelling out the windows, 'How much? When can I get it?'" Barrow said.

At this point, Chrysler is not letting people drive its 500, but a museum in Nashville sent its model, imported from England, with right hand drive and left hand gearshift.

Chrysler has not said how much the 500 will sell for in the United States or when it will go on sale.

(Soul, by the way, is manufactured by Kia.)

LINK:Jaws drop for Fiat 500 | 6abc.com - 8/14/09 - Philadelphia News - 6abc.com

 

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FiatFreakout-Revised

YouTube - PentastarVideo's Channel

 

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One giant Fiat 500

See "The Big Smile" : one giant Fiat 500
08/19/2009

Fiat500


Fiat is setting up a new promotional campaign for the Fiat 500 Convertible: a giant 5:1 scale of the Fiat 500 at a special venue called Parklife, on Oxford Street.

The extra large Fiat 500 drop top sits in this area for a few days and will for sure grab the attention of thousands of shoppers as this is a very busy shopping area in the UK.

The Big Smile event was set up by Fiat to grab people's attention and make them smile at the super-sized Fiat 500.

“We are taking The Big Smile to one of the busiest areas of London and I am looking forward to bringing our special brand of fun to this wonderful city,” says Elena Bernardelli, marketing director, Fiat Group Automobiles UK.

“The huge Fiat 500C, and the whole event will create a great atmosphere and we’re anticipating six very happy days ahead.”

Those in the US just wish they could get their hands on a normal sized Fiat 500.

In due time folks, in due time...

LINK:Luxvelocity : See "The Big Smile" : one giant Fiat 500

 

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360 HP R3T Rally

Romeo Ferraris 500 Abarth packs 360 tarmac-munching Italian stallions

Nov 19th, 2009

Think you've seen the most hardcore 500 already? Sure, Abarth has churned out some pretty wicked versions of the retro-hatch, but even the 695 Tributo Ferrari and R3T rally machine can't hold a candle to the beast above.

Given the name, you might think this latest Cinquecento was the result of another collaboration between Abarth and its big sister companies. But this 500 is actually a product of independent racing garage Romeo Ferraris, which has rebodied the 500 in carbon fiber and fitted it with a wing that looks big enough to sustain a jumbo jet's flight path. If that's not bonkers enough, Ferraris has squeezed out an insane output of 360 horsepower from the Abarth's 1.4-liter turbo four. That's more than 257 horsepower per liter, and rivals even the similarly insane 427 Cinquecento from SEMA for pure lunacy.

Drivers Aldo Cerruti, Michela Cerruti and Mario Ferraris will be taking turns behind the wheel at the upcoming 6 Hours of Vallelunga endurance race on November 22. We'd suggest everyone else get the hell out of the way.

LINK:

Romeo Ferraris 500 Abarth packs 360 tarmac-munching Italian stallions — Autoblog

 

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Fiat's rumored 2-cylinder engine

Fiat confirms 2-cylinder SGE powertrain for 2010

Fiat's rumored 2-cylinder engine has finally been confirmed for the Fiat 500 and will start production in Poland next year. The small displacement engine, called SGE, uses all the goodies from Multiair technology and is able squeeze three different power levels from the out its 900 cc. There is an aspirated version good for 64 hp and two turbo versions able to produce 80 and 105 hp, all in line with the current 4-cylinder engines that are currently used for this model. Fiat could also use these engines to power other cars across the range, such as the Fiat Panda, where this engine was first featured as a concept, or the larger Fiat Punto, where sub-100 g/km CO2 figures will be available for gasoline models.

More Here: Fiat confirms 2-cylinder SGE powertrain for 2010 — Autoblog Green

 

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Fiat 500 Abarth challenges mighty Monte Carlo Rally circuit

Tiny Fiat 500 Abarth challenges mighty Monte Carlo Rally circuit

Small is not only beautiful, it can be extremely useful. Now that winter is upon us, we're no doubt all irritated by the constant need to wipe condensation/mist/child vomit off the rear window before we set out on any sort of journey (particularly if it involves reversing).

Imagine if you could do this by simply reaching out behind you. The original Fiat 500 was so small that you could do exactly that: the back windshield was reachable from the driver's seat. You also had no need of a jack to change a front tire--it was enough to find two reasonably burly bystanders to pick the front of the car up. Job done, and you were on your way.

The romantically named Dante Giacosa, the designer of the Fiat 500, insisted that practicality was paramount. In cars--particularly small cars--as in everything, necessity was the mother of invention. This is why Citroën invented the original 2CV to carry five French peasants and a basket of their eggs across a plowed field without breaking any (eggs, that is, rather than peasants--although having driven a 2CV recently, I have to wonder).

For every forward-thinking and practical individual, there is at least one unhinged lunatic out there. In Fiat's case, that madman was Carlo Abarth. Originally, he was an Austrian who was actually called Karl, but in the aftermath of World War II, he decided that it might be more politically correct to Latinize his name and reinvent himself as a natural-born Italian.

Once Abarth started slotting unfeasibly powerful engines into tiny Fiats such as the 500, everyone was fooled. Only a man with Chianti flowing through his veins would do a thing like that. Carlo it was. And so the legend of Abarth was born.

Continued Here:

Tiny Fiat 500 Abarth challenges mighty Monte Carlo Rally circuit

 

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Abarth Puts the ‘Hot’ In ‘Hot Hatch’


* January 13, 2010 |

DETROIT — Carlo Abarth was to Fiat as John Cooper was to Mini and Carroll Shelby was to Ford. He took unassuming cars like the Cinquecento and made them wickedly quick. Abarth died in 1979 and over time the company bearing his name was all but forgotten. But Fiat bought the operation three years ago and cars wearing the Abarth Scorpion logo are rolling out again.

Fiat brought an 500 Abarth SS to the North American International Auto Show since its unruly stepchild Chrysler didn’t have much to show. No one on the Chrysler stand had anything to say about the car, which may or may not come to America when Fiat finally gives us the 500.

While the 500 is best described as adorable, the Esseesse is all business. The 1.4-liter turbocharged four produces 160 horsepower and 170 pound-feet of torque. It’s bolted to a five-speed gearbox. Put that much power in a car that weighs 2,282 pounds and you hit 62 mph from a standstill in 7.4 seconds. Torque-vectoring helps keep the FWD car pointed in the right direction. Stiffer springs improve the handling while bigger drilled rotors improve the braking. All that and it gets 36 mpg (combined).

In keeping with Abarth tradition, all the go-fast parts are packed in a wood crate and installed by an authorized Abarth shop. Last we heard, the 500 is headed this way later this year. Here’s hoping Fiat-Chrysler honcho Sergio Marchionne sends some of those crates as well.

Read More Abarth Puts the ‘Hot’ In ‘Hot Hatch’ | Autopia | Wired.com

 

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Fiat launches special-edition 500 Pink

Fiat launches special-edition 500 Pink

January19, 2010

If you’ve ever wondered what a gumball on wheels would look like, Fiat has your answer. The Italian automaker announced on Tuesday the latest special edition of its 500 supermini, the appropriately named 500 Pink.

Based on the Fiat 500 1.2 Lounge trim level, the 500 Pink features Fiat’s fuel-saving Start&Stop system, a sunroof, leather-wrapped gear knob, black interior, side rubbing strip with 500 badge, special pink key cover, special floor mats and – most notably – a pink paint job.

“I am delighted that we are now able to offer the 500 Pink – just like many of our customers who have been asking us for this limited edition,” Elena Bernardelli, marketing director, Fiat Group Automobiles UK, said in a statement. “It will appeal to free thinking drivers who have a distinctive personality and, with all the benefits of Fiat 500 already there, we have no doubt that it will prove a fantastic purchase for its new owners.”

Sales of the Fiat 500 Pink start today with just 500 examples slated for production. The 500 Pink will only be available for order online, with a starting price of £11,700.

Article printed from Leftlane – news, reviews, and info for the auto-industry: Leftlane – news, reviews, and info for the auto-industry

 

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New Fiat Abarth leaked photo

26 January 2010

New Fiat Abarth leaked photo

Abarth is after all a racing brand. The Scorpion logo has been around for more than 50 years, Fiat only recently relaunched it back in 2007. The brand is to be seen as a separate division to the main Fiat brand in a similar way that the Renault Sport brand is to the mainstream Renault.

The new Abarth Punto Evo gets more however from Fiat than just a redone face. Power is increased from 155 horsepower to 170, thanks to the use of Fiat’s new MultiAir engine technology. But that’s just the base Abarth. The even cooler EsseEsse model is supposed to own some 200 horses. The use of Fiat’s new dual-clutch gearbox is also reportedly in the mix, along with some LED lighting.

LINK: New Fiat Abarth leaked photo|Mibz.com

 

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Hallelujah! The Fiat 500 Is Coming!


February 11, 2010

fiat 500

Yes! At long last, the awesome Fiat 500 will be here by the end of the year. Better still, it looks like we’re getting the super-hot Abarth 500 as well.

Ralph Gilles, v.p. of design for Chrysler, confirmed today that the retro-ride is headed to America three years after debuting in Europe. The comment came during a speech before the Chicago Economic Club in which Gilles called the 500 a symbol of how well the Fiat-Chrysler partnership is working out.

We weren’t in Chicago and Chrysler has not yet provided a transcript of the speech, but according to Motor Authority we’re getting four versions of the car — the three-door hatchback shown above, the 500C drop-top, a Giardinetta wagon and the souped-up Abarth 500. The Abarth gets a 135-horsepower turbocharged 1.4-liter engine. No word on what the other models will come with, but they’re offered with normally aspirated 1.2- and 1.4-liter gasoline engines and a 1.3-liter diesel.

The 500, which perfectly updates the adorable Cinquecento, could take a nice chunk of the market that’s gone to Mini. But it also could go after the Toyota Yaris and Honda Fit, Reid Bigland, president and CEO of Chrysler Canada, told Canadian Press today when the car was unveiled at the Canadian auto show.

Fiat has since June teased us with the promise of driving the 500 on this side of the Atlantic. According to Reuters, Fiat plans to start building the 500 in Toluca, Mexico in December.

Fiat CEO Sergio Marchionne wouldn’t say how many cars might be built but called 130,000 an ideal target for the United States and Latin America. Chrysler plans to more than double its sales, roll out a dozen models built on Fiat platforms and repay its loan to the federal government within five years. The 500 appears to be a cornerstone of that plan. “The 500 is expected to stir excitement and certainly will help us position the group in the forefront of the industry in terms of innovation and fuel efficiency,” Marchionne said, according to Reuters. (During his speech, Gilles said Chrysler will improve fuel economy 25 percent on average by 2014.)

Sergio, we love you. Now please greenlight the 500 EV.



Read More Hallelujah! The Fiat 500 Is Coming! | Autopia | Wired.com

 

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performance enhancements

Fiat 500 Abarth and Abarth esseesse by Hamann

February 23, 2010
German tuner Hamann Motorsport has unveiled a range of performance upgrades for the Abarth 500 and the Abarth 500 esseesse. A total of five performance enhancements are available for the Fiat 500 series. The upgrades are presented up to a maximum 271hp (202kW) and up to 380Nm of torque. The overall increase is pretty large if you consider the standard package of the Abarth 500 of 133hp and 158hp for the 500 esseessse.

Hamann installed forged pistons, enhanced connection rods, a modified turbo charger with charge air cooler, a race clutch with weight-optimised one-mass flywheel and a new control electronic. For optimum deceleration, there are sport brakes with a four-piston calliper and 264mm or 305mm large brake discs.

Furthermore, they offer an alteration for the manual transmission. By applying a long fifth gear, the engine rev is decreased by 500rpm which allows a higher end speed. Customers can also order a self-locking differential which allows a locking capacity of up to 50 percent and therefore significantly increases the traction. Different sports suspensions are available to ensure a better handling.

New aerodynamics components are made of light composite materials. The kit includes a re-engineered front skirt with integrated LED daytime running lights and special wing extensions fitted at the front and the back. These make the car body wider by 30mm at the front axle and 35mm at the rear axle. The newly designed side skirts act as a connection between the two. At the rear you will spot a new sports exhaust systems with two- or four end pipes and a Ferrari-like diffuser.

The black matt anodised, one-part rim is offered in the size 8.0×18 (front axle) and 9.0×18 (rear axle). The tuner recommends tyres in the dimension 215/35 R18 or 225/35 R18. Another option is the HM Evo 18 inch rim with glossy black varnish and the diamond-polished rim star. The rim is offered in the size 7.5×18. The tuner recommends tyres in the dimension 215/35 R18 at the front- and 225/35 R18 at the rear axle.

As an alternative to the Largo programme, Hamann offers the “sportivo-line” for the Fiat 500. Front skirt, side wings, rear skirt and design wheel HM sportive I are available inside the kit. The black matt varnished, one-part rim has a diamond-polished outer edge and is offered in 7.0×17. The tuner recommends tyres in the dimension 195/40 ZR17 or 215/35 ZR 17.

More Here:
Fiat 500 Abarth and Abarth esseesse by Hamann - GTSPIRIT.COM

 

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U.S.-Market Fiat 500 Will Be Upgraded

Mar 16, 2010



* U.S. customers will get an upgraded version of the European Fiat 500.
* The U.S. car will ride on a new platform, one shared with the Fiat Panda.
* Benefits of the change include better crash protection and a quieter ride.


TURIN, Italy — The Fiat 500 that is coming to the U.S. market in 2011 will ride on a different platform from the European version but look exactly the same externally. It will be built around Fiat's new-generation baby car A platform, which will also be used on the 2011 Lancia Ypsilon and Fiat Panda.

The latest version is slated to debut a few months after the U.S. 500 goes into production in Mexico in December of this year.

The main benefits of the new platform are improved crash protection, reduced noise, vibration and harshness and a lighter body-in-white, all areas in which the U.S. 500 will be slightly superior to the European version. Europe will not be getting the update because the sizeable cost of switching platforms is not justified by the gains. But the change-over makes sense in the U.S. because the 500 is being produced at a new plant on new machinery.

Fiat is also in the process of deciding what to call its baby in the U.S., the choice being either the numeric 500 or the Italian version of the number, Cinquecento. The company believes that the Italian spelling of the number has some value in the U.S.

LINK: U.S.-Market Fiat 500 Will Be Upgraded

 

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Tuesday, 30 March 2010 17:18

FiatAnother important milestone in the history of the Fiat 500 has been reached with news that the 500,000th Fiat 500 has just rolled off the production line.

The half-millionth car was a 69 HP 1.2 litre version with Start&Stop, finished in Funk White.

On sale and in demand in 83 different countries around the world, the new Fiat 500 has reached this historic figure in only 21 months from its launch. The largest 10 markets for the first 500,000 cars have been: Italy (244,755 units), France (58,425), the UK (51,445), Germany (48,319), Holland (13,682), Switzerland (10,765), Spain (10,103), Belgium (9,548), Japan (9,030) and Austria (8,648).

The UKrange currently includes hatchback and Cabrio, several configurations (Pop, Lounge, Sport and by Diesel), one turbo-diesel and two petrol engines (all Euro 5), and availability of manual or sequential robotised (Dualogic) gearboxes. There are also special editions such as 500 Pink, and high performance Abarth 500s to consider.
Girlracer.co.uk

 

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Fiat 500 Helps Promote Italian Fashion

April 15, 2010

The Fiat 500 may be a tiny thing, but it draws big crowds. That's exactly what happened in the Detroit suburb of Birmingham on Wednesday night. Upscale women's store, Tender, parked a Fiat 500 at the curb as part of a reception to promote Italian fashion. None of the invited guests could resist poking around the Fiat 500, and telling us why this bit of Italian automotive fashion is as hard to pass up as a new pair of designer shoes.

 

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4-door version

April 19th, 2010

The U.S. will get a 4-door version of the FIat 500 that will be introduced to the European market next year. No timetable for a U.S. debut has been set.

This will be the fourth version of the Italian micro-car scheduled to be offered to the American public. Previously announced models include the base 500, set to go on sale at the end of this year, a convertible in the works for a 2011 release and an Abarth-branded performance version currently penciled-in for 2012.

Reuters says we won’t be seeing the Doblo van, which had been rumored to be a replacement for the Sprinter van that used to be sold by Dodge dealers. Tofas, the Turkish automaker that builds the van for Fiat, said the current U.S. market for light commercial vehicles doesn’t warrant the $100 million that would be required to bring the Doblo to the U.S. That leaves Fiat’s Iveco group as the only possibility for Chrysler to have a commercial van.

LINK: Cinquecento Quattroporte? Si! Doblo? No! | Allpar Chrysler, Dodge, and Jeep News

 

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2011 Fiat 500 caught testing in the USA

2011 Fiat 500 caught testing in the USA

04.25.2010

More Here:

2011 Fiat 500 caught testing in the USA - Top Speed

 

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Fiat On Two Wheels!

Fiat On Two Wheels!

 

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Fiat to celebrate the half million mark
Fiat will celebrate the production of half a million Fiat 500 city cars with a special show car called the Fiat 500 Thousandth

Fiat will celebrate the production of half a million Fiat 500 city cars with a special show car called the Fiat 500 Thousandth. The car will feature an unusual contribution from owners as it will be covered entirely by 1500 photos displaying the faces of Fiat 500 customers, celebrities and fans. Booking for a place are available now. A special application is available online at Homepage - Fiat 500.

It has only been 31 months since the launch of the popular supermini. The Fiat 500 is on sale and in demand in 83 different countries around the world. In addition to success on the sales front, the Fiat 500 has already won 40 international awards and has received the prestigious Euro NCAP 5-star crash safety rating.

The Fiat 500 is available with a choice of three frugal, ultra low emissions Euro5-ready engines, it can be ordered in three different trims the Pop, Sport and the Lounge and prices start at approximately £9500. There are also special editions such as 500 Pink, and high performance Abarth 500s to consider. The Fiat 500 Abarth is one of the most affordable hatchbacks to run; the combined cycle economy is 52.3 mpg with co2 emissions of 155g/km

The showcar will be ready three weeks after the booking stage is concluded and will feature in forthcoming events and international motor shows. The Fiat 500 Thousandth will be the first ‘collective car’, a further confirmation of the spirit of the original model with potential customers being involved from the earliest stages of design.

LINK: FIAT 500 | Fiat to celebrate the half million mark

 

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Fiat 500 adopts Ford Ka's set-up

Latest News


Fiat 500 adopts Ford Ka's set-up

17 May 2010

The Fiat 500 now has a rear anti-roll bar that is 30 per cent stiffer than the original unit, after the Italian manufacturer adopted the settings developed for the Ford Ka.

The Ford Ka went on sale after the Fiat 500, using the same 500/Panda platform with a Ford-designed body and Ford-tuned mechanicals.

Fiat initially used the Ford developed set-up on its Abarth badged derivatives of the 500, but has subsequently adopted it for standard 500s.

LINK: Fiat 500 adopts Ford Ka's set-up - Autocar.co.uk