Heres a twist for you. Same guy who designed the MINI for it's reintroduction by BMW is behind this car as well. Frank somebody. Found it on Wikipedia I think.

I too saw the episode of Top Gear when Jeremy Clarkson was thrashing about in the supercharged version. For what it's worth he was pretty high on the car within it's niche

That said I'm in no hurry to trade mine in

 

Fix
It
Again
Tony



Maybe they'll be better this time around...

 

That would be Frank Stephenson. For anybody who owned an early-model MINI he is a legend!!! And yes, he also designed the new Fiat 500.

 

my $.02:

Though there will be a bunch of logistics and marketing challanges for FIAT / Chrysler to overcome in the states, I think the Abarth could very well become decent competition for the MINI - and that would be a very good thing for us MINI enthusiasts.
I owned a 1969 850 spyder for several years in the 70s - my experience was that it's reliability was probably not as good as a Dodge Dart from that era - but it was no worse than the typical 60s British products. That FIAT served me well - I enjoyed it!

The primary reasons I bought my 04 S were it's design, that I could afford it, and that it is so fun to drive ~ same was true, at that time, of my 850 Spyder.

http://www.roadandtrack.com/article....rticle_id=8026 here is a R&T article ~ they seem to think it compares favorably with our beloved MINI ...

 

Competition shouldn't worry anybody. It'll be good.
I don't like the looks of the new 500 and it lags in performance, but it may steal some of the MC sales to people more interested in mileage than style and ride.

 

FIAT+ALFA+CHRYSLER=> reliability haven

 

12 whole horsepowers?

 

If it's reliabilty is anything like their other Italian bretheren, (i.e., like the Alfa Romeo I used to own !#*$#!!!) then there won't be a problem. L.O.L.

 

His name is Frank Stephenson

 

+1

 

Why do you say that? When the Fiat 500 was coming out I was struck by their emphasis on the Youification aspect and in fact the similarity of the marketing to MINI. Take a look at their configurator: http://www.fiat500.com/videoconf/01-EN/main.asp

 

You know what Jeremy Clarkson says about Alfas right?

"You cannot be a true petrol head until you've owned one but it's like having great sex, that leaves you with an embarrassing itch."

I'm not sure that's a positive advertisement...

But I promise you that if the Mito came over here... I'd at least test drive one.

 

It's also several hundred pounds lighter from the article, so I say it's a good match.

 

More small cars are a good thing. I don't see direct competition with MINI for the performance crowd, just the want a small car crowd.

I do like the interior styling, the exterior looks cookie cutter to me.

Mark

 

Yes, and if one looks at MINIs from this perspective (perfectly justified), we might as well throw the Nissan Micra in the ring, too.....not sure if we'll see that car here either. If this all starts to happen, though, there are probably lots of small cars, like the 500, that will give MINI a run for it's money for simple, fun, fuel efficient, small-scale driving. Heck the Micra even has four doors!!! Who knows...MINI may choose to compete by bringing the MINI ONE over here!!! On the other hand, automakers might, given the scale of the U.S. market, choose to tune these small cars to an enthusiast level. I'm sure other makers will be (or have been) studying MINIs formula for success over here!

 

Here is a small little math equation that maybe can clear things up:

FIAT = crap
Chrysler/Dodge = crap

so, crap + crap = a whole lot of crap

I have been to europe many times and have seen the cars there; fiat, opel, ford, peugeot, renault, lada, nissan/datsun, vw, you get the idea. This fiat would not be at the top of my list to introduce to the states. Peugeot and Renault make some really cool cars that perform well and look cool as well. I would be more excited about one of those coming to the states rather than a fiat .

Now some of you may remember both of these companies made attempts to bring their brand to the states and failed miserably, especially Renault. If they brought over a Renault 25 back in the 80s instead of their 505 or 504 sedan, I think they would have made their mark here in the US.

Anyway, I'm driving MINIs as long as I can drive and thats the bottom line. Also I think that many here do share the same feelings about their MINI.

 

Yup...that'll be very hard to overcome here. Remember many of were concerned about MINI quality (since it was a British car) except for the fact that BMW was building it. Without that level of cred, things might have gone very differently.

 

I hope they bring back the Yugo, and LeCar next

 

Absolutely, but liking different cars aren't mutually exclusive. You can like a mini AND a Fiat500. Or like a mini AND a Fiesta (the new Fiesta is a gorgeous car, fyi).

It's a bit naive to say I like MINIs, everything else is crap. Nothing wrong with enthusiasm, but we mustn't make ourselves look like ***** as fans of a brand.

 

I'm sure Frank Stephenson designed it to compete with his former employer..

It's gonna appeal to some, but I would say that's it's going more the fuel-miser buyer/base Cooper route than the quirky car that can haul some serious ****...

 

I think it would be good if BMW had some stiff competition for the MINI.

 

+1

I bought a 1984 (?) Honda Civic 1500S hatch brand new... and that was it, I thought I'd drive Honda products forever. Loved that car! And the Acuras that followed it. But... then I got a terrific deal on a Lexus. Forget those Hondas, Lexus vehicles for me! If you'd asked me during my Lexus years (owned 2 of them) I wouldn't have been able to think of one reason to ever drive anything else. But... then I tested a MINI. Wow! Reminded me so much of the '71 Mini I owned many years before but brought into the 21st century. Awesome! A MINI owner again and forever.

Times change. Priorities change. New vehicles come and go. To proudly say "I'll never drive anything else!" is short-sighted, in my view. What a boring thought, to drive the same make of car for 25, 30 or more years when there are so many other good or great vehicles out there to try. I love my MINI too, but it's up to BMW and MINI to keep me interested over the long haul. If something else more compelling comes along - well, I'm game.

Keep an open mind and you'll be richer for it.

Personally, I think this Fiat 500 (Abarth version, please!) could be a terrific ride when/if it's sold here. And if it's not? Oh well, I still have my MINI... or... on to the "next big thing" in automobiles.


__________________________________________________ ___

 

It seems like many of you are missing the point. Don't feel threatened by healthy competition. I read so many posts of mechanical problems with MINIs and if this gets BMW/MINI to get their heads out of their tailpipes, then GREAT! I think it is a neato little car and if they can sell it here, it may just build a cult following, one reason being MINIs are now everywhere and common.

 

I'd like to see a horsepower war develop....I think that's something we could ALL enjoy!

 

Taking advice from Jeremy Clarkson on what constitutes great sex and associated itches is at best oxymoronic and well beyond the decency limits of this forum.

I'm sticking with the Alfa Mito to kick the Mini's posterior.

There, I blasphemed again, stone me now.