R56 I think BMW should be worried... what do you think?
OVERDRIVE
Joined: Mar 2007
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From: Arizona
The Fiat 500 is definitely an econobox in Europe, but the article said they had a 135 HP turbo engine and another version with maybe 160 HP (?) coming out. The 1.4 with 100bhp won't come here. The 70 bhp model will come here as either a golf cart or riding mower 
6th Gear
Joined: Jan 2003
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I agree, Fiat will have an uphill battle overcoming the Fix It Again Tony thing...I'm not sure they can. It was much easier with BMW and MINI.
MINI knows full well that there are a variety of folks that are interested in MINIs. For many, the MINI is fun, premium small car with great packaging and flexibility. End of story. And there is nothing wrong with that...after all, it is a Mini. Those are the folks who may peel off with interest in the 500....but that's only if the car makes it over here and if Chrysler/Fiat get their act together. I know...big ifs. Add to this that while all Chrysler/Fiat drama is going on, other car makers are probably going to be creating additional competition...more for the 500, though, and less for MINI.
MINI knows full well that there are a variety of folks that are interested in MINIs. For many, the MINI is fun, premium small car with great packaging and flexibility. End of story. And there is nothing wrong with that...after all, it is a Mini. Those are the folks who may peel off with interest in the 500....but that's only if the car makes it over here and if Chrysler/Fiat get their act together. I know...big ifs. Add to this that while all Chrysler/Fiat drama is going on, other car makers are probably going to be creating additional competition...more for the 500, though, and less for MINI.
6th Gear
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 4,461
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From: Vancouver, WA
During this years International Auto Show here in PDX, we were bold enough to ask the Chrysler Counter when the Fiats were coming, they said it wouldn't be for a couple of years, now it looks like 18 months?? Hubby is really wanting the Fiat Panda to come over. 
2nd Gear
Joined: Sep 2008
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neat loking car but definitly not in the mini's class.
and as long as the UAW is partial owner of chrysler
id rather ride a pedal bike than give them my money.
just my opinion and you know what they say about those
and as long as the UAW is partial owner of chrysler
id rather ride a pedal bike than give them my money.
just my opinion and you know what they say about those
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4th Gear
Joined: Dec 2008
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I googled some photos of the Abarth essesse (SS - get it?) version...
160hp 1.4 turbo...
0 - 62 mph (100kph) 7.4 sec. .... 131mph top end...
2350 lbs. ...
Smaller and taller than a MINI - but a lot lighter and similar performance to a Cooper S. Terrific looks! I love the squat, planted-on-the-ground stance.
Just my opinion...
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4th Gear
Joined: Dec 2008
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Just a couple more...
interesting folding top... (there will be a full convertible, too)...
a track-only limited production racing model - the Abarth Cinquecento Asseto Corsa... what a mouthful!! - really rolls off the tongue, eh?...
OK, I'll stop now!
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interesting folding top... (there will be a full convertible, too)...
a track-only limited production racing model - the Abarth Cinquecento Asseto Corsa... what a mouthful!! - really rolls off the tongue, eh?...
OK, I'll stop now!
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Couldn't resist this thread, spent some time in Italy last fall, the Cinquecento is an icon over there, and the new re-hash is a very "cute" car. It might not have a motorsports history like the Cooper S, it would definitely cut into the small & quirky market of the base Cooper.
Having driven some modern (new) Fiats while over there, they're definitely on par with other similar brands, like Nissan, and a cut above current domestics.
As long as Fiat doesn't ship their cheapest junk over here (again), while keeping their more mature products in Europe, I don't think we'll have to worry about a repeat of their last NA disaster.
Having driven some modern (new) Fiats while over there, they're definitely on par with other similar brands, like Nissan, and a cut above current domestics.
As long as Fiat doesn't ship their cheapest junk over here (again), while keeping their more mature products in Europe, I don't think we'll have to worry about a repeat of their last NA disaster.
Neutral
Joined: Jul 2008
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The cinquecento is very impressive in person. I'm in Italy twice a year and each time I see one, I get that same warm happy feeling as I do with my Mini.
I don't see it as a competition, so much as a compliment. The 500 has its own associations; "La Dolce Vita" and all of that. You may see it on American streets sooner than you think. The deal to bring it over predates the Chrysler Fiat merger by at least a year.
I say, make room in your garage. It's a great little car.
I don't see it as a competition, so much as a compliment. The 500 has its own associations; "La Dolce Vita" and all of that. You may see it on American streets sooner than you think. The deal to bring it over predates the Chrysler Fiat merger by at least a year.
I say, make room in your garage. It's a great little car.
6th Gear
Joined: May 2008
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From: Washington State
I'm still relieved Chrysler is ceasing production on the things.
4th Gear
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 493
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From: San Diego, CA
I used to like PT Cruisers, ever since walking through a PT Cruiser show and seeing all the custom art and stuff they put on them. That changed when I took a driving vacation from San Diego to Oregon last summer and saw that every PT Cruiser we encountered performed poorly and their drivers all had bad attitudes. They're pretty worthless as a vehicle, not really a car and not really a wagon, and I can't see what people like about them, other than the retro styling; pretty much form over function, if you ask me.
It's hard to guess how the 500 will fair here. On one hand, you have the poor reputation of Fiat, plus the small size and poor performance of the base models. On the other hand, they all have great milage, they're relatively inexpensive and the design isn't that bad. The Ford Focus was an unknown Euro transplant similar to this and it did well here. Is fuel cost still enough to drive people to a car with 45+ mpg, regardless of size and power? It'll be interesting to find out.
It's hard to guess how the 500 will fair here. On one hand, you have the poor reputation of Fiat, plus the small size and poor performance of the base models. On the other hand, they all have great milage, they're relatively inexpensive and the design isn't that bad. The Ford Focus was an unknown Euro transplant similar to this and it did well here. Is fuel cost still enough to drive people to a car with 45+ mpg, regardless of size and power? It'll be interesting to find out.
6th Gear
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 3,027
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From: Washington State
I actually posted something similar on another thread, and tc-mini had a really great reply for that. I'm gonna cross post what tc said here for you because I think it's relevant. Not having driven a PT cruiser, I really didn't get the attraction myself and still kind of don't, but hearing the words of a former PT Cruiser owner does help put it into perspective a bit.
Mimicking a Mini is blasphemy, but I do understand the appeal of the Cruiser.
Petey (our cruiser before we got the MINI) was a great utilitarian car. The back seats could actually be removed (not just folded) to create a HUGE cargo area, and the front pasenger seat folder forward flat so I could take home just about anything on the shelves at Home Depot. If you don't think of it as a "cute" car and think of it more as a mini-mini van, it is really a practical car.
Ours also had the turbo package - which is something that Chrysler got right. It was tuned well to the automatic transmission and gave gobs of power even way down low in the RPMs, which actually made it fun to drive around town. Yes, the suspension was tuned too soft to be really tossable, but when it was empty it was really quite a hoot to drive.
But it's no MINI. We sold Petey when we bought the Envoy XUV (another amazingly adaptable vehicle that I wish they still made). No more need for a hauler once we go the Envoy - which of course freed us up to get the MINI.
Petey (our cruiser before we got the MINI) was a great utilitarian car. The back seats could actually be removed (not just folded) to create a HUGE cargo area, and the front pasenger seat folder forward flat so I could take home just about anything on the shelves at Home Depot. If you don't think of it as a "cute" car and think of it more as a mini-mini van, it is really a practical car.
Ours also had the turbo package - which is something that Chrysler got right. It was tuned well to the automatic transmission and gave gobs of power even way down low in the RPMs, which actually made it fun to drive around town. Yes, the suspension was tuned too soft to be really tossable, but when it was empty it was really quite a hoot to drive.
But it's no MINI. We sold Petey when we bought the Envoy XUV (another amazingly adaptable vehicle that I wish they still made). No more need for a hauler once we go the Envoy - which of course freed us up to get the MINI.
2nd Gear
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 142
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From: PA
Jeremy on top gear said he liked that it looks better than the mini, which I totally disagree with, and they tested a more sportier version of this.
It'll come down to the test drive, but if the Abarth 500 SS shows up at a dealer near me (and they have a friendly service department than Mini), there's a very good chance I'd make the switch.
It's a modern Fiat, nothing to do with Chrysler. If you want to call your Mini a BMW, then you could call the Fiat/Abarth a Ferrari, Lancia, Alfa Romeo or Maserati.
There are some options available, even a 200hp 1.4L version, Assetto Corse
http://www.abarth.it/500/configuratore.asp?L=EN
It's not the Mini, but it'll sure be neat if Mini USA gets some real small car competition.
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4th Gear
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It's a modern Fiat, nothing to do with Chrysler. If you want to call your Mini a BMW, then you could call the Fiat/Abarth a Ferrari, Lancia, Alfa Romeo or Maserati.
There are some options available, even a 200hp 1.4L version, Assetto Corse
http://www.abarth.it/500/configuratore.asp?L=EN
It's not the Mini, but it'll sure be neat if Mini USA gets some real small car competition.
My Italian is very rusty but I managed to build a nice red one.
(I just realized that I used the word "rusty" in a post about a Fiat - subconscious association, perhaps??)
Love the "watch" section - - lots of pictures and short videos, many of them on a race track. The Asseto Corse version looks/sounds great. Also - gotta love the (brief) shots of the old Abarth 595's and 895's at Monza in the '60's, engine lids propped open and all - - they were awesome!
Competition in the marketplace is good. I hope this small Italian car comes here as an alternative to the MINI for that reason. I'm not saying I'd buy one, but I would certainly take a test drive or two. I might hate it, I might love it, but that's what it's all about - competition for my dollars.
I'm a loyal MINI owner (even a previous owner of an original Mini back in the '70's) but it's up to BMW to keep my interest and loyalty. It's up to Fiat to try to sway me with their compelling little car. Both brands will have to try to be better than the other in order to get me to spend my money on their product.
Who's the winner this scenario? Me! the buyer.
BMW... are you paying attention?
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