Honestly, I shed a Tear when I saw this!

[Nutzoids]

*The New Fiat 500*

:evil:

[yrsdrgn]

holy crap that thing looks awesome. i like the side view and the rear looks a bit like the cooper. I WANT ONE!!! =P

[Typer73]

Interior has a kinda retro look.

[brickhardmeat]

USA will never get one we don't even have VW Polo. I am totally happy with Yaris though for now.

[static808]

vw bug front + mini cooper rear. not bad.

--B

[Imagine]

Me likey! Yeah, it's sad that we don't see more of these micro-cars like the 500 and the Polo. Hence the reason I bought the Yaris! I dig the whole European mini car thing. We need more of them on the rode.

[eTiMaGo]

hehehe kinda... though honestly there aren't 1000 different shapes you can make a subcompact car, so it's kinda normal to see similar lines between manufacturers...

[kurokoma-kun]

Fiat also has a model called the panda--very similar specs to our cars. It raced a ferrari modena around a go kart track and came in just 1.6 (?) seconds slower.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tAQu8PMZSSk

[eTiMaGo]

yeah, the panda's really boxy, kind of like an italian xB :biggrin: But they have a "sport" version which is supposedly really fun to drive... and I love the advertising in the UK magazines: "Don't pet the panda"

[kurokoma-kun]

Interior has a kinda retro look.

Now that is a center tach!

[eTiMaGo]

Of course, the Micra also comes in a hard top convertible version...
http://www.auto-show21.com/motershow/frankfurt_m2005/car02/dsc_4956.jpg


And in a mid engine, rear wheel drive 3.5L V6 310HP version :drool:

http://www.autoblog.com/2005/07/11/nissan-micra-350sr/

[kurokoma-kun]

And in a mid engine, rear wheel drive 3.5L V6 310HP version :drool:

holy crapzoley!

here is interesting project--RWD Yaris conversion--has turbo engine from MR2 in it
http://www.redlinemag.com/page/redline?entry=marangoni_project_yaris

[boris13]

I really like the Fia 500 and the Nissan Micra. Wish we could get them in the US. Maybe we will in a few years, as gas tops $6 per gallon.

[nsmitchell]

I just love small cars! I just don't see the expensive fast big cars as being all that great to own. Kinda like the Vegas strip. Nice to visit, but I wouldn't want to live there. Small, quality cars are always so cool and clever! :thumbsup:

[churp]

Wasn't the last time Fiat imported to the states in the 80's????? Fiat more or less got tired of the US BS!!!

[SailDesign]

I used to have a little Fiat. the "big sister" to the 500, called the 126 - 600 cc engine, two cylinders, 2-and-two-halves seating, etc.
Just remember not to exceed 70 mph, or the valve-cover gasket blows.... Did an honest 40mpg (US) back in 1982 - should have put it in the container when I moved here.

[hystria]

I used to have a little Fiat. the "big sister" to the 500, called the 126 - 600 cc engine, two cylinders, 2-and-two-halves seating, etc.
Just remember not to exceed 70 mph, or the valve-cover gasket blows.... Did an honest 40mpg (US) back in 1982 - should have put it in the container when I moved here.

the 600 was actually quite a MICRO-car, so small sized one could not believe it when going down the road... perhaps one of the smallest cars ever made, if we exclude some weird & unrealistic concepts

[MudBug]

My Yaris is the first car I've owned in more than 20 years (All trucks since then). The Last car I owned was a Fiat 128 (Or something like that, just going off the way I remember it looking)

[hasher22]

ew

[Yaris Revenge]

$@#%&*%@#$@%^*!!!!!!!!!

See, it's this kinda' crap that makes me wanna' move outta' the US. Why the hell do we get all the boring cars, yet we're the largest automotive consumer group on the planet?!?!?! NO FAIR! :mad: :cry: :bs:

~YR

(Awesome, awesome car, BTW)

[nsmitchell]

Election 2008 might grease the runway for some smaller cars hitting the US roads! Since Green is everywhere these days and gas prices are staying up, I think more small cars might make their way over here. I think it would be neat if kinda like a Carmax theme, but sell all new European small cars that are 50 state smog legal, and sold under one roof. Figure out what each model needs to be legal and modify them there and sell them. How cool would that be?! It would take a lot of $$$ but I think it could be done.

[St_G]

Exterior is okay, but the interior looks great!

[CASTREX]

More Micro cars for the viewing pleasure of US members.

This is the Citroen C1. 1.4 Turbodiesel engine capable of Up to 60 MPG.

[ItalianYaris]

OHHH you guys, not only this baby is coming out, We have also the Abarth Model which comes with a 1.4 liter 4 cyl turbo with 150 HP! And there is also the convertible version!

Check it out! http://www.infomotori.co.uk/a_17_EN_18953_2.html

[Vervepipes]

I used to have a little Fiat. the "big sister" to the 500, called the 126 - 600 cc engine, two cylinders, 2-and-two-halves seating, etc.
Just remember not to exceed 70 mph, or the valve-cover gasket blows.... Did an honest 40mpg (US) back in 1982 - should have put it in the container when I moved here.

My parents owned a Fiat Bambino when we lived in Germany (Lhar), but sold it before moving here. It was so much smaller than the Tempo they also owned at the time lol

[ECHOKnight2000]

Cool little car! I love it! I looooooooooovvvvvvveeeeeeee small cars!! Especially cars like this cause they're like go-karts so they are "fun," and frugel on the wallet.:wink:

Oh yeah. The Citroen C1 which is pretty much a rebadged Toyota Aygo and Peugeot (Joint effort). Nice though, but I would take the Toyota in heart beat as I think that's the best looking of the three.

[nick1983]

I want one!!

[swng]

Some more news here:
http://news.en.autos.sympatico.msn.ca/article.aspx?cp-documentid=4804030
Enjoy!

[Nutzoids]

Some more news here:
http://news.en.autos.sympatico.msn.ca/article.aspx?cp-documentid=4804030
Enjoy!

I almost creamed my pants!

:evil:

[Jem_hadar]

I dig the whole European mini car thing. We need more of them on the rode.

ME TOO! :D :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

[TrancosRt]

What's there not to love?

It would be cool to have the 500 land in the US...
I remember mi dad's white Fiat 600, noisy and umcorfortable as heck, but it was quite reliable (the only time I remember it leaving my dad stranded was when one of the front suspension arms broke in a major pothole) and easy to move in congested city. You can still see some on the road in Argentina!

[jdubau55]

http://www.sportcompactcarweb.com/features/0610sccp_suzuki_swift_sport/index.html

Would love for this to come to the states....I LOVE IT Id almost trade the Yaris for one.

[Pavel Olavich]

The Fiat 500 has soul, it has great lines....but in comparison, the Nissan looks sterile, frumpy, and plain Jane...although I strongly suspect the Micra would be MUCH more reliable then the Fiat....the Italians make great looking cars but most of them are really bad in the reliability department...even the $200,000+ models...go figure!

[SLIK4]

i have to say i dont like it much. reminds me too much of a vw and i hate vw's. reliabilty sucks and way to expensive on repairs. interior isn't bad though.

[Pavel Olavich]

i have to say i dont like it much. reminds me too much of a vw and i hate vw's. reliabilty sucks and way to expensive on repairs. interior isn't bad though.

Why do you think Fiat, Renault, Citroen, and several other Italian/French makes left the USA in the last 20+ years? BS reliability. BS value. BS technology....lol

[churp]

Had a couple Fiat and wouldn't rate their reliability worse than any US car...and I've been driving since '64.

[Pavel Olavich]

Had a couple Fiat and wouldn't rate their reliability worse than any US car...and I've been driving since '64.

Then how come they left the US market? How come they NEVER made a profit here in the US? How come the Japanese succeeded here? How come while they were in the US market, ConsumerReports and many other car magazines found them to be shit? Oh wait! Maybe it was a conspiracy!

Hello?!?

[eTiMaGo]

could just be a compbination of bad knowledge of the US market, bad image, bad reputation... I mean look at our Yarii, not exactly a lot of shining reviews in the US press, is there?
And we're talking baout 20+ years ago indeed... people's expectations of cars were quite different, weren't they?

[churp]

Then how come they left the US market? How come they NEVER made a profit here in the US? How come the Japanese succeeded here? How come while they were in the US market, ConsumerReports and many other car magazines found them to be shit? Oh wait! Maybe it was a conspiracy!

Hello?!?

Personally I would say the roadsters, 124 sport coupe, and X19 of the 60's thru early 80's were the best of their class for the times. The US had nothing to compete with them and the Triumphs and MG's were dying antiques. The US government was starting to dictate emission and safety standards which the 'world' car companies, which had a very small percentage of their market with the US, felt weren't worth their trouble to change for such a small market. Fiat was one of the worlds leaders for cars and trucks at that time. Look back at the US autos at that time and you will see a very dark period for them also....terrible gas milage, 85 mph top mandated speedometers, and I almost wouldn't consider the Vette a performance car during that period.....all because of government mandates. The Japanese started taking over at that time and there probably wouldn't be a US manufacturer left if Japan would have opened factories here in the 70's.

Way to much history to look at for that time to say Fiat pulled out due to lack of sales because of reliability. The government with the aid of our US carmakers did it....the then big 3 publicly whined, but they we niaeve enough to think they would get rid of their competition, but Japan proved them wrong.

:thumbdown: :thumbdown: :thumbdown:

[Vervepipes]

Well said

[JosephDoc]

I love it very much. But on the 2nd, I bet it will be pricy also.

[stuffy]

i bet the 500 would look really nice to see it in person, very simple lines so it doesn't look too flashy in pictures.

i really like the idea of that hard-top micra, now that's ingenious.
nissan just sells boats over here in n.america, had the opportunity to drive a versa and have to say that it is probably the most boring car i've ever driven, not to mention huge for a sub-compact.

[gaffo]

Fiat - bad history, I'll let somebody else buy one first.

59-horses = "eaten alive" is utter bullshit. ford Festivas have managed with 59 horses and old beetles with similar for decades. sure you gotta floor it to get on the interstate, but big deal.

I've driven a Festiva 85 mph before - across the country in fact on I-40.

no big deal.

100 horses for such a small car is just palin silly and defeats any notion of high gas milage.

[gaffo]

the fiat of today might not be the one of old - but you guys defending the reliablility of the Fiat of old is hillarious!

I had a friend with an 85 Spider (you know the convertable) - he bought it in 87 with 35,000 miles. He had it for one yr (or less).

1. within the first month - he drove into my driveway (a commercial space with a curb) and since the oil pan was located IN FRONT OF THE FRONT WHEELS his pan hit the curb BEFORE his FRONT WHEELS! - sliced the pan clean open.
He had to tow it out of my driveway. Oil all over my yard-driveway to boot.

2. this car had THREE keys, one for the doors - one for the glovebox and another for the trunk - why three key? so if you loose one you cannot open one of the above?

3. The carb one day just decided to catch on fire, the whole car burned up in the guys driveway one afternoon.

....................

Friend of my mom's - had one of those fiat boxy sedans they sold in the late-70's. It too one day just caught fire and burned up in her driveway.

....

Friend in collage had an x-19. He told me that the tranny was constantly falling apart and he was mechanically inclined and was able to fix - but he bitched about it all the time nontheless.

...

Me - had a Triumph Tr7 (oneof the last one built-rare fuel injected version with more power). Had 38,000 when I bought it. By 45,000 the thing started to fall apart, starters, alternators, vacuum-leaks. FUN to drive - but minor electrical problems that never were tracked down. Car had a habit of just "shutting of" - would be in the interstate going 85 mph - then the engine would just "turn of" (on - then off - fast). Before I knew it I was litterally coasting at 85!!............so I just re-twisted the key while in neutral, and the car would start up again!! Little things like that add up and by the end of the day'years you have it..................eventually you just want to get rid of the damn thing and get something that WORKS!.

Why the japs cannot make an Austin-Healey type stylish looking cars (using their reliable parts) has been a mystery to me for at least the last 30 yrs.

but they can't. nor can Americans.

.....................

I like the R1 myself:

http://jalopnik.com/cars/news/subaru-launches-r1-minicar-in-japan-120025.php

[churp]

the fiat of today might not be the one of old - but you guys defending the reliablility of the Fiat of old is hillarious!

................eventually you just want to get rid of the damn thing and get something that WORKS!.

Why the japs cannot make an Austin-Healey type stylish looking cars (using their reliable parts) has been a mystery to me for at least the last 30 yrs.

but they can't. nor can Americans.

.....................

I like the R1 myself:

http://jalopnik.com/cars/news/subaru-launches-r1-minicar-in-japan-120025.php

Can't really defend the old Fiat with present day cars...just IMO they weren't bad for the day (better than most). Didn't think driving over objects and ripping the oil pan open was a reliability issue--more of a driver training issue?? Triumph TR7's were well known when new about their reliability...couldn't have paid me to drive one, then or now.

Jag's (XKE) and Healeys are beautiful cars, with excellent engineering accomplishments of their own....why not get one and replace electricals and carb's, nothing much wrong with the rest. Japan has made beauties also....240Z, NSX, RX7, and several that didn't get imported.

[eTiMaGo]

Why the japs cannot make an Austin-Healey type stylish looking cars (using their reliable parts) has been a mystery to me for at least the last 30 yrs.

The old Honda S600 is a pretty handsome thing along those lines...

[gaffo]

yes - I forgot about that one.

and the old Datsun convertable of the same era.

for some reason they stopped making the curvy cars by the 70's though ;-/.

I personally think cars have been fugly and/or boring since the early 70's through the late-90's.

the re-issue of the Beattle in 99 then the Cooper and later the Thunderbird and so on broke the "bubble-car everything must look like a Ford Taurus" 20yr draught).

Retro look I like. The one thing Chrystler is good at. GM could learn style from them IMO.

Yaris is nice because it looks like the stereotypical "Concept car" (not the kookier looking ones but the more pragamatic ones I remember seeing models of in the late 80's early 90's. Yaris is not gaudy or cheap looking (refering to the Hatch - I think the Sadan looks "Stodgy" - no offense ;-).......).