A stylish car associated with one of the most exclusive names in fashion needs the appropriate introduction. And that’s why Fiat chose to launch the 500 by Gucci edition of its subcompact car in the US at next month’s New York fashion week. The special edition, which has been available in Europe since July, is mechanically identical to the run-of-the-mill US edition of the 500, but Gucci's creative director Frida Giannini customized its styling, adding the brand’s famous red and green pattern, a two-tone leather interior as well as its double-G logo in places like the wheels and the gearlever. The Fiat 500 by Gucci will be available both as a hatchback and as a convertible, in black or white finishes. Expect pricing of both models to be equivalent to Gucci’s other products. Just to get an idea, in Europe the hatchback starts from €17,000 (US$24,200 and the 500C convertible from €20,000 (US$28,800).
While we could understand if someone forgot to release a broken or a loose handbrake that allows the rear wheels to turn around with some difficulty, how can you drive a car on the road with the rear wheels completely locked down and not take any notice? And that's exactly what we have in this video starring a lady behind the wheel of a green Fiat Cinquecento (which was the 500's predecessor in the Italian brand's range). Not only did she forget the handbrake on, but she doesn't even pay attention to the young men trying to inform her about the brake. Follow the jump for the video.
Fiat has returned to the American market after 28 years – and it has done so in style with its colorful city car, the 500. Besides having already sold 7,982 cars since March with 3,038 deliveries in July alone, Fiat seems to be reaping great profits from its small model. That’s because American buyers apparently like to personalize their 500 by choosing pricier editions and adding numerous options. As a result, prices go up generating bigger profits for the Italian brand. For example, the Sport version accounts for almost half of the 500's sales, despite being $2,000 more expensive than the base Pop version, according to the brand’s chief, Laura Soave. Moreover, the $19,500 Lounge accounts for 20% of total US sales in the first five months of 2011. Apparently, customizing seems to be the rule rather than the exception. “A lot of what we ‘re seeing is customers really wanting to build their car” said Soave. And they’re willing not just to pay more, but also wait patiently for six to eight weeks to get their personalized 500 delivered. The 500 is offered in 14 exterior colors and numerous options that allow for 500,000 different combinations. Fiat already has 94 US dealerships through which the 500 is sold, and until the end of the year this number will reach 500 across the States. Finally, the high demand of the 500 has forced Fiat to increase its US inventory from the initial target of 60 days to 90 days by the end of July.
American-based design house Scagliarini Motorsports has unveiled its latest creation, the 504 Coupe Zagato Elaborata, or 504cze. As the name implies, the car is inspired by Zagato’s 500 Coupe concept that was revealed at the Geneva Motor Show last March.
Painted in a bright Lamborghini Arancio hue –that’s orange to you and me- the 504 Coupe Zagato Elaborata is based on the Abarth 500 esseesse with power coming from a 1.4-liter MultiAir turbocharged four-pot delivering 180HP and 300 Nm of torque. But unlike the front-wheel drive only Abarth, the 504cze features an all-wheel drive system (hence the “4” in its name). Other special features include a set of Brembo brakes, a performance exhaust system by Ragazzon, painted rear windows and Abarth front seats trimmed in alcantara. As we speak, the 504cze is a one-off special due to be delivered to a client in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). However, Scagliarini Motorsports said it is willing to manufacture a limited production run if there is substantial interest from buyers.
Fiat's engineers are putting the final touches on the third generation of the Italian firm's best-seller in the mini segment, the Panda, which will make its world premiere at the Frankfurt Motor Show this September before going on sale in select European markets by the end of the year, with the rest to follow in early 2012.
If you're weren’t content with our recent spy photographs of the prototype 2012 Panda, you might want to take a look at this video that was said to have been filmed in Napoli, Italy. It shows a couple of heavily cladded test models passing by on the road. Even though Fiat will keep the monobox formula of the current model, the new Panda will grow in dimensions offering improved interior space for both passengers and their cargo. The regular Panda will be followed in about a year's time after launch by a successor to the 4x4 model while a sportier Abarth version may also be in the cards.
Chrysler and Fiat CEO Sergio Marchionne gave a speech today at the 2011 CAR Management Briefing Seminars. He quoted philosopher Albert Camus, talked about the reason geese fly in a V formation (they create uplift for those that follow, thus extending their range by 70%) and even used an excerpt from Alice in Wonderland, specifically a dialogue between Alice and the Queen in “Through the Looking Glass”.
Marchionne did all this to convey the message that he feels vindicated. For effectively taking over Chrysler, for receiving the bailout money when most were skeptical or openly opposed it (and paying them back six years before schedule) and for wanting to merge the American group with Fiat. The Group's CEO explicitly stated that the US administration’s proposed 54.5 mpg by 2025 is “very doable”. He cited the example of the new Chrysler 300 full-size sedan, which is rated at 31 mpg on the highway. Although it is a far cry from the proposed targets, he said that the automotive industry has 14 years to utilize current and future technology and thus should have no trouble conforming to the 54.5 mpg target. Marchionne believes that Chrysler is on the right track, having presented “16 all-new or significantly refreshed products” and that the integration of the two management teams was inevitable. He also warned his audience about the rise of China “which cannot be ignored. It is the largest car producer in the world. If it exported even 10% of this production, the risk we face at our home markets is enormous”. He also hinted at his own retirement, saying that Chrysler’s future “is up to guys after me… after 2015 or maybe a year later”. Last, but not least, Marchionne revealed later, at a radio show, that his everyday car is a “black on black” Dodge Charger SRT8. Not a “green” car, but not a bad choice at all. After all signore Marchionne and his team have 14 years ahead of them to make even the SRT comply with the new rules.
With the "500 by Gucci" hatchback having already logged some 3,000 pre-orders online, Fiat wasn't about to let a good run go to waste. Today, the Italians announced the release of topless version that goes by the name "500C by Gucci".
Gucci Creative Director Frida Giannini once again customized the special edition version of the 500C in collaboration with the Centro Stile Fiat. The chief difference between the two models is that Giannini removed the green-red-green Gucci web pattern from the 500C's profile and placed it on the car's electrically operated black top. Like the hatchback model, the 500C by Gucci will be available in either white with matte chrome-plated elements or glossy black with shiny chrome-plated accents. Other exterior details worth mentioning are the 16-inch spoked alloy wheels with a double "G" logo on the hubcaps and Gucci signature in italics displayed on the tailgate and on the door pillar. Inside, we find the same upgrades and unique elements seen on the hatch including the bespoke Gucci upholstery, satin and polished chrome-plated elements, and a velvet-effect finish on the radio panel. The topless model will be available for order this month and from September will be on display in selected Italian Fiat showrooms. In Italy, the 500C by Gucci will have a price tag of €20,000 (approximately US$28,900).
Sergio Marchionne, the CEO of Fiat and Chrysler, has announced the unification of the two automakers’ management teams in one, smaller unit. As Fiat said in a statement, from September 1, the group will have four regional managers for both companies’ operations in Europe, Asia, North America and South America. These regional chiefs, along with Marchionne himself, and other 17 managers will form a “group executive council". Not surprisingly, Fiat execs dominate the new consolidated management team, with 14 people sourced from the Italian-based carmaker and only five from Chrysler. Until now, the executives of both companies have worked together in all industrial functions like engineering, design, manufacturing, quality control etc. Marchionne has admitted that he aims to merge the two groups in order to reduce costs and increase their revenue to $140 billion (€100 billion) ‘till 2014. In comparison, last year Fiat and Chrysler’s combined revenue was $81.47 billion while production reached 3.58 million units. Marchionne’s grander plan is to create a global group strong enough to compete against the biggest names in the industry such as VW, Ford, GM and Toyota.
Ah Twitter; the land of 140-characters where you can follow anyone without creeping them out has lately turned into something like a news board for automakers.
Instead of releasing an announcement on their respective websites, Fiat and Hyundai chose the social network to broadcast their 2011 LA Show debuts, which include the 2012 Azera and the 500 Abarth. Starting from Hyundai, the South Korean automaker that could, will bring to LA the North American market version of its next generation Azera sedan, which has already been launched in its home market as the Grandeur. The front-wheel drive Azera slots between the Sonata and the Genesis sedan and will most likely be offered with a 270-horsepower V6 engine. Fiat's LA Show debut is the sport version of 500 mini called the Abarth. It features an aggressive bodykit along with a tuned chassis and a 1.4-liter turbocharged engine capable of delivering between 140HP and 180HP, depending on the model.
