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Would you buy a Fiat 500?

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Now that there is a really good chance we might actually get the new Fiat 500 in the US, would anyone here actually buy one?

I saw these cars in Europe when I went there last year, and they look great. A quite a bit larger than they seem from the pictures.
And the convertible version just came out.

I think this would give Chrysler/Fiat a great image car in the US. The Beetle is now over 10 years old, and the Mini is too expensive.
If they price this under the Mini, they’ll have a winner.
the question is: will they build it in the US? It could take quite a while to retool any US plant to manufacture this car.
They need this right now.

Chrysler is also rumored to build a US car based on the great looking Fiat Punto, but with “its own design”.
Anything Chrysler comes out will not be as good looking as the current Punto, believe me. And it will take forever to design something new on the Fiat platform.
Again, they need good looking cars yesterday!

But forget all that…
Would you buy a Fiat 500 in the US ???

Conversation 29 comments

  2. Don’t know about the US, but I gurantee you these things will sell like Hot Hot Hot cakes in Canada. No question.

  5. No. But then I wouldn’t be seen in a Corolla/Vibe either. Give me a REAL car. A (new) Tarus, STS, or c300.

  6. absolutely.

    It would make a great grocery getter or city car. IMO it would be pretty useful here in the Dallas area.

    But I would still rather have an Alfa Mito…

  7. Here’s a question for anyone….If GM puts Opel up for sale and Fiat buys Opel (its been in the news that Fiat is very interested in Opel/Vauxhall) and Fiat also gets together with Chrysler, then do you think there could be a Chrysler Insignia? And if that happened, then what would Buick of China/America do?

  9. No. Sadly. Despite being an awesome car I think it’s too small to be practical. Even as a second car for my family which only totals 3. I’m hoping the new Mini SUV won’t be too big in the same way this is too small…

  10. maybe in five years but not right now. fiat has no dealer network for servicing these things and it would take a few years for any mechanic to train well in fixing a spanking new car unless they are going to import fiat mechanics straight from milan :).

  11. Mini buyers, Smart buyers, Beetle buyers, Cube buyers etc…..will all be the same type of buyer that would buy a 500.

  12. Anonymous said…
    No. But then I wouldn’t be seen in a Corolla/Vibe either. Give me a REAL car. A (new) Tarus, STS, or c300.

    April 28, 2009 4:41 AM

    What is a Tarus?? What is a c300??

  14. Anonymous_3:14_AM said…
    Hell yes I’d buy a Cinquecento!
    But I’m not certain I’d buy it over the new Fiesta. actually the KA is the 500's counterpart
    &
    since if we get one we'll almost certainly get both…
    …I'd choose the KA

    the Cinquecento's retro-ugly "styling" is as out-of-date as rabbit-ears on your B&W TV

  15. Anonymous_3:14_AM said…
    Hell yes I’d buy a Cinquecento!
    But I’m not certain I’d buy it over the new Fiesta. actually the KA is the 500's counterpart
    &
    since if we get one we'll almost certainly get both…
    …I'd choose the KA

    the Cinquecento's retro-ugly "styling" is as out-of-date as rabbit-ears on your B&W TV

  17. Probably not. Though, they got one thing right that a lot of small cars need to deal with…. more thigh support. I hate when they just make the seat smaller and leave your legs to dangle.

  19. I would purchase one. Saw a lot of them w while touring France this year. They are a well designed car. Lets face it, after this world monetary crisis is over with, the oil cartel will jack the price of fuel back up. It is inevitable that we all will be driving these small cars in the future. Europe already does.

  20. YOU SAID. “What is a Tarus?? What is a c300??” I SAY: What continent are you on? Antartica?? The c300 is the 375HP short-wheelbase version of Chrysler’s 300 (not to be confused with the 425HP Hem1-powered Chrysler or the Longer wheelbase Chrysler 300 Limited). The Tarus (not available for a few months yet) will replace the Ford 500 soon; and will seat 5 adults C O M F O R T A B L Y -even in the Hegh-Perf SHO version. BOTH are STUNNING in overall execution and either can EASILY handle a half-dozen golf bags in the trunk. Real big. Real Powerful. Real comfortable. Real performance. Real GOOD-LOOKING. For REAL people. (And for 2010 both will show some real reductions in co2 production.) You know, REAL CARS!

  22. Fuck no. Anyone remember why FIAT became known as the “Fix it Again Tony” car company? I’m not sure how they would compare with Volkswagen but I imagine they might even be worse than VW. Add in the crappy Chrysler dealer network and this sounds like a match made in hell. The Fiat 500 would be its demon spawn.

  23. Anonymous said…
    YOU SAID. “What is a Tarus?? What is a c300??” I SAY: What continent are you on? Antartica??

    I think the “other” anonymous was just making fun of your mis-spelling of the Ford Taurus and the Chrysler 300C. Now there was a Chrysler C300, but that was a 1957 model. The only C300 that I know of now, is the Mercedes-Benz C300. Now if the other guy really didn’t know what a Taurus or a 300C is, then you’re correct – must be from Antarctica. Otherwise, he’ll probably make fun of the way you spelled Antarctica.

    That said, I like the new Taurus. I think Ford did a great job on this one. I’d like them sell the European Ford Mondeo here as well, as a replacement for the Fusion, which although a decent car, just reminds me too much of my razor when I see it from the front. The 300C is a neat looking car – a classic. However, the visibility is crappy. As far as the FIAT 500 goes, I’d entertain one as a second car. I used to have a MINI, and this is close in size – perhaps a little roomier in the back seat, from what I hear. We already have a large vehicle for runs to Home Depot (my wife’s Honda Pilot) – so we don’t need 2 land yachts. Nice to have a small car to zip around in, and free up some garage space.

  24. Anonymous said…
    YOU SAID. “What is a Tarus?? What is a c300??” I SAY: What continent are you on? Antartica??

    A Tarus could mean Yaris or Taurus.

  25. It’s funny to read what Americans think about this car. For me as a German it is absolutely normal to drive a small car like that. I would definitely buy one in America. I drive a Ford Streetka, a roadster in the same size. And you should consider that these small cars make so much fun. If I don’t wanna drive 500 miles or load lots of stuff or people in it, I would always choose the smaller car, as they are so much fun and also fast.

  27. “Anonymous said…
    It’s funny to read what Americans think about this car. For me as a German it is absolutely normal to drive a small car like that. I would definitely buy one in America. I drive a Ford Streetka, a roadster in the same size. And you should consider that these small cars make so much fun. If I don’t wanna drive 500 miles or load lots of stuff or people in it, I would always choose the smaller car, as they are so much fun and also fast.”

    Germans are smart. Americans (majority) are not.

    Our education system is seriously lacking as is our lower class. In Germany, the lower educated lower class is still more educated than our middle class.

  29. yes! yes yes yes yes yes! I already went to the Fiat site six months ago and designed my own and kept it…the 500 is supposed to have over 500,000 design combinations; that would keep a lot of US workers busy. I hope it is offered that way here!

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