Fiat 500 -- the Italian scallion
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The Fiat 500 has just won the title of European Car of the Year. No, this isn’t an erroneous rerun of a story from the late 1950s. It’s the 2007 Fiat 500 being referred to here. So why should Americans care? Fiats haven’t been on sale here for years; the Italian company retreated and took its flaky, unreliable product with it. Here’s the thing: This new car has revived not only Fiat’s fortunes but also its confidence. And with small cars becoming more fashionable in the U.S., here’s a business opportunity.
The old, tiny, rear-engined Cinquecento got Italy mobile after the Second World War. This modern-yet-retro take is bigger (it’s also front-engined), but it tries to remain true to the original proportions wherever possible. Buyers are also able to customize the interior to their tastes. Think of it as Italy’s Mini. Sensible-budget Japanese and South Korean cars are all well and good, but they don’t have the pizazz in the piazzas of the Fiat 500.
No doubt this latest accolade has only spurred Fiat’s ambitions, because the 500 had some stiff competition that included the new and well-regarded Mercedes-Benz C-Class. Provided that Fiat has finally addressed its build quality concerns, there’s no reason the 500 can’t take a slice of America’s small-car action. So far, the biggest engine available is a 1.4-liter, but by 2010, when the 500 is expected to go on sale in the U.S., who knows how much gas will be? We might all be crying out for small engines.
-- Colin Ryan