At the upcoming Paris Motor Show, Fiat will join the ranks of automakers with a special designation for its most fuel efficient and lowest CO₂ emitters: PUR-O2. Despite the moniker, we are pretty certain that there's more than just pure oxygen emanating from the exhaust pipes of the new 500, Bravo and Croma PUR-O2 models. Just a guess. Anyway, the Italian automaker has not yet released the official fuel consumption figures, but states that the city mileage of the new 500 is 10-percent improved. Emissions scores are all down as well, with the 500 and Bravo coming in at 115 g/km and the Croma at 140 g/km of CO₂. Making up the package is a stop/start system along with "Eco Packs that include green tyres, low-viscosity fluids, aerodynamic packages and gearboxes with modified ratios." Pretty much what you'd expect. With this new line of eco-friendly mods, Fiat looks to keep its title as Europe's lowest CO₂ emitting automaker.


[Source: Fiat]

Wondering how to turn a Fiat 500 into a dinghy, um, we mean a tender? According to Italian coachbuilder Castagna, it can be done. First, remove the top, doors and tailgate. Second, enlarge the sills so that some semblance of structural integrity is maintained. Next, remove the entire interior. Replace the interior with teak wood and wicker accents and add weather-proof seats. Replace the top with some multi-striped canvas for some additional weather protection. Finally, remove the internal combustion engine along with all of its assorted bits and pieces. To make it mobile once again, install an electric drivetrain that is capable of propelling this beastie over 80 miles per hour. Of course, you'd want to travel a good distance, so it is reportedly able to get over 80 miles of range per charge. After taking a look at this conversion, we wonder if the company would just be willing to do the electric drivetrain and leave the rest alone.

[Source: Channel 4]

With its compact body and highly efficient range of gasoline and diesel engines, there aren't a lot of cars on the road that return better fuel economy and lower emissions than the Fiat 500. But if the latest reports are to be believed, Fiat isn't about to rest on its green laurels.

According to emerging reports, a hybrid version of the Fiat 500 is in the works. The gas/electric retro mini would start off with Fiat's 900cc two-cylinder engine, hooked up to a battery pack and backed up by a start-stop ignition system and a dual-clutch transmission. The idea of an environmentally-friendly 500 was previewed by the Fiat 500 Aria concept (pictured above) shown earlier this year at the Geneva show, while the 500 hybrid would reportedly be unveiled, oddly, at next year's Goodwood Festival of Speed. The combination of green credentials would surely increase the 500's economy to industry-leading levels, and help the entire Fiat Group come in below impending European emissions standards.

[Source: Auto Express via Auto Unleashed]

Although the first two generations of BMW's revival of the Mini brand have been sales sensations and are nothing if not fun to drive, the Bavarian company's true engineering merit has always been with rear-wheel drive vehicles. So, it isn't at all surprising that the huge sporting automaker from Germany is looking to co-develop its next front-wheel drive Mini platform with Fiat. Though it could be argued that the Fiat 500 is a direct shot across the bow of the retro-style Mini Cooper, the money savings from platform sharing was apparently just too much to resist for the two automakers.

Fiat certainly has a long history of producing fine small cars, and its current Punto and Panda-based 500 have received rather good reviews from the European motoring press. What's more, BMW has always used engines developed in cooperation with other manufacturers for the Mini. Still, it seems odd that the two marque's would go at each other with vehicles built off the same underpinnings. We'll just need to wait and see how well the two vehicles are differentiated from one another.

[Source: Reuters]

Fiat hasn't sold cars in the U.S. market in more than two decades, but they could be coming back within two years. At least the tiny 500 could be on its way. Fiat was already known to be looking for a location for a North American assembly plant to produce Alfa Romeos for our market. Alfas are scheduled to be on sale here around the end of 2009 and a plant is scheduled to be online by 2010. The same plant could also end up producing the 500. Speaking at a conference in Europe last week, Fiat Group CEO Sergio Marchionne declared that he felt the 500 could prove popular in the U.S. market and could be sold as a stand-alone brand in much the same way that MINI stands apart from parent BMW. Marchionne wants to finish rolling out the rest of the 500 lineup before launching it in the US. Next year a convertible will join the current 3-door hatch and a longer wheelbase model à la the MINI Clubman will follow a year later. If the 500 is built here, the upcoming Alfa Romeo Mi.To could also join the party, making for a fascinating lineup of small cars.

[Source: Automotive News - Sub. req'd]

Italian automaker Fiat is already huge in the diesel segment with almost 80 percent of the cars sold in the boot peninsula already running without spark plugs. Now, Fiat is working on their own home-grown hybrid system that could be on sale by 2011. With the goal of having the lowest CO₂ emissions of any European car-maker, Fiat is developing their hybrid powertrain to work with both gasoline and diesel engines. Fiat is working on systems for both small cars and vans with the former being paired with the new 900cc two cylinder and dual clutch transmission that is coming for the 500. That system could yield CO₂ emissions under 90g/km which would challenge the Smart ForTwo CDI. For vans, Fiat has a system that will be used with a 2.3L diesel and automated manual gearbox.

[Source: Automotive News - sub. required]

Fiat has announced the pricing for the Fiat 500 in the UK, which will be on sale in January. Britons will be able to buy it for between £7,900 and £10,900 (that roughly translates to $15,500-21,900).

The array of Euro 5-ready engines available start with a 69 bhp 1.2-liter and 100 bhp 1.4-liter gasoline powerplants and the 75 bhp 1.3-liter MultiJet turbodiesel. Buyers can order their 500 with three trim levels Pop, Sport and Lounge.

Continue reading for complete press release and price list for the UK.

Related:

• Fiat 500 wins Eurocarbody 2007 award
• Rendered speculation: Fiat 500 Giardinera (SW)
• VIDEO: Fifth Gear tries out the new Fiat 500

[Source Fiat UK]

Fiat is apparently considering a production of a new mini-car to challenge the Smart ForTwo and upcoming city cars from Volkswagen and Toyota. The latter two companies will be displaying concept versions of their models at the Frankfurt Motor Show next week. The Fiat would likely share a platform with the Panda and 500 but be shorter still. At 3.2m the new car would undercut the 3.55m-long 500 but still offer seating for four. The Toyota and VW are expected to be 3.15m and 3.4m long respectively.

Unlike the other two, Fiat won't yet show a concept version although that could come next spring at Geneva. Fiat will however show a new 65hp two-cylinder engine in Frankfurt that will probably go into the new car. Production of the Fiat will likely start in 2009 or 2010 but all these tiny cars have another problem: profitability. Whether any of these manufacturers will be able to build these cars with the equipment that's expected on modern cars such as stability control and airbags and still make money is very much an open question. That's important because all the companies will need to sell plenty of these cars in order to bring their fleet average for CO2 emissions down.

[Source: Automotive News – Sub. Req.]

It may be based on an iPod, but the new Fiat 500 can handle more than a three-foot drop. In fact, Fiat announced today that the Fiat 500 was given a Euro NCAP five-star crash safety rating with a total of 35 points. Fiat says (see press release after the jump) that the rating "confirms the special attention Fiat Automobiles SpA pays to all aspects of driver and passenger protection" and "This is the first time that a car of this size has achieved five stars and the 500 is now one of the safest vehicles on today's roads." Not bad for a small car that costs only 10,000 euros.

Related:

• 1959 Fiat 500 that got 244mpg in 1969 found rusting in back lot
• One version not enough for Fiat: 500 convertible, wagon and SUV coming
• Fiat hopes that the 500/Cinquecento will become the "iPod of cars"

[Source: Fiat]

Fiat re-launched the tiny and iconic 500 in Turin, Italy yesterday. Known in Italian as Cinquecento, Fiat is hoping this small car will be hugely poplar with its clean design and made-in-Poland prices. Fiat's hopes for this vehicle are so high, the company is publicly calling it the "iPod of cars."

The 500 has not been made in 32 years, so it's kind of a big deal that Fiat is bringing the name back. The original struck a chord with Italians following World War II, and still have many fans. This time, the 500 is a bit bigger than before and it has to compete with other small cars like the Smart and the Twingo. Initial interest is high, thanks in part to a price tag of about 10,000 euros ($13,600); more than 25,000 people have placed an order for the new 500.

Related:

• Fiat might bring Abarth 500 minicar to US market after 2010
• 50th Anniversary Fiat 500 coming to Turin this summer

[Source: Gilles Castonguay / Reuters]

The review is by MegaWhat TV, a web TV channel producing weekly shows about any new electronic gadget, which now includes this car. While it does look like the "special" child of the smart ForTwo and Fiat 500, the fact is that it's being put into production now, with preorders currently being taken. Turns out, while it's a very small car, it very well suits the market it's aiming at - strict city-dwellers with hearts of gold. I added that last part, but if they're going green, they're golden in my book. The boot (read: trunk) is larger than you would expect, but that's where the pleasant surprises end. The speedometer doesn't go past 50 mph - again, suburbanites and vacationers can't make much use of that, but this car isn't made with them in mind. Range is 40 miles per charge, and there are apparently charging stations on curbs in London already. Unfortunately, as our host points out, while the cable can't be detached from said charging station, some jerk can walk past and yank it out of the car itself, whereupon you come out of the office, unable to get home for a few hours.

I would expect this car to be a success in the U.K. People there are, shall we say, less fickle than we are here, and the styling won't bother as many potential buyers (watch out the windows to see the other real 'lookers' on the road there). The fit and finish of the interior leaves a bit to be desired, but unless you're loaded, there's always trade-offs.

[Source: MegaWhat TV Thanks for the tip, Linton!]

The Fiat 500 launches in Europe in about a month. When would you like it to come to America? If you said sometime after 2010 and you secretly hoped it wear an Alfa Romeo badge, you might be in luck.

An American version of the 135hp Abarth 500 might be a reality, according to anonymous sources quoted by Automotive News Europe (subs req'd). The car would be sold in small numbers by Alfa Romeo dealers, to compete with the Mini Cooper. Converting the Abarth 500's price to USD makes it about $20,200, ANE says. If it came to the U.S., would you buy one? You've got at least three years to decide.

Related:

• Fiat Abarth 500 spotted at the 'Ring
• 50th Anniversary Fiat 500 coming to Turin this summer

[Source: Luca Ciferri / Automotive News Europe]

I'm pretty sure that the majority of us would like to cruise in style. Whether that style gives off the image that we love high-performance, high utility or high economy, whatever we choose to ride or drive says something about us. A Camry tells other people that you value reliability and resale value, while a Corvette tells people that you like to be seen, and be seen going fast. What does a scooter say? That depends on who you ask, as some people, mostly men, wouldn't want to be seen dead on one. Or, others may think of the "Mod" craze from long ago. Whatever others think, you can rest assured that it is costing you less to get where you are going than them!

If you are interested in the history of how scooters and microcars got to where they are now, check out this new book. Did you think that the Smart car was the first of its kind? Not even close! That trail was blazed years ago by BMW, Fiat, Mini, Messerschmitt and many more. I have not yet read it, but I will. Maybe you should too!

[Source: Veloce Publishing]

The Fiat 500 is headed for a revival this summer, the 50th anniversary of this early small city car. Known as the Nuova Fiat 500, the car was introduced on July 4th, 1957. This July 4th, in Turin, Fiat will offer the new made-in-Poland Fiat 500 for sale. Only 355 cm long, 165 cm wide and 149 cm tall, the new Fiat 500 comes with three engine options: a 75 bhp 1.3 16v MultiJet turbodiesel and two petrol engines, a 69 bhp 1.2 8v and a 100 bhp 1.4 16v, with five or six speed manual gearboxes. Really useful stuff, like mpg ratings and cost, are yet to come, but there's heaps of Fiat 500 history in the official press release after the jump.



[Source: Fiat]

One of the icons of automotive history is the Fiat 500. During the economically-depressed postwar years it was a sort of Italian Model T, being cheap, efficient, and available. It was powered by 500cc two cylinder engine and put out a smoking (literally) 13 hp. Now Fiat is bringing back a new twin, but this time in a much more modern form. They are building a new family of engines that will be based on a 450 cc cylinder module. The whole family is based on the same combustion chamber design with variants ranging from the 900cc twin, up to a 3.6L V-8.

The twin will appear in Fiat's small cars beginning in 2010. Compared to the 13hp of the original 500, the new engines will have from 60hp up to 90-110hp in the most powerful versions. They will feature technologies like turbocharging, direct-injection, and a variable valve timing and lift system with no throttle. The new version of the Fiat 500, coming out in 2007, will get upgraded with the new engine in 2010. The current Fiat Panda also has 60hp but from a 1.2L engine. Fiat's plans also include 1.8L I-4, 2.7L V-6 and 3.6L V-8 variants although they haven't yet been approved for production.

[Source: Automotive News - subscription required]