FAlt 500 (2009)

Dante Giacosa's Fiat 500 was launched on July 4, 1957, as a cycle of rebirth was closing after the devastation of war, and a period of radical renewal of the company's product range was also coming to an end, opening the way for a cycle of successes in the coming decade, a period that we can consider one of the brightest in the brand's one hundred year history. The parallel with the new Fiat 500 is clear; it concludes the cycle of extraordinary rebirth of recent years, but thanks to its stylistic and technological features, it also represents the spark of a lasting process of expansion. And this is where history starts again.

It would be belittling to 'limit' the phenomenon of the new Fiat 500 to a simple, nostalgic reinterpretation. Fiat's goal has not been to design a car that 'looks like' a 500, but one that 'could be' the Fiat 500 again. The new Fiat 500 opens the way for an innovative process in a number of environments that are very significant for today's customers, clearly outlining where its ambitions lie in relation to the future positioning of the Fiat brand. The Fiat 500 respects the original concept in its shape and function, as you expect in these cases, so that it can evoke all the emotions and memories that make all 'icons' eternal, raising them beyond the limiting dimension of their category.

But first and foremost it is important to underline the innovations that the new model is able to bring to this class of product for the first time.

First of all, the widespread involvement in the development of the model and of the marketing plan, with the participation of over 3,000,000 enthusiasts who have submitted their ideas to the project, through the www.500wantsyou.com website. This initiative is a new cultural approach to relations between manufacturer and client, making Fiat one of the most open organisations, close to the expectations of the public. 'The 500, the car of the people, by the people': this slogan sums up the philosophy behind the development of a project which, in the best Fiat tradition, 'democratises' access to contents and technologies that have never been offered in this segment before.

It is the first time that a car has been launched with the full range of engines (69 bhp 1.2. 75 bhp 1.3 Multijet with DPF and 100 bhp 1.4 16v) ready to meet the emissions limits set by Euro 5 standards, more than two years before the legislative deadline, a tangible sign of Fiat's determination to reaffirm its leadership where the environment is concerned.

It is also the first time that a compact car (3.55 metres) has been built to achieve a 5-star rating in the EuroNCAP impact tests, and it is ready for the 6-star test if and when the new rating is introduced.

Safety at all costs, with no impact on prices, a bold decision, which confirms Fiat's intention of extending its strategy of leadership to vehicle protection, totally consistent with decisions taken in recent years as regards the Panda and the Croma, right through to the Grande Punto and the Bravo.

It is a safe product, not only for its structural sturdiness, but also because of the choices made in the construction of the range of outfits and serviy compact to offer a kneebag), and an advanced ESP available with all engines (standard on the 100 bhp 1.4 16v), are absolute novelties in this segment.

It is the first 'small' car to offer so much in the way of content: 4 specification levels, 3 engines at the launch, 12 colours, including 6 vintage colours that will bring the 1950s and 1960s to mind, plus tri-coat white produced by a process that is usually only adopted on luxury cars, 15 types of upholstery including luxurious Cordura and Frau Leather, 9 types of wheel rims, and 19 types of stickers, making a total of more than 500,000 variants (549,936 to be precise); the most interesting include the electric fragrance diffuser, with a choice of 3 different fragrances, and coloured key cases, an approach similar to that in the mobile phone market that lets you match the colour of the key to that of the bodywork, or to select another pattern of your own choosing. There has never been such a lavish array of accessories on such an accessible car.