 The
cute little Fiat 500, the modern reincarnation of the 1950s iconic Fiat
of the same name, has been a worldwide hit.
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New Fiat 500C |
Sri Lanka will soon get its first 500s soon. But Fiat is on a roll
and does not want the fun to stop there. True, there is a souped-up
Abarth version, but it seems 500 buyers want even more varieties.
It will unveil an open-top 500 in Geneva next month. No fancy
electric roofs here - it will be a manual job, but easy enough to put
together should the heavens open. Of course, it will be more sturdy and
advanced than the 1950s version.
The sardine tin-style folding roof has been designed to maximize the
Fiat 500 Cabriolet’s boot space.
It is also reminiscent of its Topolino ancestor, a picture of which
appears here reminiscent of its Topolino ancestor, a picture of which
appears here.
The new Fiat 500C has the same 185-litre load space as the hatchback.
Changes to the structure of the 500 body are kept to a minimum and
external dimensions are the same.
Fiat will offer two new colors - Pearl Red and Warm Grey - to
compliment the ivory, red and black roof. In Rupee terms, there will be
a minimum Rs.300,000 premium over the regular hatch.
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The hardtop Fiat 500 |
Fiat’s styling director Roberto Giolito has previously stated that
the car would remain simple and affordable, and that recent advances in
fabric roof design will remove some off the perceived drawbacks. An
electric folding roof a la Peugeot 308CC would have added to the cost
and weight.
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Old Fiat 500C |
Engine options will remain the same as the hardtops - the 70hp (52kW)
1.2L and 100hp (75kW) 1.4L petrol engines and the ultra-fuel efficient
75hp (56kW) 1.3L Multijet diesel. Both manual and robotized dualogic
transmissions are available.
The car can be customized almost endlessly.
As Fiat says, the new 500C is evocative of freedom and emotion, best
expressed in Italian as Liberta and Emozione.
Moreover, as proof of Fiat’s commitment to ecology and sustainable
mobility, the new 500C incorporates the innovative Start and Stop
system, a device controlling momentary engine shutdown and subsequent
re-ignition.
At every stop when shifting to neutral and releasing the clutch, the
engine is switched off and then restarted simply by selecting a gear.
Created by the Fiat Styling Center and manufactured at the Tichy
plant in Poland in both left and right hand drive, the 500C incorporates
all the strong points of the basic model, namely top-of-segment safety
features, four adult seat habitability and generous luggage space. Look
out for the gorgeous 500C soon.
- Pramod
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