Fiat 500-2008

In 2003 Fiat decided it was going to re-introduce the popular Fiat 500 that had ended production in 1975.  It took years of planning and development to get the new Fiat 500 into production in 2007.  An unprecedented 250,000 fans attended the reveal party in Turin, produced by the director of the 2006 Winter Olympics.  Styled and designed in-house at the Fiat Stile Centre to recall the spirit of the initial Fiat 500 to be cheap and efficient transportation for the masses, the new Fiat 500 was an immediate success – selling out at all the dealerships in Europe and England.  

Jim Magill, an Irish Fiat enthusiast, learned of the re-introduction of the Fiat 500 and got on the wait-list to buy a car.  This resulted in Jim getting the third Fiat New 500 sold in Ireland.  (Notice the license plate is “3 500”, which designates this.)  Jim then brought the car to the U.S. in the spring of 2008 and went on a 15,000 mile journey of the U.S. to raise awareness of the car, and to raise money for the Northern Ireland Children’s Hospice.  Sold worldwide, it is marketed as the Fiat 500, the Fiat Nuova 500, the Fiat Cinquecento, and the Fiat New 500 with a dizzying numberof trim and option levels, much like the MINI, a direct competitor.

 

Specifications:

 

Manufacturer:  Fiat

Country of Origin:  Manufactured in Poland for Fiat

Drivetrain Configuration:  Front engine, front wheel drive

Engine:  4 cylinder, water-cooled, 1,242 cc, 64 hp

Transmission:  5 speed manual

Top Speed:  110 mph

Years of Production:  2007 – present

Number Produced:  Still in production 

Original Cost:  About $15,000