Forums Forums Enthusiast Forums A - Z Autowirral new fiat 500

heres a link to the fiat 500 abarth runing a 1.6 turbo, 0-60 in 5.8 secs.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m3rAX0J1UOg&eurl=

It's something different, but personally, I don't like the look of it, and I probably wouldn't spend my money on it.

now that one looks pretty smart, big set of wheels, and your done, happy days

Arbarth have always managed to make something pretty impressive from tiny little Fiats, they're kind of the John Cooper of the fiat world!

I have one, a 1.2 Lounge, it's great. Fiat have always been good at small cars, and crap at anything bigger. I've had loads of bigger, faster cars, and it's more fun than all of them. Lot's of other people must agree, because the 500's are flying out of the showrooms, just ask Windsors (and I have no connections). Ask your local dealer if they are anywhere near their targets, and ask Windsors how much above their targets they are. Err, how many Suzuki Swifts are selling........Corsas.......what happened to the Peugeot dealer.........Hondas.......

The motoring world is changing.

I only bought it for fun, and because I can afford to. I have other cars for mundane transport. The wife has just bought a new model Jazz, and the 500 is every bit as well made, and assembled, and as quiet, the materials are just as good, and it's as easy to drive. It's a different car, sold to different customers than a Jazz, but the quality is the same. Who is building the new Ford Ka ?

If you want to talk quality, ask me about my Civic Diesel, it performs, but the quality is back in the Morris Marina era.

As to Ipod compatibility - yes, but only if you use Your Ipod as a disk device - you would never expect Microsoft to support an Apple product would you ? - (the new Jazz wins there - totally compatible). The Windows Mobile does however do pretty good audio, bluetooth connectivity and it's very neat EcoDrive where it saves your journeys onto a memory stick.

When you are talking about build quality, usually in the first few years, there tends to be very little difference in new cars. Look 10 years into the future, the Honda's, Toyotas and Suzukis are likely to still be running causing very few problems, wheras the Fiats, vauxhalls etc are likely to have quite big problems.

Don't get me wrong, i love the new 500, but if you are buying a car over 6 years old and you need it to be reliable, it has got to be Jap.

I was a bit excited to see one but theyve just whored it out like a new mini or beetle. Lost interest now.

The Essesse should be interesting but im not expecting much. For a start the engine is in the wrong place and you can close the bonnet. Whats the point in that? Wheres the italian masdness gone?