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Is Chrysler's tiny Fiat 500 finding buyers?

frankxbe

frankxbe

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Jailtime said:
Maybe they should hurry up and release that cool Abarth.
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+1

There's also a restrictive dealer network. I'd have to travel to Atlanta to test drive one. I think the 500 is just strange enough that it's more of a niche market car than anything else.
 
The 500, thankfully, has done a fine job of eliminating the Smart car from the minds of US buyers. But then, the 500 is more Mini Cooper size than Fortwo.

I'm a driver of big V8 cars, but I think that Abarth is cool, for some reason. Must be the scorpions badged on it.
 
I'm starting to see quite a few 500s around here. I prefer it to the Mini which seems overdone and too self consciously styled, especially the interior. And is too goddam expensive too.

I'd take the new Chevy Sonic hatchback over either though the Sonic is a little bigger than the Fiat.
 
Another issue may be their advertisement. The other day, a Fiat commercial came on, very swank and styled, and proceeded to say it was powerful and elegant...no joke. I like the 500, but never in it's entire production should it be called elegant. I think they would do better if they sold it as a slightly quirky little car with a personality, rather than classing it up and bringing competition with other (more popular, publicly engrained) models.

If it's going to be a niche car, at least appeal to that area. Personally, i'd love to see a magazine ad, hand-drawn, of it with a couple paragraphs, kinda like a old car ad...

I actually think it's a pretty cool car, especially since it's being brought to the US market. There are things I prefer in it to the mini, but that's neither here nor there.
 
We had one when I was a kid. I loved riding around in it, but it looked like a spec in the driveway parked next to Dad's 1960 Sedan DeVille. I've seen a few around here, there's a dealer nearby in Costa Mesa. Cute.
 
I've only seen a handful of Smart cars and 500's around here. Mini Cooper's of all colours and variations abound though.
But then, they've been on the market longer, haven't they.
 
I see quite a few 500s around here, but that's probably because of the Chrysler employee discounts. PT Cruisers are more common here too.
 
I have a Fiat dealership down the street and they have dozens sitting on the lot. It's kind of funky looking but at 6' 4" I would need one for each foot.
 
Hmm...not sure about these 500's but my mom sure does want another Fiat 124 Spider. She used to have one back in the 80s...
 
The closest dealer is 15 miles away. Not too bad but a hassle if you need service. I plan on taking a test drive when we need our next car. By that time the Abarth should be available.
 
Around 16,000 sold in 7 months? That's actually not a bad number. They stuffed a bunch into rental fleets right away to get people used to them...good move.

JLo in some of the TV spots has to help, right?:D
 
I've been seeing them around Amherst/Northampton, Mass for quite a while now--a few months before i saw anything in the mainstream press about their availability. But that's not too surprising being a relatively affluent and educated demographic. (I have to assume that's their target market)

Even though I'm neither educated nor affluent, my wife and I considered buying one a few months ago, but we already have a Mini Cooper and wanted something a little more isolating/comfortable. I'm glad we didn't get the 500, b/c for me, the novelty has already worn off and they look about as cool as a Smart Car now (which is not cool at all).

Anyway, all this to say that when i look around, I don't see their sales lagging locally, that's for sure.
 
The interior of the MINI is larger than the Fiat 500. The engineers at MINI really made great use of the volume within while building a SOLID little car (I have a 2003...original redesign before the body got a "lift" due to European "crumple zone" pedestrian safety issues). I am surprised how little room the 500 has within design its apparent size (especially compared to the original 500...and I have ridden in those too). From the bumper up, the new Fiat 500 is rather cone-shaped and as a result interior space is quite limited, especially in the back seat. Some might not know it, but the MINI comfortably seats 4 adults, whereas the Fiat 500 is a tight squeeze in back.

Jailtime said:
The 500, thankfully, has done a fine job of eliminating the Smart car from the minds of US buyers. But then, the 500 is more Mini Cooper size than Fortwo.

I'm a driver of big V8 cars, but I think that Abarth is cool, for some reason. Must be the scorpions badged on it.
Click to expand...
 
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