General The first official showing of the 500 in the UK

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General The first official showing of the 500 in the UK

A KA will never have the charm of the 500, as usual it's horses for courses.

The KA may turn out to be the sensible choice but will never attract the emotional response of the 500.
 
The KA may turn out to be the sensible choice but will never attract the emotional response of the 500.

To ensonricky
Will you let us know when you are given information about your "fiat500wants you" car, the price and specification and colours and engine sizes you get offered and delivery date they promise please.
 
I will post as soon as I hear anything. I have tried to maintain a dialogue by email with my contact from Fiat but received no reply to my last contact.

I have sent another email to Fiat, not relating to the online booking promotion, regarding release dates and specification and am currently awaiting a reply.

The last major contact from Fiat is copied below.

Good morning Mr/Mrs,

I’m Michael from Fiat Group Automobiles. I’m happy to confirm your reservation of the new Fiat 500.

The car will not be available in your country in July as in Italy, but in January. You will be contact later for more details on the car.


Although we need the choice of the colour today, to order the car, because it is a limited edition. Obviously you will not be obliged to purchase the car.

The colours available are:
- Red
- White
- Light blue
- Black

If you are still interested you can reply to this mail.

Followingly the details that we know at the moment for the new Fiat “500 wants you” (limited edition):

- Remote control
- Abs
- Mirrors and glasses electrical workers
- Automatic air-condition
- Esp
- Circles in alloy
- Blue&me
- Mp3 Radio
- Roof in fixed glass
- Muslin wheel

You will know the price of the car only in the moment that you will go to the dealer to see the car. If you think that the price is too high, or if you don’t like the car you can refuse it.

I wait for a kind answer.

Kind regards.

EuroTarget S.r.l
Michael Brioschi
 
Thanks for that

It sounds like a Lounge spec with automatic aircon (more-or-less)

As I recall (from either the French or Italian fan sites) the Europeans all got the 1.4 engine as well as a badge symbolising the limited edition all for a few hundred Euros more than a standard car
 
Thanks for the info ensonricky.

Do you have to have Black interior or were you given a chance to specify ivory interior bits (steering wheel, around the centre controls, radio etc) - I think they had a choice on the continent of ivory or black.

Light blue or red with ivory interior sounds superlush-delicious to me. :D

What colour combination have you gone for ensonricky, and have you been given the chance to testdrive one?

I wonder what will happen if someone who has ordered one of these "500 wants you" cars, decides they don't want it when they see it at their local dealership?

Maybe the dealer can then immediately sell it to someone who was too impatient to order one and join the queue.....I live in hope:D
 
I have dug up another email received from Fiat where I also asked for details of the UK and Italian launch events. This was the last communication of any variety received from Fiat despite trying to obtain further clarification of the dates at the time and since.

.............................................................................................................................

Probably the launch in UK will be anticipated in October (and that will be fine). If next week I would receive the official dates I will inform you soon.
For the moment we have no more details on the launch of the 500 in Torino, but as soon as I have more information I will contact you.

Thank you very much for your quick reply!

Have a good day.

Bye, Michael.

EuroTarget S.r.l
Michael Brioschi

.............................................................................................................................

I did request the white body although I would have preferred the pearl. That is the only choice in spec I have received so far. Regarding the upholstry I would like the blue ivory although I have not been been offered an option yet. From what I understand you cannot specify the blue/ivory seats with a black bodyshell although this does seem strange when you can specify about 500,000 other options.
 
Thankyou for that ensonricky.
I think that gives us clues about what the first RHD 500s to arrive in the UK will be like:
i.e.
1.4s NOT 1.2s
Black steering wheel and around heater/radio controls NOT ivory.
A limited range of colours initially, NOT the full colour palete.

:) :) Anything more exciting than that in the early months will be a bonus IMO.

I definately expect we will see a few white ones arriving for dealers to use as demonstrators:Fiat seem to have a thing about using white 500s and girls dressed in white for shows and launches.:D

I will try and wait for the 1.2s to arrive, but I will definately be taking a test drive in a 1.4 when they land in the UK!

I reckon you are going to be the first person on here to get a 500 ensonricky.
Keep us updated when you hear again from Fiat.:D
 
The 'first official UK showing' has taken place, (the subject of the thread:p ) while dealers are expecting to get their first cars in/by January 08.

To me that means it is all looking good, and we are on course for a 1 Feb 08 official launch date.
 
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Things definately seem to be gathering pace. Fiat Customer Relations left a message on my answering machine to contact them with further details(not specified) concerning my "order".

I haven't had the opportunity to get back to them today but I will keep you posted with any interesting developments.

Update

Just received the following email:

Dear Customer,

Thank you for your curiosity in the forthcoming Fiat 500 and for taking the time to register your interest so early.
I would like to confirm you are currently on a short list of customers who will potentially be the first people in the country to take delivery of the new 500 should you wish to continue with this order.
If this is the case I would kindly request that you contact me to discuss a number of options and specifications for your vehicle.
I can also attempt to answer any questions that you may have regarding the 500 but would also recommend the fantastic Fiat 500 website, www.fiat500.com where you can also configure your ideal vehicle and also view the many options available.
Thank you once again for your interest in Fiat and I look forward to speaking with you soon.

Kind Regards



Customer Relations Executive
 
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Sounds like things are happening.
Are you getting excited? I would be! :p
 
I have expressed a preference for the Pearlescent colour on the phone today even though this could delay delivrery. A sunroof option I am told could also delay things.

The big news however is that the 1.2 engine appears to be available in the UK and I have selected this option. No other specifications have been mentioned at this stage.
 
:) As I understand it, you can order a 1.2 and a special colour and options if you are prepared to wait, and they will be delivered eventually. I think anyone can do that, not just people like yourself who were successful with the "500 wants you" promotion.

:eek: If you want to get one of the first to be delivered to the UK (which was the main reason a lot of people went for the "500 wants you" promotion,) then I think you are limited to 1.4 and a small range of colours, because that is the sort of vehicles which will be arriving on the first shipment (Jan 08).

:D This first shipment will probably be mainly dealer demos and cars which can be offered "500 wants you" participants,1.4s in fairly expensive trim, 1.2s and cheaper ones and the full colour palette to order....based on what has happened on the continent you wait weeks or months, but you get exactly what you want eventually.


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:p Are you getting excited?:p
 
You're right, I've had my current car for 7 years if you live with a car for that time you need to be satisfied with the initial choice.

I admit it's tempting to be one of the first owners in the UK of a right hooker, I believe about 40 are involved in the UK "5oo wants you" promotion, but I'm happy with my ultimate choice. A 1.2 pearl example with blue/ivory interior and the panoramic electric sunroof with auto air com.

What I do hope to do is use my participation in the promotion to accelerate the delivery of my spec car.
 
What I do hope to do is use my participation in the promotion to accelerate the delivery of my spec car.
In that case i would want something in writing to say that you are still buying it as a -500 W U- vehicle.Tough luck if they think it sounds like U R being pedantic. I have not heard of a 1.2 under the 500 W U offer. All 1.4 Lounge or similar spec to a lounge I thought: take it or leave it.

i thought it was a case of "
They tell you what the -500 W U- car they have got for you looks like and you decide if you want it or not, no obligation. "

None of my busines really but is this new spec 1.2 the same terms of "No obligationto buy it when you see it - pay us when you are happy" or are you now paying in full in advance and risking it being ok when it comes and you drive it.
I am being a nosey cow now right - sorry





Stick to your guns i say when spending your own money
Be less meticulous when spending others peoples money
 
No clarity(typically) from Fiat at this stage, however I get the impression that I'm being handed over to my local dealership that is why I am keen to use the promotion as a lever to speed up the order/delivery process.
 
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