(G) UK LAUNCH OF 500: Facts or rumours....what,when,how much

Yes, Walkers have helped few people in the UK to import LHD 500s from Italy.
They're good chaps from what I hear.
http://www.walkers-garage.co.uk/
They are also famous for all-things Lancia, so its good to see they are taking the little 500 seriously

I have been promised my 1.2 Pop in Jive Blue with Blue & me, chrome pack, audio upgrade, colour wing mirrors, bonnet trim, tints, Italia badge on front wings, height adjustable seat for 21st Jan

With two of Europe's top manufacturers behind the move, the results are going to be spectacular. The new Fiat 500 Abarth and stunning Ford Ka ST - two fast and affordable city cars - are shaping up to offer giant-killing performance. But while both share the same mission, they will attack the performance market from very different angles.

Drivers won't have to wait long to get behind the wheel, either. First to arrive will be the 500 Abarth. With a wider track to improve handling, the Fiat will have a more muscular look than the standard model. The front end gets a new bumper design, while lower side skirts, inspired by the classic 595 Abarth, add to its appeal.

And as with its high-performance Grande Punto stablemate, the range-topping 500 won't wear Fiat badges. Instead, it will come with the Abarth logo on the front and rear.

Inside, the cabin will get an equally striking makeover, with a high level of standard equipment and bucket seats. A dashboard-mounted gearlever will easily lend itself to sporty driving, offering snappy changes.

The hot 500 won't be short on power, either. Under the bonnet will be Fiat's new 1.4-litre turbocharged engine. With up to 150bhp, this will give the three-door an impressive turn of speed. Drivers can expect a 0-60mph time of around seven seconds and sharp responses to match.

Prices for the new 500 have yet to be announced, but one thing's for sure - it won't be a budget hatchback. Aiming to offer a smaller alternative to the MINI, even basic models are likely to cost around £11,000. The Abarth variant is expected to be pitched at the heart of the performance supermini market, with a MINI Cooper-rivalling price of around £15,500.

However, there will be a cheaper way to get your hands on a great-handling city car. Ford's new Ka is based on the same platform as the 500, but it won't share the Italian model's upmarket aspirations. Instead, the next-generation baby will be a direct replacement for the current low-cost runabout.

That doesn't mean every version will be basic, though, with the popular Sportka set to be succeeded by a thrilling new ST model. Our exclusive gives a flavour of what to expect, with trademark cues, including racing stripes, a deep front spoiler and large diameter alloy wheels, all setting it apart from basic variants.

Upholding Ford's reputation for fine chassis dynamics, the newcomer will aim to offer a class-leading ride and entertaining handling. The ST model will get firmer suspension to provide even sharper responses, while company engineers will soon take to the road to fine-tune the dampers and hone the steering.

It's not yet known which engines will power Ford's new baby, but some are tipped to be shared with the Fiat. However, the ST is unlikely to offer more than 120bhp to avoid stealing sales from hot hatch versions of the next-generation Fiesta.

Even though it's set to be produced alongside the 500 at the Tychy factory in Poland, the new Ka will share no visual parts with its Italian cousin.

The standard Fiat 500 will go on sale in the UK early next year, with the Abarth version due soon after. Buyers wanting their baby hot hatch with a Ford badge will have to be patient, as the new Ka isn't expected to be on sale until later in 2008. Even so, whichever model you choose, it's bound to be worth waiting for.

Im confused, the new KA is to be made in the same factory as the 500, Panda and Seicento (600)... thing is Fiat struggle to keep up with demand for the Pandas let alone for the 500... how on earth are they going to also build the thousands of KAs as well, I can see this ending in tears. I mean, Ford will be wanting loads built, its a huge seller... I cant wait to tell the new KA owners they are actually driving a Fiat!

For some months I have been telling my friends on kaklub.co.uk and myka.org that the next Ka will be built by Fiat. Most of them are not happy at the idea.

I have owned kas for the last 9 years. I love the present Ford Ka. I am disabled and finding a comfortable little car is difficult, but the Ford Ka suit me fine. Anyway its time for a change....the ka can trace its roots back to the ancient Ford Anglia FFS and it is showing its age!

My heart says buy a Fiat 500 in early 08
My head says wait for the new (Fiat built) Ford ka, which should be cheaper, and, according to Ford will have sharper 'Ford-like' steering/handling set-up more suited to the scabby UK roads.
(The local Ford dealers seem a better bunch than the local Fiat dealer)

Another advantage of the 500 is that it arrives in early 08.
It could be early 09 before the Ka arrives in the UK, Fiat are churning out 500s as fast as they can and there are only 24 hours in the day even in Poland.

<There was a blog by a Polish Fiat worker (its gone now) saying they wouldn't buy the overpriced 500 but would rather wait for the cheaper Ford version which will share many of the same components.>

Autocar article on Fiat 500 prices:

http://www.autocar.co.uk/News/NewsAr...llCars/228992/


Fiat is sticking to the 500's humble roots by pitching the car at well under Mini prices when it goes on sale in Britain in January.
The cute Italian hatchback has long been tipped to match the Mini as a 'premium' product with pricing to match. But the prices announced by Fiat UK are lower than expected. The cheapest 500, the 1.2-litre, 69bhp Pop model, will cost £7900 on the road, almost £500 less than the 1.2-litre, 75bhp Renault TWingo. And the top-of-the-range 1.4-litre 500 Lounge - which gets air conditioning, alloy wheels, glass roof and a hands-free media system - costs £10,700. By contrast, even the basic 94bhp Mini One costs £11,625, and it lacks air-con on its standard kit list.
There's no price increase for diesel models, either; the 1.3-litre MultiJet models cost the same as the 1.4-litre petrols.
The new pricing is further proof of Fiat's renewed confidence; the company reported last week that its quarterly profits had more than doubled year on year, and it has more than tripled the percentage profit on every car it makes.

Fiat know how to make profits alright.But are they profiting by selling us a disguised Panda for top dollar price. 500prices look high compared to Panda and Punto but good compared to Mini.

Everyone seems to think they are getting their 500 for the 21st |january launch date.You cant all be first. What happened to all these advance orders all dealers were claiming to have for the 500. Suddenly you are all told that you are front of the queue and getting yours first. Fiver says it dont come til Feb at least Mark.

I dunno... £10,700 for the Lounge 1.4 sounds reasonable, I thought it would be 12 or 13k?
A Panda 100HP is over 10k now. The £7900 for a POP isnt too bad either, especially when you think that in 1997 my Cinq Sporting cost me £7344!
Im with the Pole on this one though, wait to see how the KA looks and drives... my bet is it will be better.

Anyone on here bought one already apart from Mark Elvin

Anyone been told by their dealer
-you can order one but you will be waiting weeks or months to see it just like everyone else in every other country where its already been launched.-

Probably not.
Are dealers still saying they are expecting to get first ones arriving before xmas.if so I think someone should tell the guys in Poland to get weaving and make some right hand drive ones for us P D Quick.

Remember lads in Poland we want the steering wheels and the pedals on the right hand side

I have been told by Simonestone that they will need me to decide on options this week at some point as they hope to commence production very soon to meet with Jan aunch date.

All I can do is hope they are being truthfull.

Not bad, but bear in mind that a panda 100hp can easily be purchased for £8500 - theres not likely to be any discounts available on the equivalent powered, specced (and apparently less engaging to drive) Lounge 1.4, so £10700 doesnt look such good relative value in that context.

when you put it like that, it does seem pricey I was thinking, you could buy an absolute mint restored real 500 for about 5k now and a real Panda for £400 as a daily driver, then have thousands left over for whatever you want. You then have the cute looks of the 500 and the usability of the Panda... and no depreciation or nasty Fiat dealers.

im new to this forum as i have only just found it?

Ive paid for a 1.4 sport and my father has purchased a 1.2 lounge which i gained by registering on the fiat500.com website.

The only problems i am hearing is the colour. I decided to go for funk white a £700 potion. However i have heard rumours that this colour is unavailable till october 2008.

Which im not prepared to wait for. As ive been given a delivery date of January 21st 2008 for my dealer ordered 500 and late december by a gentleman at fiat for my fathers.

Has anyone heard any rumours about which colours will not be ready at launch? The dealer wont find out for another week!!!

Yeah, the problem with that white is that they can only produce a few per day so other than the press launch demo cars there won't be many about for any market.... Hence the delay in the UK getting it

Well, so Peter Lynch from Fiat UK told me

Jim

oh bugger, I found out that my fave colour... yellow, only comes with a black steering wheel and binacle I would have to have a white wheel or none at all!