Well i hope that the car takes off as well as what FIAT are hoping. I know i have taken a deposit on the hardtop version already and dont even know a ful price or spec yet! haha
should be a stunner of a car, but like you say it must start with a good engine and not some lawnmower.
good reviews = good pre-sales!!!
Think about it FIAT and listen to the consumer! :bang:

fiatdownunder said:

listen to the consumer! :bang:

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its the easiest way to sell anything, but they never listen

recent pics of test mules

They are photoshops of the Abarth test car, nothing more.

Troy.

Great thing about the new 500 is that if the Fiat dealer near you is one of the problematic ones, it can be taken to the nearest Ford dealer for service and parts.

Buy it from Fiat for the style, let Ford do the servicing, even during the warranty.:devil:

( Only joking....well...

I don't think it's going to be that small in the flesh. It's based on the Panda platform (unlike the concept which was a shortened Punto).

I myself am waiting for the Abarth model. Pity the engine is in the wrong place, but lets hope that this scorpion actually has a sting in the tail again.

Have prices been announced yet?

Fiat claim to have sold a months production in 12 hours in Italy.

Either loads of people are buying without knowing the price or someone is telling porkies.

there's always advance orders when something new comes out, ipod, mini, etc etc, when the new panda was coming two of the showrooms we went to were taking advances on cars with only a rough idea of spec and price....

Went to Grays in Warwick yesterday, They have allready taken an order for a 500 !!!!

How can they do that when no-one knows spec or prices ????

off topic - They also invited me to launch of new Brava, was well pee'd off when i said its allright i have allready sat in it and he hadnt even seen one

S0 RUN said:

How can they do that when no-one knows spec or prices ????

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same way it happens with everything else, you pay a deposit
(which you lose if you later change your mind or decide the price is too much)

i wont see the cars here until March 08 and already have 6 pre-orders with deposits paid.
no idea of prices, specs etc yet.

Size wise it is 3.5m long and 1.8 wide.
slightly shotened Panda platform.

As for the photoshop comment, the only photoshop is the cabriolet and the wagon. the others are real and had the black plastic "disguises" coloured in only

fiatdownunder said:

As for the photoshop comment, the only photoshop is the cabriolet and the wagon. the others are real and had the black plastic "disguises" coloured in only

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Exactly, the cabrio and wagon are not test mules, they don't exist. The red Abarth is also photoshopped to removed the black disguises, they don't know exactly what the front detailing is going to look like yet.

Troy.

TroyO said:

Exactly, the cabrio and wagon are not test mules, they don't exist. The red Abarth is also photoshopped to removed the black disguises, they don't know exactly what the front detailing is going to look like yet.

Troy.

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apart from the officailly released pictures....

fiatdownunder said:

apart from the officailly released pictures....

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I meant the front detailing of the Abarth. It may be different to plain vanilla version 500.

Are there officially released pictures of the 500 Abarth (undisguised)??

Troy.

fiatdownunder said:

i wont see the cars here until March 08 and already have 6 pre-orders with deposits paid.
no idea of prices, specs etc yet.

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Gary said:

How can they do that when no-one knows spec or prices ????

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:yeahthat:

credit card.
cheque
bank deposit
haha

it's a big classic here and many people want one no matter what. memories of the old 500 i guess.

Hey, i aint complaining, roll on Marchs commissions.... :devil:

fiatdownunder said:

it's a big classic here and many people want one no matter what. memories of the old 500 i guess.

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Or just have so much money they don't know how to spend it!

:yeahthat:

I just hope there isn't a big anti-climax coming here.

The new Twingo is going to be very cheap, and very economical. Yes, I know, no charisma; but lots of clever space usage, and a very good little car. And CHEAP! The 500 seems not even to have a glovebox?, and I bet the front seat back doesn't tip forwards either! So where to put stuff?

And I don't want to have to pay extra for designer 'storage solutions' hung over the back of the seats. Ugh!:yuck:

Don't get me wrong, at the right price this is going to be a great little car, but a too-high price will say fashionista and be really off-putting for real people. Cult cars became that way because they were good and sensible, not because they looked nice to silly girls and went with this season's handbag.

You cant compare a Renault with a Fiat, all of them are just badly made rustboxes that are so unreliable. They have to be one of the worst makes going, yes they can do some clever things but 3 years and they are knackered and will land you with big bills. Thats why my MOT station has been a Renault specialist for over 20 years, theres lots to fix hence always busy! All their mechanics say the same, dont buy French!

You cant compare a Renault with a Fiat, all of them are just badly made rustboxes that are so unreliable.

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All Fiats and Renaults is that?

But seriously, I can compare anything with anything, if I choose, and there are plenty of people out there who would say exactly the same of Fiat.

My point is about pricing and fashion. We'll need to wait and see on this. I think the 500 is delightful, and don't mind a slight premium over the Panda - but it needs to be slight. And we will have to wait a few years for the really interesting V2 motors...