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Had a letter today from Stoneacre about the 500L launch on Saturday at local dealers so I'm going to have a look at it in the flesh. Doubt it'll be big enough for our three dogs though! Interested to see how the slightly gawky styling and proportions work in reality.
 
They work fine. This is an interesting car, which is as rare as hens' teeth these days.

If the dogs don't fit you probably need a large estate car ;)
 
It's really is a lovely looking car. I hope I went for the right engine though after reading one review where the journalist claimed that he had to shift down several gears at the slightest incline (I think I smell strong BS - all British car journalists are anti FIAT).

Lovely looking :
 

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This really is love story :D

But seriously, I too am drawn to the 500L, for many reasons. I had a look at some Fords a short time ago, including the B/C? Max ( the new pillarless one - you can see how much I care about Fords :p ) and I was struck by how tinny they all felt.

Colleagues have Fiestas and I discovered how, when travelling, you can put your fingers at the top of the doors and feel them constantly flexing independently of the body. My Fiat 'van' doesn't fo that. And the sliding rear doors on the B/C Max? felt really tinny when slammed too.

And they may be a good drive but they aren't a great ride for a passenger, and the dashboards with all those buttons ... (n). The Fiesta Titanium also has a very annoying red lit strip below the dashboard - horrible!

The 500L feels like it's cut from a solid billet of steel, it feels beautifully built. Now, when you look at the crash tests on YouTube you can see that the body barely distorts when it is smashed. The result is very impressive indeed. Yes, it was engineered to comply with American regs, but even beyond that it looks like one strong car, and it feels like it.

In no way does the 500L feel tinny. And the interior design is lovely to look at, and the driving height and visibility are wonderful, just what I like.

I dare say it will have to be driven on the gearbox though. My newish Doblo has six speeds and a relatively small Diesel motor (1600) and I find I have to play with the gears more than I did in the old car, even though it has far more torque. But the gearbox is good so it is no hardship.

Just an aside, but I had a look at the Vauxhall Adam yesterday. It is a two seater! No room in the back at all, it makes the 500 look like a pantechnicon. Talk about fashion purchases. But then it was never intended for the likes of me :D

No, the 500L is very good. And thank god it isn't another pointy car with a shark face, unlike so many of the rest. I think bluff front ends on cars are about to return as the fashion for pointy has just about run its course.
 
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Here's a photo of the fabulous cabin Ulpian refers to stolen from the FIAT Facebook page.

It should be beautifully built too. Built in a brand new (only kept the walls) factory that cost a billion, one of the most advanced in the world they claim.

Kragujevac.jpg


fiat-500L-serbia.jpg
 

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Actually I think everyone who cares will probably have taken a look, since every dealer seems to have had one for a while now. They are taking orders though, so the car must have an appeal to people.

I'll be interested to see how well it sells, as I think it might have a slow start followed by a bit of a run once the news gets around. I certainly can't imagine many people sitting in it and not being impressed. It really is lovely to have colour in a car, and beautiful detailing, and Fiat does this better than any other mainstream manufacturer. The 500L makes German cars seem very dreary.

I just wish they had called it the 600, or something other than 500L, since everyone seems to be comparing it with the 500 when it is a totally different car.
 
I just wish they had called it the 600, or something other than 500L, since everyone seems to be comparing it with the 500 when it is a totally different car.

Yes the 500l name is the only thing that puts me off too.

Cant really call it 600 either becuase people would compare it to a seicento.

But if they are seling then i guess name doesn't matter
 
It'd be nice if it was as customisable as they claim, maybe this will come. Eg if you get lounge you have to have the cream or grey suede dash and you don't get to choose it depends on which colour exterior you order.

The exterior colours are a bit arty no bright blue for example only a blue that is 95% white. I've always gone for blue cars but this time I've had to go for a really nice metallic red. Two tone exterior is very expensive at £850 especially on the lounge where you would hardly get any of the second colour due to the glass roof and near 360° glass.

Mine will be the grey suede dash with the grey graffiti seats. Possibly would have gone for this given the choice - it's slightly old fart compared to eg bright red but will stand the test of time.
 
I hope I went for the right engine though after reading one review where the journalist claimed that he had to shift down several gears at the slightest incline (I think I smell strong BS - all British car journalists are anti FIAT).

What engine did you order?

Built in a brand new (only kept the walls) factory that cost a billion

Old yugo factory. With fiat on a 3 day week in Italy why didn't they build it there:confused:
 
TwinAir 105 HP mate.

Built in Serbia I guess because FIAT had their £700 million investment topped up to £1 billion by government there and they contributed training cash. IIRC labour is 1/5th the cost too (average salary 350 euros). Serbian government also built new railroad and highway to the plant. 80% of parts are Serbian (so cheaper) as suppliers have started up there too e.g. Johnson Controls and Magneti Marelli interiors plant and Johnson seat plant.
 
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Thanks Matthew, looks like thee should be enough room for the clutch foot then. This is soooooo important (y)

Great car. Can't wait to hear more about it when it arrives.

And I agree about the running lights. Those German, French and Korean LEDs look like they've been added as afterthoughts. There are more attractive ways of using them than as an overbright strip looking like cheapo Christmas fairy lights. Fiats are so very smart :p
 
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It's like the Panda's. You are supposed to cup your delicate fingers over the front of the 'pad' and release it with your thumb, like on a proper/normal handbrake.

And I'll bet they say it has a hillholder so gripping the handbrake isn't so important. They can try saying that to me... :mad:
 
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