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Fiat's 500 Born Again - From Autoexpress.co.uk (19/02/04)
Forget the Porsches, Ferraris and Lamborghinis; the smallest car looks set to be the brightest star of this year's Geneva Motor Show - and Auto Express has the very first pictures. This is the Fiat Trepiuno, a four-seater, three-door city car inspired by the much-loved 500.
Aimed at living legends such as the MINI, the model is based on an all-new platform and is expected to go on sale in 2005, costing from £9,000. Measuring only 3.3 metres long, the Fiat gets a retro look created from hi-tech materials including composite bodywork, xenon headlamps and tail-lights that are actually one-piece LCD screens instead of individual bulb arrangements. The vast glass area, referred to by stylists as the "Sky-dome", has been designed to make the interior as bright and airy as possible - but it also pays tribute to the long canvas hoods fitted to the original Fiat 500.
At the rear, the tailgate is hinged at the car's roofline, and incorporates the rear windscreen and spoiler, making the opening as wide as possible. The long doors mean that, despite the compact dimensions, the rear is easily accessible.
Inside, the cabin has been kept simple, but it also employs cutting-edge materials to free up as much space as possible. The seat cushions and frames are made entirely of polyurethane, so they are much thinner and lighter than standard metal-framed units. Meanwhile, the two rear seats can be folded individually to boost load space, or lifted to create a covered compartment and hide cargo from prying eyes.
The driver can also slide the front passenger seat forward to carry tall people in the rear. To make sure the front chair remains useful in this position, designers have created an "extendable footwell" which allows the dash to be folded to increase legroom. Fiat stylists have also tried to mix traditional looks with modern functionality on the dash. The two-spoke steering wheel contains an airbag, and gives a clear view of the rev counter, speedometer and engine warning lights, which are housed in a single pod.
A simple set of buttons on the centre console controls the air-con, radio and electric windows. However, rather than use traditional switches, stylists have gone for touch-sensitive film so, despite appearances, the arrangement has no moving parts.
The sat-nav, combined with Fiat's CONNECT guidance service, is displayed on an LCD screen that rises from the dash once the ignition is turned on. As with BMW's iDrive system, it's controlled by a single button mounted between the seats.
Because the Trepiuno is officially a concept, Fiat is remaining tight-lipped about engines. But insiders say the line-up will be as exciting as the car itself. Entry-level editions are likely to be powered by the 1.1-litre four-cylinder, but the top seller is tipped to be a 60mpg-plus 1.3 JTD diesel.
Performance fans will be well catered for, too, as Fiat is said to be developing a 180bhp 1.6-litre turbo Trepiuno Abarth, which will share its engine with Vauxhall's forthcoming Corsa GSi. Dan Strong
Forget the Porsches, Ferraris and Lamborghinis; the smallest car looks set to be the brightest star of this year's Geneva Motor Show - and Auto Express has the very first pictures. This is the Fiat Trepiuno, a four-seater, three-door city car inspired by the much-loved 500.
Aimed at living legends such as the MINI, the model is based on an all-new platform and is expected to go on sale in 2005, costing from £9,000. Measuring only 3.3 metres long, the Fiat gets a retro look created from hi-tech materials including composite bodywork, xenon headlamps and tail-lights that are actually one-piece LCD screens instead of individual bulb arrangements. The vast glass area, referred to by stylists as the "Sky-dome", has been designed to make the interior as bright and airy as possible - but it also pays tribute to the long canvas hoods fitted to the original Fiat 500.
At the rear, the tailgate is hinged at the car's roofline, and incorporates the rear windscreen and spoiler, making the opening as wide as possible. The long doors mean that, despite the compact dimensions, the rear is easily accessible.
Inside, the cabin has been kept simple, but it also employs cutting-edge materials to free up as much space as possible. The seat cushions and frames are made entirely of polyurethane, so they are much thinner and lighter than standard metal-framed units. Meanwhile, the two rear seats can be folded individually to boost load space, or lifted to create a covered compartment and hide cargo from prying eyes.
The driver can also slide the front passenger seat forward to carry tall people in the rear. To make sure the front chair remains useful in this position, designers have created an "extendable footwell" which allows the dash to be folded to increase legroom. Fiat stylists have also tried to mix traditional looks with modern functionality on the dash. The two-spoke steering wheel contains an airbag, and gives a clear view of the rev counter, speedometer and engine warning lights, which are housed in a single pod.
A simple set of buttons on the centre console controls the air-con, radio and electric windows. However, rather than use traditional switches, stylists have gone for touch-sensitive film so, despite appearances, the arrangement has no moving parts.
The sat-nav, combined with Fiat's CONNECT guidance service, is displayed on an LCD screen that rises from the dash once the ignition is turned on. As with BMW's iDrive system, it's controlled by a single button mounted between the seats.
Because the Trepiuno is officially a concept, Fiat is remaining tight-lipped about engines. But insiders say the line-up will be as exciting as the car itself. Entry-level editions are likely to be powered by the 1.1-litre four-cylinder, but the top seller is tipped to be a 60mpg-plus 1.3 JTD diesel.
Performance fans will be well catered for, too, as Fiat is said to be developing a 180bhp 1.6-litre turbo Trepiuno Abarth, which will share its engine with Vauxhall's forthcoming Corsa GSi. Dan Strong