The Motor Report Auto News Blog

The new Fiat 500, the cutest thing since God invented the Hairy-nosed Wombat, might have two distinct buyers: (a) women, who love it to death, who want to pet it, lick it, and—if they could—put it on the couch next to them while they watch TV; and (b) men: blokes who reckon that women will find them so super irresistibly cool because they drive such a super irresistibly cool car, that they’ll want to pet them and lick them and put them on the couch next to them while they watch TV.

Sure is one cute little machine, the new Bambino 500. In the car park, or on the road, everyone wants an eyeful. In the metal it looks every bit as cool as it does in the marketing snaps. For automotive retro design, the 500 sets a new benchmark—better even than the Mini: it manages to remain true to the style and ‘presence’ of the original, while being new, fresh and modern at the same time.

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Fiat’s hugely successful 500 is set to be joined by a drop-top variant in the not too distant future and the news has come straight from the horse’s mouth so-to-speak. Fiat brand styling director Roberto Giolito confirmed this and even some additional details at the recent Automotive News Europe Congress.

Giolito wouldn’t confirm when we will see the 500 Cabrio but he did reveal that it will be a rag-top and not a folding hard-top. The fabric roof is believed to have been chosen due to it being lighter, taking up less room and of course cheaper to manufacture. In a car the size of the 500 space is at a premium and stowing a folding hardtop would prove difficult.
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The Fiat 500 has picked up another award that will see a new addition to its already bulging trophy cabinet. With the European Car of the Year award already under it’s belt, the little 500 has been named the ‘Best Small Diesel’ Car by the UK’s “What Diesel Car?” magazine.

With more than half the cars sold in the UK now diesel-powered, it is an ideal market in which to assess the best diesel-engined cars as, unlike Australia, there is a full range of rivals in each class to contest the title. Such a competitive market makes for plenty of competition, so this award would not have been a walk over for the 500.
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The Fiat 500 is proving to be a huge sales success around the world, and Australia is no exception with the 500 being sold out for the next four months. Despite demand running well ahead of supply, Fiat have announced a new addition to the 500 model range in Australia, the Fiat 500 1.3 JTD Lounge.

The Fiat 500 1.3 JTD Lounge combines market-leading fuel economy of just 4.2 L/100km with a top level trim and equipment package to produce a unique combination of luxury, economy and chic style.
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