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Fiat left america after promoting its final Stradas, the 124 Sport Spider and X1/9s as 1982 fashions, taking Lancia with it. Malcolm Bricklin continued importing the 124 Sport Spider and X1/9 (with Pininfarina and Bertone badging) for a number of extra years, however it wasn't the identical for American followers of the long-lasting Italian producer. Quick ahead to Chrysler's Chapter 11 chapter in 2009 and Fiat's funding within the firm and it wasn't lengthy earlier than it was introduced that Fiat was returning to our shores. First Fabrica Iapplaud Automobil di TeaOrino The product that hit our streets as a part of that deal was the five hundred, which debuted as a 2012 mannequin. That's severe automotive historical past this sequence is about, so I documented this first-year 500 within the Denver Automobile Graveyard.
I've written about many deserted Fiat automobiles over time, together with some respectably outdated automobiles, however Nuova Cinquecento By no means bought very effectively right here, and surviving examples are too beneficial to finish in ewe pullets. That automobile was produced from 1957 to 1975 and was very profitable in Europe, promoting nearly 4 million models, and its title reminded Europeans of its predecessor, the five hundred Toppolino. A retro-styled trendy 500 achieved appreciable recognition, and a Polish-built 500 hit European showrooms in 2007.
Whereas the five hundred title didn't evoke fond childhood recollections with American automobile patrons, what did? The automobile seemed cute and other people with disagreeable recollections of temperamental Fiats of the Seventies most likely weren't going to care. What It seemed like an outdated Fiat mannequin.
I forenoon Sufficiently old to recollect these Fiats of the Seventies (my dad and mom purchased a pair of latest Fiat 128s after I was in first grade), however I used to be excited by Fiat's comeback in 2011 and that very same 12 months. Reviewed the five hundred Sport in April. Sadly, it didn't fairly match with the tastes of mainstream American automobile patrons, and it was discontinued after 2019. A brand new electron-fuel 500e ought to be accessible any time now, so the story of the American Fiat 500 is nowhere close to over.
This automobile has the Sport trim stage, so its MSRP was $17,500 (roughly $23,959 in 2024 {dollars}).
It had an non-obligatory six-speed automated transmission, which added $1,000 to the value ($1,369 after inflation).
The engine is a 1.4-liter MultiAir straight-four rated at 101 horsepower and 98 pound-feet. Members of this engine household have powered all the things from the Alfa Romeo Giulietta to the Jeep Renegade.
Depreciation has been brutal for these automobiles, that means they’re simple to search out in massive self-service junkyards.
An on a regular basis masterpiece.
Jennifer Lopez claimed that the five hundred was perfect for the Bronx.
The “hypothetical, don’t try” disclaimer on this advert could achieve deterring 500 house owners from trying to drive their automobiles underwater. We hope so.
Shouldn't they’ve used a a lot youthful actress to symbolize the little 500 Abarth on this Tremendous Bowl advert?