Fiat 500 USA - a Dash of Euro-Chic and Sporty Economics

Expect to see lots of little Fiat 500's whizzing around California in the coming months as the popularity for the likes of the pint-sized Mini Cooper, VW Golf and several other economy "Eur0-style' cars increases with the escalating price of gas.

I first came across the revamped Fiat 500 a couple of summers ago on a family trip to the UK, in which my teenage sons were amused, yet intrigued by the compact cutie, as un-American a car as they could possibly conceive of.

Today being the day that my middle son, Luc has officially traversed the right of passage in passing his drivers test - it was auspicious in its beginnings with a breakfast-time flick through yesterday's New York Time's sports section. 

For younger drivers in this country, a now dwindling reputation of the Fiat as a "Fix it Again Tony' headache, has little relevance to the global footprint generation growing up with international motoring viewpoints such as Top Gear on TV.

Needless to say, the new driver in the 'hood' aired aspirations over the newspaper this morning for a nifty little Fiat 500 number somewhere in his forseeable future. By the time the new arrivals of the U.S. version hits the used car market he'll have some seasoned driving under his belt! Starting new at around $17,000 for a manual model, all he needs to do now is start saving.

All this talk about the Fiat takes me back to my first wheels stateside, acquired by the Italian husband posting a note on a neighbor's windshield with a modest cash offer to take her battered, converted old Spider off her hands. Although it had trouble in second gear (somewhat of a challenge in expeditions involving the hills of San Francisco), it served us well for the first couple of years in California, where everyone drives an open-top sports car, right? The fact that we haven't driven a convertible, or a Fiat since the Spider eventually bit the dust is neither here nor there. Never say never. Wonder if there's a convertible Fiat 500 in the customization options? 

(California Christmas 1990)

(Ready for the road - Luc aged 4)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Comments

[Lindsey]

I love them. In fact I used to say I would quite like a baby boy this time round so that eldest daughter and I could jet around town in a 500 or Mini in a couple of years, but since I'm destined to have girls we'll all just have to squeeze in somehow....