Comments on: Spied: Fiat 500 Cabrio

By: franz chong

franz chong — Sat, 02 May 2009 06:55:33 +0000

It’s pricey for what it is.I bought My Nissan Tiida back in 2006 when they were sourced from Japan with the Style Pack consisting of upgrade trim,alloy wheels and power windows on road for 25 Grand.Great Value for money with a proper automatic none of this Fiat Dualogic nonsense.Practical too.Will look at another one or a Corolla come trade in time in 2011.

By: Matthew

Matthew — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 00:47:04 +0000

Having recently driven one… for 25k drive away as a minimum, its just not value, the interior is cheap… the Automated manual is a clunker (and auto is key in this market).

And the driving position for someone more than 6ft tall is horrid.

By: Hugo

Hugo — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 05:36:06 +0000

How does “overpriced, underpowered and underequipped” grab you?

It’s a fashion car, clear and simple, whereas the Yaris and the Swift are practical cars.

How’s it doing compared to the New Beetle and the Mini is more pertinent, I think.

By: SteveC

SteveC — Sun, 14 Sep 2008 11:17:46 +0000

My comment from last week is still “awaiting moderation”. Not sure what I might have said that needs to be that looked into.

But anyway, people who have knocked the car haven’t driven it. I’d buy one over a Mini. Go test drive one to see why. You should probably test drive a mini too, because I doubt you’ve driven one of them either.

SteveC

By: DanMan

DanMan — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 22:30:31 +0000

Golfschwein…
Well played sir. you get my vote for the fuel card. Funny on a few levels. Bravo! *Golf clap* (ohh that was unintentionaly funny too)

By: Golfschwein

Golfschwein — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 01:39:44 +0000

Doexyry…d…deox…um….it can’t be! I thought DNA meant the National Dyslexics Association and I should know cos I’m a life member.

nyah.

By: Jimbo

Jimbo — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 01:20:37 +0000

LOL, DanMan…..true, all true, I know there is a fair amount of marketing and retro fashion going on here but I don’t know I just love this car.
And I would happily part with $30K+ for an Abarth 500, and the more I try to justify its cost the more I feel like a d**khead. And Si1982 has made some good points too.
But damn it; I wouldn’t be a car enthusiast if I didn’t appreciate cool aspect of a car. The day I resign myself to rationalising every car by cost, size and affordability is the day I have lost the will to live, straped on a cardigan and bought a Toyota.

By: DanMan

DanMan — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 00:25:17 +0000

Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) is a nucleic acid that contains the genetic instructions used in the development and functioning of all known living organisms and some viruses
Nothing about cars here… just saying.
The fiat is about marketing… just saying.

By: Jimbo

Jimbo — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 23:22:33 +0000

It’s all about DNA.

By: Jimbo

Jimbo — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 23:17:18 +0000

si1982, you stated…”the 500 is a Fiat which is just about as far away from premium as you can be…. had it been an Alfa they could have justified the price tag”

You have just said that Mini is premium because it is attached to BMW.
Therefore isn’t the 500 attached to Alpha and dare I say it Ferrari in the same way??? i.e. the Abarth shares some components (be it only a hand-brake assembly) with a Scudierra. If it was the Fiat Panda I would agree with you but the 500 was specifically built to be a premium supermini like the Mini is.

Go and see one in the flesh and you will see why I have such admiration for this small and seemingly ridiculous car. The build and trim quality is outstanding (enough to put your Mazda 2 Genki to shame) and in all of its whimsical ridiculousness it actual possesses a surprising level of usability.

By: Captain Mainwaring

Captain Mainwaring — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 09:33:25 +0000

Peel-back roof just like the 1957 version. Charge a 1957 price and they might just sell a few.
Otherwise……not.

By: si1982

si1982 — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 09:22:23 +0000

Jimbo – i didnt say that the mini was not overpriced … i think its ridiculously over priced… infact both these cars…

the clio that according to u “s..ts” all over the mazda 2 and the like is also a very expensive car.

also the reason why mini is able to charge the premium that they do is coz of their association with BMW – premium brand in Australia. However, the 500 is a Fiat which is just about as far away from premium as you can be…. had it been an Alfa they could have justified the price tag.

By: g

Wed, 10 Sep 2008 08:45:26 +0000

Both 500 and Mini are over priced rubbish…!!

By: Jimbo

Jimbo — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 08:42:48 +0000

si1982, true “value for money it is not”……. Is $31K a reasonable price for a Mini? I would rather have a 1.4 Fiat 500 for $26990 plus on roads that a Mini for $30990 plus on roads. The 500 is bigger on the inside and has arguably more talent on the road and comparable performance.
Yet people seem to think the price of a Mini is reasonable.

Also a Fiat 500 and a Mini are about as comparable to a Mazda 2 as a Mazda 6 is to a Mercedes C Class!!!!!
Anyway I hope sales do pick up as it is a great car. The Australian public has a habit of missing the point of cars like this, as they did with the Renault Clio and now the completely brilliant new version is only sold in its pocket rocket form here now and it s**ts all over Mazda 2’s and the like.

By: si1982

si1982 — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 07:59:57 +0000

hey Jimbo … as u state the price listed on the website is indeed 23k, but once u add dealer delivery, stamp duty and rego its abt 27k … still cheaper than the mini, but thats without alloys and no stability control for the 1.2L manual.

i can get a mazda 2 genki auto with safety pack for much less than that!
it needs to be priced atleast 6k below what it is at the moment ….

sure its cute and all those other things, but value for money it is not…

By: Fenno

Fenno — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 06:40:02 +0000

Fix It Again Tony…

By: g

Wed, 10 Sep 2008 06:29:29 +0000

Over priced rubbish…

By: o

Wed, 10 Sep 2008 05:48:42 +0000

Id imagaine if fiat took over importing itself we would see price drops just like when merceded took over importing smart

By: Jimbo

Jimbo — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 05:25:21 +0000

Our prices are in line with Europe, that’s the problem, converting Euros/Pounds + Shipping into AUD.

The 500 is a brilliant car in its own right and if I could afford one right now I would have one with a 1.4 and leather in a heart beat. Or in a months time I would kill for an Abarth 500.

And Kinetic, it has more leg room and boot space inside that a BMW Mini and that is the market it sits in not you bargain basement super minis.

I suggest that people should see and experience this car in the flesh before you judge. Plus $30k seems to be the buzz word on this blog but you can pick one up for $23K. That’s $8K less than a Mini.

Go on guys take one for a drive and have some fun and stop worrying about the super mini in you pants that your so desperately trying to hide!!

By: The Salesman

The Salesman — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 05:19:18 +0000

Come on Barbie, let go party.

They won’t ever sell in volume if it is based on price alone. That is probably not their goal. Fiat will need to do a lot of work to build value into this car and convince buyers it is worth it.