Fiat 500 Vintage ’57 Edition on the cards for Australia
The limited-run Fiat 500 Vintage '57 edition premieres at next month’s 2015 Geneva motor show, and the retro-styled baby car might just come to Australia later in the year.
Similar in conception to the 1957 Edition model launched in November 2013, this one is based on the since-updated 500, but in the same way it pays homage to the original 1957 Nuova Cinquecento.
Fiat calls is “a contemporary interpretation of the stylistic features that gave the original its distinctive identity”. This translates to pastel colours with a contrasting white roof, spoiler, antenna and mirror covers.
It also brings those classic 16-inch alloy wheels in vintage style and embossed with historical Fiat logos.
Inside the cabin is a white dashboard, historic Fiat logo in the steering wheel and tan-coloured Poltrona Frau leather seats with ivory leather 'half-moon' inserts and ‘500’ embroidery in tan.
The Polish-built 500 Vintage 1957 launches in Europe from April, and comes with a 51kW 1.2-litre engine or the excellent little 63kW 900cc TwinAir turbo.
There’s no official confirmation that a number of these little retro stars will come to Australia, but we understand from Fiat Chrysler’s local arm that the business case is being looked at. It’s odds-on to come here at this point, though precisely when depends on production scheduling.
The regular Fiat/Abarth 500 is proving enduringly popular for the company in Australia, weathering recent price increases to record market-defying growth in 2014.
In a Micro Vehicle segment down 31 per cent, it grew 23 per cent in volume, with 2995 annual sales making it the second most popular car in the class behind the Mitsubishi Mirage.
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