I have 2,000 miles on her. Everytime I go outside a neighbor smiles, stops by and asks about it. They want one. One neighbor who in 5 years never made eye contact stopped to ask where he could get one. As my son said, the car makes you want to turn it on its back and scratch its belly. It's a hit. Image Unavailable, Please Login
I'm amazed as to how much attention the 500 attracts. Once they become more common on the road, sales will increase dramatically.
Sure. ALL works perfectly. No design or assembly flaws. When I drove the euro version 3 years ago, I said it was built like a Toyota and that holds true here. The weather has been crazy here in NY; 80 one day, 40 the next and raining every other day. So, I got to use the A/C and heater. Perfect, world class. If I had a nit to pick it would be that the rear window wiper should have a longer delay between swipes. Yeah, I guess that would be it. Lights are good, and the fog lights are very effective. Power windows are fast, autolock doors work fine. Average a little over 36 MPG...and I do not baby it.
The guys that picked up some charity clothes at the house were really looking it over. And the guy who delivered chinese food was asking all sorts of questions. He REALLY liked the sound of the gas mileage. Haven't tried the heater, but the AC is great. Lights and electric have all been good. Gas mileage around 33 so far, but thats a real mix of driving - city, highway, sitting. And fairly brisk acceleration. Only complaint is blind spots from the passenger seat, door posts and rear roofline depending on where you are looking. Can get around it with the mirrors driving straight. However, had to stop at a stop sign at the airport, then had to pull in at 45 degrees or so into moving traffic over my right shoulder - very hard to see and a little scary. Overall, it's a big thumbs up!
It's been very cold here, hovering around 32-36 the whole week and I found the heating system great on my friends Prima. My primary complaint is the radio buttons for the volume, I would much prefer a knob.
The car gets "paired" to your cellphone, and the address book is synced up. You can make and receive calls through the car's speaker system. You never have to touch any buttons, because it's all voice-activated. By pressing a button on the steering wheel and saying, "Call John Smith," the car goes through the phone's phonebook, finds the number for John Smith, confirms you want to call him, then puts the call through the system. The EXACT same thing happened to me! Other notes: I just passed the 500 mile mark. So far, so good. I keep the Sport button on all the time. I'm getting 30+ mpg (33?), despite the fact I do virtually no highway driving during the week. I like the "Instant Economy" display on the dash that shows your mpg as you drive. My latest challenge: I haven't quite figured out all the voice commands when my iPod is hooked up.
FIAT Gallery to Showcase Italian Vehicles, Brand and Culture AUBURN HILLS, Mich., April 18, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- * Hub of entertainment during New York auto show * Test drive the Fiat 500 * Discover the Fiat 500's heritage * Relax in lounge and cafe * Enjoy art and interactive displays FIAT Brand North America announced today that the FIAT Gallery at 18 Wooster - a destination for visitors to immerse themselves in the FIAT brand and culture - will open April 21 and run 11 days to coincide with the 2011 New York International Auto Show. The FIAT Gallery at 18 Wooster combines design and interactive elements of a FIAT Studio with an art gallery and an intimate Italian lounge and cafe. Located at 18 Wooster St. in the renowned SoHo arts and fashion district of Manhattan, the FIAT Gallery at 18 Wooster will be a hub of entertainment and an engaging, relaxing way to experience the FIAT brand firsthand complementing the brand's presence at the New York auto show. Housed in a former art gallery, FIAT Gallery at 18 Wooster will open to the public at 8:30 p.m. April 21, and then daily from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., except on Sundays when it will close at 8 p.m., through May 1. FIAT Brand North America will be hosting some unique events with major partners with each event taking on the attributes and personalities of the Fiat 500 Pop, Sport and Lounge vehicles themselves. While artwork will adorn the walls, the real masterpiece of this gallery will be the 2012 Fiat 500 Cabrio, the convertible version of the Fiat 500 that will be unveiled Thursday, April 21 at the New York auto show. The FIAT Gallery at 18 Wooster will display the 2012 Fiat 500 Cabrio, the Fiat 500 Lounge and Sport models, and a vintage Fiat 500. Visitors can experience the design evolution of the Fiat 500 through drawings by Roberto Giolito, the Fiat 500 Italian designer, that wrap around a vintage 500 display. The 2012 Fiat 500, which went on sale in March, marks the return of the FIAT brand to the United States after a 28-year absence. Not only will visitors learn about the modern Fiat 500 and its heritage, they will be able to test drive the Fiat 500 on the bustling streets of New York City. The FIAT Gallery at 18 Wooster will have three Fiat 500s on site each day for the test drives. An inviting Italian lounge and cafe will greet visitors as they enter the 4,500-square-foot FIAT Gallery at 18 Wooster. Visitors can enjoy an espresso compliments of FIAT and Lavazza while relaxing in this intimate lounge and cafe, or while checking out the Fiat 500 Lounge model with all of its premium amenities. A second room showcases the vintage Fiat 500 and design story panels, as well as the Fiat 500 Cabrio and Fiat 500 Sport hatchback. Just as you would find in a FIAT Studio - the name the FIAT brand has given its U.S. dealerships - visitors will be able to use the Style Center to consider and choose their favorite of 14 exterior colors, as well as 14 unique seat color and material combinations that can be ordered to personalize the vehicle. The FIAT Gallery at 18 Wooster also will feature art exhibits, including Fiat 500 hoods and doors that were used by artists as their canvas and musical instruments created from automotive parts. Engaging interactive elements such as Style Sculpt allow visitors to create a Kaleidoscope from the Cinquecento and experience FIAT in unique ways. The FIAT Gallery at 18 Wooster will offer entertainment during the 11-day run, including live music and art exhibitions. For more information on events to be held at the FIAT Gallery at 18 Wooster, see the calendar of events at http://www.facebook.com/FiatUSA?sk=events. SOURCE Chrysler Group LLC
Close to 700 miles here. 33 and 31 MPG on the two fills/topoffs I measured. I mostly leave the Sport button off. In traffic, and especially when it's real windy, it seems too 'twitchy' with Sport mode on. Sport is also supposed to quicken the throttle response, so may dampen fuel efficiency a little.
I'm a lurker here, but I've had my 500 for a week so I figured I'd chime in. Yeah, the marketing so far is horrible. I'm subscribing to the theory of Fiat not being ready for large orders so they're keeping a low profile for now until they get their act together. They're even refraining their dealers from doing large advertising of their own, so it sounds as if they intentionally have some sort of strategy going and it's not just a half-arse marketing job. I hope that's the case. Then again, low-profile should not mean erroneous website. My dealer also said that Fiat is working on a massive national ad campaign that will be released in the next couple of months. We'll see... I got to autocross it this weekend and it was a delight. Half the people there (and this is an enthusiast crowd) did not know about Fiat entering the US market. It was a hit. It also gets all kinds of looks and thumbs up from other drivers on the road. Compare that reaction with other cars in its class and it makes me think the 500 has the potential to become a huge hit - can you think of anyone that has done a double-take or waved at a Fit or Yaris? At the autox this car is a lot of fun! Felt like a kart Did a pair of runs in my friend's Mini afterwards and it felt like a Winnebago . I placed about 1/3 down the list in PAX times with the stock all-season tires and alignment and I had never pushed the car to its limit until the first run, so I'm thinking the 500 has awesome potential. Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
Thanks again for your input Javi, as a MCS R53 owner myself I was wondering how well the 500 would perform at a autocross or track day.
Saw one on The Dragon (US129 between Maryville, TN and Deal's Gap, NC-318 curves in 11 miles), olive green, going like greased snot. I was surprised at the lack of body roll evident from the outside. It's so small you can run a racing line through the corners in just one lane...
Figure MSRP of about 23-25? That's a guess. It may be very hard to get one, from what I hear so afr. Limited production. That may change.
Hope the Prima owners get first shot at them. A fully loaded essess with leather and all of the nice bits Americans want pushed $32k in the UK.