General Here's a tip for you Sergio

Super Uwe · Jun 24, 2011

RobinPJ said:
For what it is worth, here is a scan of a full page ad from today's Metro (read on my approach to the Congestion Charge Zone incidentally).

The ad completely fails to explain or differentiate between engine name and trim designation, as I understand that you could get this "Twinair" car with a 1.2 engine. So that will confuse the Bejesus out of people. (Possibly including me as I now am not at all sure I am right about that...?)

Anyway, y'all may have seen this already but I thought I'd share.

Thanks for that Robin. Well, the advert is precisely in line with the original post a few weeks ago suggesting that they want to market the car to a more "aggressive" audience.

Will this 500 suddenly become a "bird magnet" though for said individuals? Personally I need convincing that the kind of person this is targeting (i.e. young alpha males!

) will want to go anywhere near a 500.

However, what it does have in its favour is that it is an achievable price for someone who yearns for an Abarth but can't afford one. Maybe that sounds like I'm calling it a poor man's Abarth - which is not what I meant - but you get the gist anyway!

arorat · Jun 24, 2011

Just got a chance to long onto Fiat website, wtf ? so is lounge not part of twin air, is twinair plus a bigger engine - NO, confusing to the Nth degree

good luck new buyers.

Also I note TA+ price is almost in Abarth [FONT=&quot]category[/FONT], unless A500 prices are going up too.

Life would be easier if there were flowcharts on websites for options, inc. Olympics 2012

RobinPJ · Jun 24, 2011

Super Uwe said:
Personally I need convincing that the kind of person this is targeting (i.e. young alpha males!) will want to go anywhere near a 500.

Here is an example: a (rich) friend of mine wanted to buy his 17 year old son a car - but something sensible, but which his parents could also drive as and when.

Dad pushed his son hard towards a 500 as both parents liked it. Son flatly refused - even a Blackjack - as it is too girly. So he ended up with a Citroen C1 sewing machine.

bgunn · Jun 24, 2011

How you could say a C1 is less girly than a 500, I really don't know.

RobinPJ · Jun 24, 2011

bgunn said:
How you could say a C1 is less girly than a 500, I really don't know.

I hear what you are saying but the 500 is not seen as a male car - by a lot of people (especially young ones).

loveshandbags · Jun 24, 2011

Super Uwe said:
Thanks for that Robin. Well, the advert is precisely in line with the original post a few weeks ago suggesting that they want to market the car to a more "aggressive" audience.

Will this 500 suddenly become a "bird magnet" though for said individuals? Personally I need convincing that the kind of person this is targeting (i.e. young alpha males!) will want to go anywhere near a 500.

However, what it does have in its favour is that it is an achievable price for someone who yearns for an Abarth but can't afford one. Maybe that sounds like I'm calling it a poor man's Abarth - which is not what I meant - but you get the gist anyway!

A poll of the drivers of this FF might give some very interesting results. I reckon...
A500 are owned primarily by Males - guess 97% (guesstimate)
500 possibly 90% are owned by females with a good portion driven by their OHs (another wild guesstimate)

Reckon that about 5% of the A500 drivers come from 500 camp (predominately 1.4 Sport) (may not be too far off on this)
The US have recognised this hence the US Model 500 Sport.
The Twin Air & Twin Air + is a stop gap until the US Sport model arrives and probably part of the tarting up good value option of the retro model targetting the male audience to keep them for next year.

And at a price of £11365 it is a lot cheaper than £14700 for a A500 please cheaper servicing costs. It is the new half Abarth.

It reminds me of the advertisement for the Fiat 131. A car for the aspiring 'youth' -> then married man -> family. Creates customer loyalty. That's the price for a bit of fun.

EDIT: Couldn't find the original but you get the 'gist'...

cjc156 · Jun 24, 2011

Well, I've just had a shot of the TA spec on the configurator, must say it dosent work for me. If it were me, I'd say the best option remains, start with a pop and build it yourself.

Littala · Jun 24, 2011

Just had a go on the Fiat confiigurator myself, and you can still configure a 500 Sport.... I remember reading somewhere on the forum that Fiat were doing away with the Sport model. I hope they're not. I don't like the new Twin Air and Twin Air plus models myself, as I'm not a fan of dark-coloured alloys, but each to their own.

ffxmy · Jun 24, 2011

Littala said:
Just had a go on the Fiat confiigurator myself, and you can still configure a 500 Sport.... I remember reading somewhere on the forum that Fiat were doing away with the Sport model. I hope they're not. I don't like the new Twin Air and Twin Air plus models myself, as I'm not a fan of dark-coloured alloys, but each to their own.

You can't place a new factory order for a Sport. However there will be still new stock left in the dealers which I guess is why the Sport still appears on the configurator.

FloJo · Jun 25, 2011

I *think* that when you go on today they've put the price of the TA lounge up by £200ish.

bgunn · Jun 25, 2011

FloJo said:
I *think* that when you go on today they've put the price of the TA lounge up by £200ish.

Which is almost the price of the climate control they've fitted as 'standard'..

306maxi · Jun 25, 2011

bgunn said:
Which is almost the price of the climate control they've fitted as 'standard'..

FloJo is referring to the twinair LOUNGE, the twinair spec is the one that has cc as standard/

bgunn · Jun 25, 2011

So does the LOUNGE if you check the comparison of specs. Or it did two nights ago when I looked.

306maxi · Jun 25, 2011

bgunn said:
So does the LOUNGE if you check the comparison of specs. Or it did two nights ago when I looked.

Doesn't have cc on the configurator.

loveshandbags · Jun 25, 2011

RobinPJ said:
I hear what you are saying but the 500 is not seen as a male car - by a lot of people (especially young ones).

I read your comments about friends of yours wanting to kill 2 birds with the one stone - buying a car for their son but also for themselves - a little ironic.

For some it was buying one for their wifes but now the 'young ones' are becoming the excuse

Looking for some good 'shots' on the Twin Air & Twin Air + facebook has an entry (this may have been posted before)
http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150185397337398.326024.17184067397
and it appears a bit like the Volare Blue at the initial launch it's now using the Midnight Indigo Blue (from the bydiesel) as their 'launch' colour.
http://garagecar.blogspot.com/2011/05/fiat-500-twinair-plus-sport-equipment.html
The wavey wheels (in a laquered black) that are the Twin Air were originally only available on the 500c configurator & on the US models are now here. The 15 multispoke were too girly for this model. You notice to where this particular set of photos are posted and it is too easy to 'drift' to the left hand side of the page. Not very PC but even the grandmother was brought for a 'spin'.
Came across this US article and it highlighted the 'shift' in emphasis away from the capitalist driving Mercedes owners and how enlightened a particular individual felt in switching to a Smart car. I'm not too sure how the image experts at Fiat are tackling this 'smart' market and if the Twin Air 'new form' is at loggerheads with it.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122817265705770477.html
Mr. Brask says he thinks the car also changes his image. It's like having "a kinder, gentler persona bestowed on me rather than automatically being pegged as a grumpy old capitalist. I get the thumbs-up gesture from teenagers and moms as I drive through the neighborhood."

bgunn · Jun 25, 2011

306maxi said:
Doesn't have cc on the configurator.

Because it's now standard..

306maxi · Jun 25, 2011

no, its still an option

loveshandbags · Jun 25, 2011

bgunn said:
Because it's now standard..

Interesting how the Climate Control is now the standard spec on the Lounge and also on the Twin Air Plus. Simplying the options (or limiting them) is a way for the Fiat to save money. US option list is limited and I can see the UK / European list going the same way. IMHO the CC is a worthy extra on the glass roofed models and may have been required for emission regulations

since it runs more efficiently.

Comparing the Twin Air and Twin Plus
the + gets...
Blue & Me + buttoned leather steering wheel
Climate Control
Body coloured and heated mirrors
Tints
16 inch wheels in place of 15 inch alloys
at a extra £1,100 over the 'standard' Twin Air price of £11,365
Is this 'Twin Air plus' worth the extra money over the 'Twin Air' ?

bgunn · Jun 25, 2011

They changed the website then, as on Thursday there was no option, and on the comparison page they showed it being standard..

loveshandbags · Jun 25, 2011

306maxi said:
no, its still an option

You're both correct.
1.2 Lounge £11,065 has no Climate control as standard.
TA Lounge £12,465 has Climate control as standard.

EDIT: Did you notice on the configuration printout of both these models that the TA Lounge specifically states 12V Point. I wonder is the replacement of the standard cigarette lighter which has caused problems for me in getting an iphone charger to fit correctly ?

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