General 4-door Fiat 500....any news?

[Super Uwe]

Morning all,

Just wondering if anyone has heard news as to whether the enlarged 500 will/might go ahead?

Not been anything on the Internet for a while other than this as an example:

http://www.worldcarfans.com/110041925746/fiat-500-4-door-to-appear-in-2011---headed-for-us

The timeframes indicated here seem to be similar to the new Panda, which is due to be built this year (is due to be unveiled at this year's Frankfurt Motor Show) and will be on sale next year.

But there has been nothing forthcoming for at least a year, which makes me wonder if it will go ahead at all?

 

[loveshandbags]

Morning all,

Just wondering if anyone has heard news as to whether the enlarged 500 will/might go ahead?

Not been anything on the Internet for a while other than this as an example:

http://www.worldcarfans.com/110041925746/fiat-500-4-door-to-appear-in-2011---headed-for-us

The timeframes indicated here seem to be similar to the new Panda, which is due to be built this year (is due to be unveiled at this year's Frankfurt Motor Show) and will be on sale next year.

But there has been nothing forthcoming for at least a year, which makes me wonder if it will go ahead at all?

I hope it does not appear in Europe. It looks terrible. Can 'they' not buy a Punto or the like or maybe a 'countryman' Panda - realise they haven't got them in the US). I would probably sell the 500 if it appeared on our roads.

 

[Super Uwe]

So you're not keen then....

Agree with you though, that particular example isn't great. Have found another from Auto Express here which is a bit better IMO:

http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/news/autoexpressnews/251245/500_estate_heads_new_fiat_boom.html

Just seems weird that there was a flurry of news back in April 2010 and now there's nothing?

Anyway, according to these articles the new 4/5 door version will be called the Lungo....

 

[loveshandbags]

So you're not keen then....

Agree with you though, that particular example isn't great. Have found another from Auto Express here which is a bit better IMO:

http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/news/autoexpressnews/251245/500_estate_heads_new_fiat_boom.html

Just seems weird that there was a flurry of news back in April 2010 and now there's nothing?

Anyway, according to these articles the new 4/5 door version will be called the Lungo....

I did see that one already and being partial to Estates I thought it was OK looking. It reminded me of the Lancia HPE - a 'sporting estate'. Noticed the integral roof bars given the recent fiasco with the Lounge and the roof bars! I would kind of dread a 5-door version of a 500. If you think of the Lancia there was a coupe and the HPE but the 5 door was a different car being a 5 door 'normal' saloon and that was an excellent car if you get a good one that wasn't get affiliated by rust!

 

[306maxi]

Well the platform is there. The Ypsilon is out soonish and the Panda is out at the end of this year.

For this to be a success they have to keep the front exactly the same and keep the back as close to how it is now. They don't want to do a clubman where it has the same front but a fugly back and asymmetric doors.

That said I don't think they'll ever make one even though there is a market for it

 

[Super Uwe]

Well the platform is there. The Ypsilon is out soonish and the Panda is out at the end of this year.

For this to be a success they have to keep the front exactly the same and keep the back as close to how it is now. They don't want to do a clubman where it has the same front but a fugly back and asymmetric doors.

That said I don't think they'll ever make one even though there is a market for it

I think you might be right...here's a review fresh out yesterday (!) regarding the new Lancia/Chrysler Ypsilon:

http://www.carmagazine.co.uk/Drives...es/Lancia-Ypsilon-09-TwinAir-2011-CAR-review/

Looking at it from a Group perspective, I think it probably would be odd to release a new 500 that would be in direct competition with the new Panda and Ypsilon.

I still think a 4-door 500 would sell because Fiat has established the brand so well, but it would probably be to the detriment of these other two models perhaps....

Will be interesting to see the prices for the Ypsilon...

 

[loveshandbags]

I think you might be right...here's a review fresh out yesterday (!) regarding the new Lancia/Chrysler Ypsilon:

http://www.carmagazine.co.uk/Drives...es/Lancia-Ypsilon-09-TwinAir-2011-CAR-review/

Looking at it from a Group perspective, I think it probably would be odd to release a new 500 that would be in direct competition with the new Panda and Ypsilon.

I still think a 4-door 500 would sell because Fiat has established the brand so well, but it would probably be to the detriment of these other two models perhaps....

Will be interesting to see the prices for the Ypsilon...

I saw one of them (not a TA) in Barcelona last March from a tour bus and I thought that will never sell in the Emerald. My brother had a Dedra (5 door hatchback) not the HF variant and he thought it was a brillant car. Lancia had the Y10 turbo - it never sold here but I had thought about getting one of the engines to put in a 127 sport ! They always seemed to make quirky cars. The one you have 'shown' will probably sell and should be sufficient to 'fill that gap' if its priced right.

 

[306maxi]

I saw one of them (not a TA) in Barcelona last March from a tour bus and I thought that will never sell in the Emerald.

The one Super Uwe has linked to is a newer model

 

[loveshandbags]

The one Super Uwe has linked to is a newer model

It was a Lancia Delta that I saw - had to check some spanish web sites - never saw one before. From the same family it you look at it from the back. Not really my 'cup of tea'.

[FONT=IBGFDH+Verdana]http://www.uautoknow.net/2011/05/new-lancia-ypsilon-debuts-in-europe.html[/FONT]

 

[jnoiles]

That Lancia Delta is a crime against both the badge and humanity. What a ghastly abomination of a thing. I'm going off to google Maseratis to wash The Bad from my eyes.

 

[loveshandbags]

That Lancia Delta is a crime against both the badge and humanity. What a ghastly abomination of a thing. I'm going off to google Maseratis to wash The Bad from my eyes.

What a shame with Lancia. One of the first proper cars I got was a Lancia Beta Coupe with the twin cam unburstable engine and if you looked at it a certain way it looked like a Ferrari (it was to me). And it was red.

 

[jnoiles]

Oohhh, Beta Coupe. Sexy!

 

[RUI]

Oohhh, Beta Coupe. Rusty!

 

[306maxi]

That Lancia Delta is a crime against both the badge and humanity. What a ghastly abomination of a thing. I'm going off to google Maseratis to wash The Bad from my eyes.

I disagree If they put an Integrale badge on it THEN you can say that

 

[306maxi]

Oohhh, Beta Coupe. Rusty!

Same could be said for a lot of 90's Ford's

 

[loveshandbags]

Same could be said for a lot of 90's Ford's

Oohhh, Beta Coupe. Rusty!

This might sound like a naive question - but why did the Fiat group cars (Lancia / Fiat / Alfa) rust?
Was it the quality of the metal and or was it not 'galvanised' properly.
Or is it that 'designs' have really improved where there's no water 'gathering' in particular parts of the body?
Maxi raised a good point about the Fords - in particular the Fiestas which were rust buckets (but kept driving). Triumph Heralds had problems with rusting floor pans (I remember the draughts that you got in the foot wells as a kid in an Uncles car!).
For some reason 'Fiats' seem to get that label - maybe it was because you couldn't drive them if the wings have falllen off as happened with the Betas !

 

[Venters]

Crappy Russian steel.

 

[RogerWilco]

...and at that time pretty much only Volvo used galvanising under the paint - although I seem to remember there was a lot of controversy about the positive/negative affects of galvanising

 

[cainy1989]

cant see fiat making this one, surely a bigger 500 is the panda, unless they are still hoping to cache in on the retro thing

 

[306maxi]

But if someone wants a 500 they probably don't want a panda