General So 11 models reduced to 8... New Models

[Littala]

Of course you are right Rob, it's just that in the new list of available cars there is only one 1.4 model which happens to be the Lounge and this is the point that I think multispoke was trying to put across.

I guess that means my 10 day old, Volare Blue 1.4 Sport will be something of a rarity. Not sure if that's a good or a bad thing I'm pretty 101% certain that my dealer never mentioned the forthcoming changes when I placed my order at the end of January - then again, why would he, he possibly didn't know himself way back then. Be interesting to see what the TwinAir Plus looks like on the Fiat configurator.

 

[multispoke]

I guess that means my 10 day old, Volare Blue 1.4 Sport will be something of a rarity. Not sure if that's a good or a bad thing I'm pretty 101% certain that my dealer never mentioned the forthcoming changes when I placed my order at the end of January - then again, why would he, he possibly didn't know himself way back then. Be interesting to see what the TwinAir Plus looks like on the Fiat configurator.

Congrats on the new car Littala. It's nice to know that when its pretty on the outside it's also pretty in the handling department with the 'Sports suspension' (it does make a difference) and the standard ESP which can be a lifesaver if you think in terms of the 'reindeer test'. This was where Mercedes had to re-think the safety of the A series cars and supplied ESP as a standard fitment - apparently this car lost them money. I would equate the 500 as being a 4 seater bubble car and being top heavy it kinda needs the ESP.

 

[nicks500]

Something also the salesman said was he wouldn't guess at what changes are being made until he saw it in a letter making it official. This letter was dated the 21st of April so I think we will have a few weeks yet to find out what is happening. Myself I wont be ordering anything until they fix the Interscope sound system shortage problems. Unless there is a better after market upgrade out there?

 

[multispoke]

Something also the salesman said was he wouldn't guess at what changes are being made until he saw it in a letter making it official. This letter was dated the 21st of April so I think we will have a few weeks yet to find out what is happening. Myself I wont be ordering anything until they fix the Interscope sound system shortage problems. Unless there is a better after market upgrade out there?

If you're buying a new car I wouldn't be looking at an 'after market upgrade' - could bring about warranty issues - recent thread on a wiper problem is enough to keep me clear of any fiddling with the wires. For me - I'm not really into music in the car - I like to hear the sound of the engine. On the interscope that was in an A500 that I test drive I thought it was too bassy and had to 'bring down' the settings. The standard system is fine for me. The US do have a bose system upgrade but at $1,500 you would really want to me into your music. For true stereo listening music - a woofer should not be in equation. So the interscope system or lack of shouldn't be a show stopper.

 

[zanes]

Interesting. I presume the "sporty" seats on the twinair are the same as the half "leather"s currently in the sport?

Also, do I detect that FIAT are perhaps moving away from economy being the main selling point of the twinair?

 

[multispoke]

Interesting. I presume the "sporty" seats on the twinair are the same as the half "leather"s currently in the sport?

Also, do I detect that FIAT are perhaps moving away from economy being the main selling point of the twinair?

I reckon you're right zanes. When I was looking to buy a TA pop last month it was in Black and I was looking to jazz it up with a spoiler. I felt the market for it would be a 'little' performance petrol head car.
Whilst on the 1.2 I was going for a more sedate look in BNW with side mouldings, etc.
Not too sure about the sport seats being half leather. The half leather on the 'old' Sport model were substantially better than either the Pop of Lounge seats and I'd imagine would only be available on the TA++ models.

 

[ffxmy]

This is disappointing news. I was thinking about ordering a 500 1.2 Sport for my wife. She's a new driver so insurance costs will be high. The 1.2 is cheaper to insure than a TA and costs less to buy too. My wife much prefers the sport interior. Judging by this letter, a 1.2 with the sport interior is no longer possible.

It's also disappointing that this letter comes after the deadline for placing orders. Had I known about this earlier I may well have ordered a 500 to beat the deadline.

Previously the Pop, Lounge and Sport specs made sense to me logically addressing different market segments with almost all engines available for all specs. This letter suggests a move away from this and seems more confusing. Targeting the male audience with the 500 doesn't make much sense to me either. Maybe it's just me...

 

[multispoke]

This is disappointing news. I was thinking about ordering a 500 1.2 Sport for my wife. She's a new driver so insurance costs will be high. The 1.2 is cheaper to insure than a TA and costs less to buy too. My wife much prefers the sport interior. Judging by this letter, a 1.2 with the sport interior is no longer possible.

It's also disappointing that this letter comes after the deadline for placing orders. Had I known about this earlier I may well have ordered a 500 to beat the deadline.

Previously the Pop, Lounge and Sport specs made sense to me logically addressing different market segments with almost all engines available for all specs. This letter suggests a move away from this and seems more confusing. Targeting the male audience with the 500 doesn't make much sense to me either. Maybe it's just me...

Your wife will prefer the glass roof. The sports seats are nice but are really only needed on the quicker 1.4 Having sports seats on the standard 1.2 doesn't make any sense - hence the reason why Fiat have dropped the 1.2 sport whilst those looking to buy a new 1.4 sport will opt either for an a TA or an Abarth.
On the plus side the 1.2 lounge goes for more secondhand than the 1.2 sport.

 

[ffxmy]

In terms of looks and comfort IMO the sports seats make a lot of sense whether they are fitted to the 1.4, 1.2 or whatever. From reading others threads the Lounge seats are difficult to keep clean and the Pop ones are basic. If you justify fitting sport seats on performance then I'm not sure even the 1.4 warrants them.

We tend to buy new, look after our cars and keep them for a long time so I wasn't too worried about depreciation.

 

[306maxi]

Where do you come up with this stuff?

Your wife will prefer the glass roof.

How do you know? Do you know his wife? Have you done a survey of wives and their preferences for having a glass roof or not?

Having sports seats on the standard 1.2 doesn't make any sense - hence the reason why Fiat have dropped the 1.2 sport

Any enthusiastic driver can generate the cornering forces which would find you benefiting from the shape of the sports seats with any engine in the 500 range. Perhaps they prefer the styling of the sports seats to those in the pop or lounge? I know I didn't like the lounge seats and that was why we went for a sport initially before changing to a lounge with leather seats.

You seem to do an awful lot of telling people what they will like and saying that things are pointless for the least valid reasons.

 

[306maxi]

In terms of looks and comfort IMO the sports seats make a lot of sense whether they are fitted to the 1.4, 1.2 or whatever. From reading others threads the Lounge seats are difficult to keep clean and the Pop ones are basic. If you justify fitting sport seats on performance then I'm not sure even the 1.4 warrants them.

We tend to buy new, look after our cars and keep them for a long time so I wasn't too worried about depreciation.

The lounge seats are just horrible and if you can afford a lounge/sport and you want air con, alloys, blue&me then you're just not going to buy a pop so I reckon some people will have bought a Sport based purely on not wanting lounge or pop seats.

Believe me that my lowly 1.2 lounge can generate sufficient cornering forces for you to want something with some nice supportive side bolsters.

 

[Nosegas]

Believe me that my lowly 1.2 lounge can generate sufficient cornering forces for you to want something with some nice supportive side bolsters.

Do you find the leather seats in your car are sufficiently bolstered to offset the slipperiness of the hide?

 

[306maxi]

Do you find the leather seats in your car are sufficiently bolstered to offset the slipperiness of the hide?

I would say that they're sufficient. They're the same shape as the sport seats. They are obviously slipperier than the sports seats but you never find yourself in the passenger seat going around a right hand corner if you get my drift

 

[ffxmy]

The car seats my wife really likes are those fitted to the byDiesel. Unfortunately that's another model which is no longer available to order. There are a few left in the dealers but not with the options she would ideally like.

My wife's not keen on leather either. Having lived in a hot country she regards leather as inferior as it gets too hot in the sun. As for the glass roof, she's not bothered either way.

 

[306maxi]

The car seats my wife really likes are those fitted to the byDiesel. Unfortunately that's another model which is no longer available to order. There are a few left in the dealers but not with the options she would ideally like.

My wife's not keen on leather either. Having lived in a hot country she regards leather as inferior as it gets too hot in the sun. As for the glass roof, she's not bothered either way.

I can't speak for the black leather, but the red leather in our car never gets too hot. The worst thing in a hot car is the seat belt buckle. Every touched one of them in a black car on a 40 something degree day? You only do it once!!!!!! being from Australia I can say that black leather interiors aren't popular for the reasons you've mentioned.

 

[multispoke]

The car seats my wife really likes are those fitted to the byDiesel. Unfortunately that's another model which is no longer available to order. There are a few left in the dealers but not with the options she would ideally like.

My wife's not keen on leather either. Having lived in a hot country she regards leather as inferior as it gets too hot in the sun. As for the glass roof, she's not bothered either way.

Are you looking for a duologic ?

 

[ffxmy]

Are you looking for a duologic ?

Yes a dualogic with ESP for the hill hold plus interscope in the right colour would be ideal. Given the difficulty getting hold of what we really want plus the high prices nowadays, we'll probably end up with a different marque altogether.

 

[multispoke]

Yes a dualogic with ESP for the hill hold plus interscope in the right colour would be ideal. Given the difficulty getting hold of what we really want plus the high prices nowadays, we'll probably end up with a different marque altogether.

That might be a good choice. Given that you are looking for a Sports model with duologic and your wife is ‘not kean on leather’ but would like the seats in the Sports model.

 

[Joseph500]

I wonder how the 105 bhp version of the TA will fit into this revised model mix..........

Interesting (as he starches his chin)

 

[RobinPJ]

I wonder how the 105 bhp version of the TA will fit into this revised model mix..........

Interesting (as he starches his chin)

Careful you don't burn your chin with the iron when you starch it.