To celebrate 60 since the original Fiat 500 went on sale, the Italian car manufacturer has announced a special edition of the current model, badged the 500 Anniversario.
While the current 500 bears little more than a passing resemblance to the original Cinquecento, Fiat says it remains true to its aims of combining mass appeal with exclusivity. It's certainly true that the current Fiat 500, around largely unchanged since 2007, has proved to be a hit for the firm which has also produced offshoots such as the 500L people carrier and 500X crossover.
The Anniversario model will be available as a convertible or hatchback and finished in a choice of two exclusive colours, Riviera Green and Sicilia Orange. Fiat says the special edition includes "references [to] some of the key historic characteristics of the car," such as chrome accents on the bonnet and door mirrors, as well as vintage Fiat badges and retro-look 16-inch alloy wheels (a no-cost option... take them or leave them).
Power will come from Fiat's 1.2-litre 69hp petrol engine, unchanged from the standard 500, while the interior features bespoke horizontal striped fabric along with a body-coloured dash and unique floor mats.
According to the press release, the sixties was synonymous with embracing new technology... which explains why the Anniversario comes with automatic climate control, cruise control and rear parking sensors as standard, says Fiat. Pay extra for the optional Tech Pack, and you'll get a seven-inch infotainment screen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto as well as sat-nav on request.
Orders for the Fiat 500 Anniversario are open now, with deliveries beginning next month. Prices start at £14,265.
Source: Fiat
Gallery: 2017 Fiat 500 Anniversario
To celebrate the 60th birthday of the iconic Fiat 500 a new special series, the Fiat 500 Anniversario, will be available to order from today.
The history of Fiat 500 has been punctuated by many special editions, launched throughout its life to underline its distinctive ability to combine exclusivity with mass appeal, while remaining very much true to itself. The design of the Fiat 500 has fired the imagination of artists and fashion designers, to create examples such as the “500C by Gucci”, the “500 by Diesel” and the recent 500 Riva, “The Smallest Yacht in the world”.
The Fiat 500 Anniversario is available as a hatchback or a convertible and honours the 1957 Italian-made icon with a contemporary re-interpretation of the stylistic features that made it famous in the Dolce Vita years. This new special series has a sixties look that references some of the key historic characteristics of the car, such as the two new exclusive colours, Sicilia Orange and Riviera Green, the chrome accents on the bonnet and door mirror caps, the vintage Fiat logos and the 16-inch vintage alloy wheels. An alternative 16-inch diamond finish alloy wheel is also available, as a no cost option, offering a modern take on the spokes of classic car wheels. The vintage elegance of the car is completed by the cursive “Anniversario” logo sported on the boot.
The Fiat 500 has always had an inimitable look, and with the Anniversario every detail is designed to capture the carefree style and mood of the sixties, but with a modern touch. Inside, the new seats channel the retro style with horizontal striped fabric, contrast piping in body colour and an embroidered 500 logo, while the body-coloured dashboard and "Anniversario" embroidered floor mats complete the look.
The sixties was synonymous with embracing new technology and the new Fiat 500 Anniversario does just that. With automatic climate control, cruise control and rear parking sensors as standard, customers can also specify the optional Tech Pack, which includes the 7-inch TFT instrument panel, the Uconnect 7-inch HD LIVE radio, Apple Car Play and Android AutoTM, and satnav on request, bringing the Fiat 500 Anniversario bang up-to-date.
Available in combination with the 1.2-litre 69hp petrol engine, the Fiat 500 Anniversario returns 60.1mpg on the combined cycle, emitting just 110g/km CO2, combined with the Dualogic gearbox this reduces to 105g/km CO2, while returning 62.8mpg.
It was on July 4, 1957 that the "great little car", the emblem of mass car ownership, was launched in Turin. Its success was refreshed in 2007 and then again in 2015, with this year seeing it reach a new milestone of two million cars sold worldwide. The Fiat 500 Anniversario is a gift from 500 to its fans with a special series packed with features at an affordable price.
The Fiat 500 Anniversario is available to order from today and will be in dealerships from 3rd July, priced from £14,265 OTR. For more information on the new Fiat 500 Anniversario please visit www.fiat.co.uk or to locate your nearest Fiat dealer visit www.fiat.co.uk/dealers.