On
July 4, 1957, Italian car buyers were to witness the
launch of a car that would soon turn out to be an icon.
It was Fiat 500, a car model that stole many hearts
in Italy and Europe as crazy car buyers yearned to drive
one out. Fifty years down the line the Fiat SpA, the
Italian car maker, wants to recreate the same magic
with the latest avatar of the 500 model that became
synonymous with Italian fashion. For Fiat, the reincarnated
500 model, which was unveiled this year on July 4, is
its latest and perhaps a serious attempt at regaining
its lost reputation. Car enthusiasts have not been disappointed
so far. The car, which retains the tiny rear-engine
model with two seats upfront and a back bench of its
predecessor, has already got 57,000 orders as against
its own target of selling 50,000 to 60,000 units in
the current year. Many industry s believe that
the success of 500 is crucial for Italy's third largest
car maker, which returned to profitability only last
year after 17 successive quarterly losses. Sergio Marchionne,
Fiat's CEO who took over the job three years ago, underlined
it clearly when he fittingly said, "This is not
considered the launch of a car, but the launch of the
Fiat group."
The
Fiat cinquecento (pronounced chink-A-chen-toe, Italian
for 500), first hit the roads in 1957 as a cheap and
small car, a better option on the highly congested Italian
roads. Measuring only 2.97 m (9 fts 9 inches) long,
it could be parked even in the narrowest of the spaces.
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