[curiosity] new Fiat 500 in USA!

[Keef]

I thought the driving experience was alright, though the pedals and gearshift were extremely numb and soft. It's obviously meant for smooth operation in an urban environment, but for an experienced manual driver like myself, it was actually rather difficult to drive around town. I spent most of my time cruising it down the highway, and the lack of power is only noticeable on steep mountain grades. It'll pass other cars with plenty of energy, but you often have to be aggressive to get the results you want. Thankfully those soft controls make it easy to be aggressive and smooth at the same time. Not my style, but we live in an age where manual transmissions are often dumbed down for sub-par drivers.

 

[homeforsummer]

Not my style, but we live in an age where manual transmissions are often dumbed down for sub-par drivers.

Are your 500s five or six speed? Obviously my car is pretty similar to the 500, but the transmission is actually one of its best features. Six speed, and not far off being as good as my old MX5. Clutch isn't as good, but the shift itself is great. Bit lighter than the Mazda, but equally slick and fast. Manual transmissions that good are why I never manage to bring myself to buy an auto.

 

[YSSMAN]

I believe ours are six-speed units. You've got to work them to get the most out of that 100 BHP engine, but I'd guess that it is one of the most pleasurable small car experiences aside from the Chevrolet Sonic and Mazda 2.

Fiat-Chrysler has done a bad job with the growth of the dealer network, and set their expectations far too high sales wise. They wanted to sell 50K this year, which is crazy. They've sold 20K, as I recall, and that isn't too bad considering that its a brand no one remembers, and is a size that won't appeal to everyone. They should start pushing them through Dodge networks, in cities across the country, but for some reason they're choosing not to.

 

[Keef]

Are your 500s five or six speed? Obviously my car is pretty similar to the 500, but the transmission is actually one of its best features. Six speed, and not far off being as good as my old MX5. Clutch isn't as good, but the shift itself is great. Bit lighter than the Mazda, but equally slick and fast. Manual transmissions that good are why I never manage to bring myself to buy an auto.

Like YSSMAN said, ours are 6-speed. It helps, especially on the highway where you don't need 5th for passing, but might grab it on occasion.

I'm sure my idea of a good manual transmission is very different than most. I don't necessarily like "slick and fast", and I generally don't like cable-actuated shifters which are standard fare in front-drivers these days. For example, I don't rave about modern Civic Si transmissions. It works well, yes, but it's not what I would call "good". It's not fun. An S2000 is a different story because you feel a distinct mechanical connection - my 1999 Civic Si was the same way, with it's steel bar linkage.

I have driven my dad's 1993 Ford Ranger, a manual, and an early-90s 5-speed Chevy 1500 with a 350 V8. Both of them have better shift actions than the Fiat 500. The Ranger's throws are 6 inches one way, and there are two distinct clicks as it goes in gear. The Chevy's throws were very short, and the stock very long, and it felt like shifting gears on a 50 year old steel lathe. A proper machine, that was. The Fiat has absolutely no feel in its shift action, and I would honestly rather not shift a transmission so boring. Combine that lack of feel with a lard-insulted clutch damper to ensure smooth operation in urban environments, and you've got a recipe for a total lack of human-machine integration.

 

[RocZX]

I believe ours are six-speed units.

Like YSSMAN said, ours are 6-speed.

That is true if it's auto. but if a manual it's a 5 speed.

 

[Keef]

I just drove one last week. Goes to show how boring the manual is, that I didn't even remember how many gears it had.

You're right though. I remember reverse being in the 6th position.

 

[Jondot]

Are your 500s five or six speed? Obviously my car is pretty similar to the 500, but the transmission is actually one of its best features. Six speed, and not far off being as good as my old MX5. Clutch isn't as good, but the shift itself is great. Bit lighter than the Mazda, but equally slick and fast. Manual transmissions that good are why I never manage to bring myself to buy an auto.

Not to follow you around all evening talking about gearboxes, but the 5-speed 500 I drove wasn't terribly nice. Imprecise and rubbery by all accounts - not evil, but certainly nothing like I imagine Mazda would implement. Speaking of clutches, is the one in the Panda 11 miles long too? When I first pressed the one in the 500 down I thought I'd broken it.

 

[homeforsummer]

I believe ours are six-speed units. You've got to work them to get the most out of that 100 BHP engine, but I'd guess that it is one of the most pleasurable small car experiences aside from the Chevrolet Sonic and Mazda 2.

This is where I come in and say that EVO has rated my Panda above both the Fiesta and Mazda2, and the 500 Abarth Only comes second to the RenaultSport Twingo.

I'm sure my idea of a good manual transmission is very different than most.

What I like varies, but I know a good'un from a bad'un. Good ones: My old Fiesta, MX5, my Panda, one single example of the handful of BMW E36s I've driven, Honda Del Sol. Average ones: Pretty much everything else.

That is true if it's auto. but if a manual it's a 5 speed.

Thought that might be the case. I've certainly heard better things about my 6-speed than I have about the 5-speed.

Not to follow you around all evening talking about gearboxes,

but the 5-speed 500 I drove wasn't terribly nice. Imprecise and rubbery by all accounts - not evil, but certainly nothing like I imagine Mazda would implement. Speaking of clutches, is the one in the Panda 11 miles long too? When I first pressed the one in the 500 down I thought I'd broken it.

Clutch travel isn't too bad, the biting point is just a bit soft after that in the MX5. Clutch is probably the least compromised pedal in the Panda. Brakes are a bit over-servoed (a problem apparently unique to the 100HP in the Fiat range, though you get used to them), and the accelerator is a bit unpredictable, thanks to being electronic. Or hyperactively sensitive in "Sport" mode.

I've still not driven a 500. I'd quite like to, but the image has already lost its appeal for me. If I was to get a 500 it'd probably be the twin-cylinder TwinAir, because I like interesting engines.

 

[skynyrd]

I was surprised to see a Fiat "studio" in Huntsville, Alabama. And I did see two of them along I-75 in Georgia, a fair distance from the Atlanta metropolitan area. Seriously, I'm hoping for the best, but Fiat can't entirely pin their hopes on one car, like Smart...Fads don't last.

I live in North Alabama, and I can confirm that they're starting to show up fairly regularly around Huntsville and Madison, and even in the smaller cities like Athens. They're not common yet, but they're not rare anymore either.

I don't know how well they're faring off the highways around here, but even on a quick trip I've spotted a few on the roads.

 

[RocZX]

Price for the Abarth 500 in the US, starting at $22,000.
http://jalopnik.com/5875161/2012-fiat-500-abarth-will-cost-22000

 

[dsgerbc]

^ Way too much for what it is, methinks.

 

[CodeRedR51]

Price for the Abarth 500 in the US, starting at $22,000.
http://jalopnik.com/5875161/2012-fiat-500-abarth-will-cost-22000

Saw this earlier. Not bad.

 

[RocZX]

^ Way too much for what it is, methinks.

It just $2,500 more then the top trim level 500. Just the add parts cost more then that.

 

[dsgerbc]

^I think top- any-trim 500 is overpriced as well.

 

[YSSMAN]

I'd say that the Abarth is priced competitively, but without knowing what's standard on there, I'm not sure if it is a better value compared to the GTI or Cooper S. I'm looking forward to seeing one in person, even more to take one for a spin.

 

[CromaTurboIE]

is coming to new Fiat 500 Large

http://www.motorbox.com/auto/magazine/prossimamente/fiat-500l

 

[Moglet]

Yep, and it's horrible! It's been about for a while now, we were discussing it in the other thread (6 below this one) and everyone agreed that it's not a pretty car at all!

 

[sumbrownkid]

So all the cool kids think making small cars larger is better than making large cars smaller.

 

[Slash]

I haven't seen 1. They advertise all the time on the radio for them though.