Two-cylinder to power new Fiat 500!

[Pebb]

I think its good Fiat are bringing back this name.

----

Source: Auto Express

Fiat's cheeky new 500 will have a sensational two-cylinder engine, we can exclusively reveal

The last big-selling car to use a two-cylinder was the legendary Citroen 2CV. Set to go on sale next year, the new 500 will focus on efficiency - its 0.9-litre turbo will develop between 90bhp and 110bhp.

The hi-tech engine is said to be 20 per cent more economical than the average 1.2-litre city car, so dri*vers can expect to see more than 60mpg on the com*bined cycle. And with around 120Nm of torque, its performance should be good, too. The new Ford Ka, which uses the 500's platform, is also likely to share the two-cylinder unit.

While there have been attempts to bring two-cylinder motors into production - such as the French Aixam range - the 500 will be the only twin to be offered as a mainstream model, be*cause achieving an acceptable standard of refinement is a major challenge. More powerful versions of the 500 will also be offered, using Fiat's freshly developed 1.4-litre turbo*charged petrol motor, which can deliver up to 150bhp. Mean*while, the Italian brand's engine experts have also built a new high-performance 1.8 turbodiesel which will be offered in the new Bravo.

Other plans emerging from Fiat's secret files include news of a groundbreaking Crossover 4x4, due in 2009.

 

[Wolfe]

Sweet, the Fiat 500 is coming back!

Too bad it won't be RR, like the original.

 

[SlipZtrEm]

A 1.4T with 150hp in a microcar? Sounds entertaining, but also a bit much for a little 500. They were never about power!

Still, a tiny little twin-cylinder turbo sounds like it'd be a lot of fun. And if the next Ka is sharing the chassis, one can assume these little things are going to handle great 👍

 

[Poverty]

looks cute, cant wait to see the outcome of the mini, 500 and a2 battle.

 

[Pupik]

It's rare that little cars make me smile, but this one did.

Maybe it's all the time I spent with the little 500R in GT2's early days.

 

[Jim Prower]

You're kidding me.

It's so CUTE! Just wanna pinch it's little Mouse cheeks!

Uhh...

Did I just say that?

I'm gonna go test drive a Hemi, now...

 

[TheCracker]

Is they are going for a 2cyl motor - i think they should drop the V-twin Ducati lump from their MotoGP bike. 240+ bhp would be a lot of fun, especially with a 4wd system.

 

[Philly]

Is they are going for a 2cyl motor - i think they should drop the V-twin Ducati lump from their MotoGP bike. 240+ bhp would be a lot of fun, especially with a 4wd system.

I'm sure they are no trying to build something elise-like. That would be completely insane. A four wheel motorcycle...

No doubt that would be fun to drive and very good in the crowded streets of Europe. Too bad it won't be over here. Guess were stuck with our "bigger is better" SUVs.

 

[TopHat]

I'm sure they are no trying to build something elise-like. That would be completely insane. A four wheel motorcycle...

No doubt that would be fun to drive and very good in the crowded streets of Europe. Too bad it won't be over here. Guess were stuck with our "bigger is better" SUVs.

Never say never my friend, thats what they said about the Smart, and now look where it is heading!

With FIAT in the market again, it could be good!

 

[Tornado]

Yeah, Fiat may come back in 5 years (at least), assuming thy aren't bankrupt by then (though they did recently post the first profit in a while).

 

[TopHat]

Bah, sometimes its not nice to be FATMOUSE.

 

[ExigeEvan]

I'm more interested in seeing the new Ford Ka to be honest. The design has hardly changed in 10 years and you see absolute millions of them.

This does however, remind me of a Perodua Kelisa.

 

[JCE]

I think it looks fantastically cute.

 

[YSSMAN]

Awesomely awesome, thats all I have to say. I'm already crossing my fingers that someone in America imports them, as I'd go for the FIAT long before the SMART, IMO.

 

[Pebb]

It still has the great looks like the original.

 

[Sakiale]

I dunno... I don't like it. It looks too modernized, not as mean as the old one.

Anyway... I still want one

 

[Slicks]

You're kidding me.

It's so CUTE! Just wanna pinch it's little Mouse cheeks!

Uhh...

Did I just say that?

I'm gonna go test drive a Hemi, now...

Ahahaha!!!....
I LOL'd, multiple times.


While I think this thing will definitely have a market in Europe, I have the feeling that us from North America will have to wait a while until we see it.

Oh... Right... And the obligatory "AWWWW it's sooooo cute!!!".

 

[AngelCreator]

Now that a cute car, I hope someone brings it to the US because I would love to have one.

 

[donbenni]

This does however, remind me of a Perodua Kelisa.

Yeah i understand where you're coming from, but seriously the 500 is much better designed:

Kelisa

500

It is pretty darn cute and i like that they're keeping the 2cyl engine setup. Should be a seller 👍

 

[Poverty]

I'm more interested in seeing the new Ford Ka to be honest. The design has hardly changed in 10 years and you see absolute millions of them.

This does however, remind me of a Perodua Kelisa.

I hate the KA, such a ugly small little vehicle. Dont really see many of them down my way.

 

[JohnBM01]

Maybe I got the Dodge Caliber's "Anything but Cute" deal in my head when I look at compacts, but let me talk about this thing. I can recall my GT2 and GT4 experiences using machines like this. The Fiat 500 series weren't very powerful. The GT2 version had about 22hp. But considering the real inconsistencies of GT2's horsepower numbers, it could be much more powerful. This is a cute little car. It also modernizes the old school Fiat 500 series. Those styling touches are there if you can recall what the Fiat 500s looked like. In case you need some retrospective, look here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fiat_500

I usually learn a lot from Wikipedia. What I didn't know is that there were actually six variations of the Fiat 500 series. The ones I'm used to are the 500F, 500L, and the 500R. But there are three other variatons. They are the 500 Nuova, 500D, and the 500K. Tuner types would respect the 500 Nuova through the 500F because they had suicide doors. I learned this new model will be known as the Nuova 500. The 500 series of Fiats were basically Fiat's answer to Mini. I'd love to learn more about this machine.

Let me give this thing some approval. Out of 100% approval, this is a very-well designed car. There may likely be a beast hidden behind this car's cuteness. I'll need to know more about it. But as far as approval goes, I'm giving this thing about 90% approval. I don't think these minis and superminis were designed to intimidate anyone or have some pure "character." Many of them are designed to be practical and fun. Some of you know that one of my all-time favorite cars is the Mini Cooper (classic and newer ones). It was one of the first cars to prove that size doesn't matter, even in cars. It did pretty well in multiple disciplines of racing. Ever since, I've grown great appreciation in minis and superminis. Don't give me this thing about a "microcar fad." Hell. These things can be just as fun as most larger cars even if they aren't RWD (well, some are like the older Fiat 500s, Subaru 360, Suzuki Cappuccino, and Mazda AZ-1, among others), big block, tire-shredding beasts. Yes it's cute. It's also very handsome. But it's still just as much of a car like a Toyota Camry, Chevrolet Corvette, and even a Bugatti Veyron. Just smaller. And perhaps more fun.

 

[ExigeEvan]

Yeah i understand where you're coming from, but seriously the 500 is much better designed:

Kelisa
*SNIP*

500
*SNIP*

It is pretty darn cute and i like that they're keeping the 2cyl engine setup. Should be a seller 👍

Oh I never meant to say that it was as badly designed as the Perodua, but I was just stating my first opinion when I saw the picture.

I hate the KA, such a ugly small little vehicle. Dont really see many of them down my way.

I struggle to see how you can live in an urbanised area and not see Ford Ka's. Even if 'everyone drives Beemers'. And the Ka design isn't that bad. If it was, it wouldn't have been able to remain largely the same for nearly 10 years and still sell quite well.

 

[AngelCreator]

I was reading the first post and seeing that they plan to have a 150HP
verson make me think one thing, Fiat 500R.

 

[Danny]

You're kidding me.

It's so CUTE! Just wanna pinch it's little Mouse cheeks!

Uhh...

Did I just say that?

I'm gonna go test drive a Hemi, now...

I just laughed so hard 👍

I'm liking this new 500. I hope it comes within the next 4-5 months, in time for me to buy one!

 

[niky]

Damn, I wish we could get this one... even in "base" 90 hp V-Twin trim, I'd hit it.

I love small cars, and I love small engines... less weight up-front = better balance. And there's nothing quite like bombing down a country lane in a buzzy little tin can... C'mon, Michael Schumacher has a Cinquecento... that's saying a lot.