Modern Vespa

Here is a link to the car. I would like to see greener vehicles like this catch on in the US.

Greener vehicles, yes. That particular one, not so much....

A gutless mini.....

coolieo...

I think.

LOL

R

8)

I could put it in the back of my truck
as a spare

Was that a vintage one in the beginning? Now that was cool! That's the one I want. The new one looks like a barbi knockoff Wal-mart car.

I am looking forward to taking delivery of a Smart in 08.

Yes, I want to say the original came out July 4th, 1957? Very cool car for the time and timeless even today. There are 3 styles you can order this new car in; pop, lounge and sport.

When we were in Italy my wife kept threatening to take one of the old cinque centos home in her purse! They are pretty adorable, I have to say.

Often times you'd see a tiny, ancient Italian couple barely making 90KPH on the autostrada, or tooling around in town. They were great!

My last Fiat was from the 1970s. It truly represented the "Fix It Again Tony" acronym. No thanks.

Yes!

I almost bought a Mini a couple years ago. I loved Smart cars when I saw them in Italy.

The Fiat looks very simple but very elegant. It would have to be as fun to drive as my Jetta 1.8Turbo for me to consider it.

I voted a big YES !!
My wife wants it for replacement for her Lancia Ypsilon.
I saw it and it is so cute, white metallic/17 inch alloys with red brake calipers/skywindow 8)
But we prefer the Abarth.
Production for 2007 is sold out already before the car was launched so this will be a great succes for Fiat Auto. THe total for 2007 went to Italy and France so we have to wait untill beginning of 2008 I guess.
The new 500 is manufactured in Tichy, Poland together with the new Ford Ka and Fiat Panda.

Um, that combined with my previous knowledge of Fiat pretty much says enough to make my decision.

My knowledge with Fiat is very good.
My wife and me drive only Alfa/Fiat/Lancia for many many years and we do not want something else because there is no other car that gives us that satisfaction that we are looking for.

Why? The Ka and Panda are actually pretty good, reliable cars. Or are making a weak Polish joke?


I drove a Fiat for the first time two weeks ago. It was my rental car in southern Spain. I actually really liked it (sorry, don't remember the model, but it was '06 or newer and a four door +1/hatchback).

I am not so indulgent with FIAT cars, they had several reliability and quality problems until 04-05. That said, the Polish production plant is known to have a very good quality level record and the new Panda is a really good and reliable car, according to magazines and rating agencies. And overall, FIAT reliability is rapidly increasing in new models.
Eg, the British have always been very suspicious of FIAT cars, but it seems like they are now buying a lot of Panda. The car is also considered as one of the best citycars on the market, now.

So did all the ones my firends had. Nooo

Ciao Ellebubi,

Last May I was in Italy and every year it seems that the Italians theirselves drive more and more German cars like Audi A3 and BMW 3 series.
I do not see so many Alfa's and Lancia's anymore like I did years ago.
Fiat Punto and Lancia Ypsilon seems very popular. And of course I do not see as many Vespa's as I would like to see.

Why is it, why don't you Italians like Italian made cars/bikes as much as the cucina italiana ??

Unless its a GT or maybe a hot rodded Mustange, there isn't a Ford vehicle you could give me. Well, you could give it, but I would immediately sell it Fiat? keep em. This thing is a Cooper coat tailer.

Yes, I also think this is a great little city car. It is cute, but what I like best is the finish inside the car. The Italians always style the interiors beautifully - Alfa in particular.

Fiat are also running some brilliant "Italian Job" style adverts here for the Brava, complete with scenes on top of the Fiat factory roof. Very cool.

is it only 500cc like the old one?

1200cc
1400cc
1300cc multijet diesel
Abarth ?? I guess 1400cc with turbo as Grande Punto

...

yummy!

an nice alternative to the typical student shed on wheels, *the fiat punto*.

I don't know what everyone's problem is with FIAT. As long as you never drive it when the humidity is above 20% or it rained in another state, you'll be fine!

Doug

I have that with US cars, as long as you can stay on a road without curves it will be fine. But don't take it into the Alps/Ardennes etc. US cars are not made to be driven in the narrow streets of EU or made to take it fast into curves.
Thatswhy you see them not often in the EU

Alan from Norway, what kinda car do you prefer ?

It is about time they are releasing the Cinque Cento. I wouldn't buy one because I need my little pickup for trips to Home Depot (damn you Bob Vila), but they are groovy and would be great for little New Orleans streets (not somuch for pot holes, however).

I fell in love with the 500's when I went to Italy last Spring.

Oh yeah!
I have a Lancia Ypsilon 1.3 Multijet Platino with sequential clutch and attend the production of the new 500 Abarth.

My Fiat Spider was awesome, until buying my Mazda, it was my all time favorite car that I've owned. My Lancia Beta Zagato (Spider) was not as great. I imagine this car will be fine. Don't know that I'd buy one. My current Italian car lust is for the Alfa Romeo Brera.

Just as a I suspected... it IS a Barbie car.

The Abarth modified one is the one I'd want! Pretty hot little car! We'll see if it looks like the renderings...

http://www.motorauthority.com/news/news/fiat-500-abarth-renderings/

http://www.infomotori.co.uk/a_17_EN_18953_1.html

Maybe these will come to Canada.

Bryce...
The tractor in the avatar...What's??
I of it have hardly ordered one new:
http://www.ferrariagri.it/index.php?id=335&L=0&C =

BRYCE - What kind of Mazda?

Looking at your list of bikes, it's pretty clear that you like to wrench on your vehicles.

I think there is a larger subset of people that would rather have the newer more reliable models with warranties that mean they don't have to wrench.

It's a different choice, but one that is up to each person. I'm in the crowd that would consider this, though I'm most likely going with a Smart.

...

Alan A

What do you think this forum is ? THis is MODERN VESPA this IS a retro cool club
because yes, we drive modern Vespa's with that retro look of the early years because:
-we like to drive lots and lots
-we do not like to wrench
-we like reliabilty
-we like it when it starts when we go to work in the morning
-we like it to drive on the highway knowing to have throttle left for overtaking
-we like it that it stops when touching the brake levers
-we like it to leave Harleys behind on curvy roads
-we like that MODERN VESPA without that soul

Ciao Attila,

Ohh I like that Ypsilon, my wife has a 1.4 16V Platino.
I use it all the time myself and when I want to play I take my Alfa 156 GTA out of the garage, that's fun I can tell you.
I drove to Italy through Switserland via Chiasso to Milano. That's the max with the GTA I can tell you.
Thatswhy it is called the poor man's Ferrari in some test magazines.
I am still waiting to win the lottery so I can buy a rich man's Ferrari

...

Yes, much better to buy an overpriced tiny car that looks like ass but that's put together by a German company. Smart cars are about the ugliest cars I've ever seen, despite their "oh so cool" interior color combos. I'll take that little Polish-made 500 any day thank you.

I wouldn't mind the car if it could tow at least 7500lbs (trailer + bike)