Amid high consumer hopes, Fiat has un–veiled its most celebrated vehicle, the Cinquecento car. The modern remake of the classic Fiat 500, which enjoyed widespread success among Italian families in the booming 1960s and 1970s and quickly became a world-wide symbol of the Italian dolce vita alongside Vespa scooters and parmesan cheese, has met with rave reviews. Production of the Fiat 500 began in 1957, making this year the iconic car’s 50-year anniversary. The new model aims to marry tradition with modern innovation, says CEO of Fiat, Giuseppe Marchionne.
Fiat reports orders for 30,000 of the new cars and projects an increase to 65,000 to 70,000 by the year’s end. With a sale price ranging from 10,500 to 14,500 euro, the revamped model will be produced at the Fiat factory in Poland. John Elkann, vice president of Fiat and great-great grandson of Fiat founder Gianni Agnelli, has affirmed that the Cinquecento is a ‘new beginning’ for the company, on an economic upswing after recent financial troubles. ‘The 500 is not just a car, it represents a new Fiat, a solid company projected towards the future—it’s our travelling manifesto’ added Marchionne.
