Fiat does a MINI and ruins the 500

colm_mcm

Following in the footsteps of Smart, MINI, Range Rover and many others, Fiat has decided to cash in on their most popular model by spawning a less cool derivative,

The 500l is a mini Mpv crossover type thing and was revealed at the Geneva motor show,

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fiat_500L



What do ye think?

Stheno

Saw it in the Irish Times, today, awful looking thing.

I actually love the 500, on my list of cars I'd be happy to drive.

The new mutation is on my list of "never be seen dead in this"

colm_mcm

Could be a much needed injection of cash for fiat, they can't do popular mainstream cars anymore now that better budget rivals exist, so something like this might do the trick.

Cookie_Monster

isn't that just a punto basically?
why even bother?

colm_mcm

See above

MugMugs

Looks like a 500 with too many protein shakes. Yuck

bazz26

Aparently they are doing a Nissan Juke rival also called the 500X:

Jimbob 83

bazz26 wrote: »

Aparently they are doing a Nissan Juke rival also called the 500X:

Atleast it has 4 doors

colm_mcm

Wow, how unexpected

Anan1

I think the idea is that it be a modern interpretation of the 600 Multipla.

colm_mcm

Hence the name 500L

antodeco

Ah Jesus. It's horrible.

dgt

As a Fiat fanboi, that makes me sick, like the first time I saw the Multipla. I just had a nice bowl of noodles too. Great

martyc5674

Anan1 wrote: »

I think the idea is that it be a modern interpretation of the 600 Multipla.

Me thinks so too.... Pity it ain't a six seater.

Anan1

dgt wrote: »

As a Fiat fanboi, that makes me sick, like the first time I saw the Multipla. I just had a nice bowl of noodles too. Great

That thing isn't great, but I think the Mk1 Multipla was a very cool car. The Irish just weren't ready for it - we're extremely conservative when it comes to design.

dgt

Anan1 wrote: »

That thing isn't great, but I think the Mk1 Multipla was a very cool car. The Irish just weren't ready for it - we're extremely conservative when it comes to design.

I was 10 when it came out 1st and I nearly cried at how ugly it was compared to the other cars Fiat had at the time. Granted it's versatility and very roomy but I couldn't accept it's exterior styling.

Love or loathe, some people love em, some hate em. Can't be a bit of both!

langdang

If Citroen made the 500L people would be on here wibbling on about how great their designs are. It's OK but it's no 500. I don't think they should be linking the two.
The mini SUV is just a Juke clone. Meh.

Regarding MINI - the Countryman SUV and the Coupe are wrong.
The clubman is fine though, wouldn't mind one!

hardCopy

Anan1 wrote: »

That thing isn't great, but I think the Mk1 Multipla was a very cool car. The Irish just weren't ready for it - we're extremely conservative when it comes to design.

Will any country ever be ready for it? It was hideous.

L-M

hardCopy wrote: »

Will any country ever be ready for it? It was hideous.

It was pretty horrendous in fairness. I can remember seeing my first one on tv, it had such an impact it was one of those "Everyone remembers where they were when..." moments.

As for the 500L, I think it looks cool and could be a worthy replacement for the now, completely out dated, but seemingly still selling, Panda.

road_high

Fiat badly needs new models. Though I think they could have done better with the styling here. The Korean "budget" makes and Skoda and Renault also have wiped the floor with them in recent years; anyone remember about 10 years ago the Punto WAS Irelands best seller, by some margin. They totally threw that away with poor quality and poor service.
Sales in Ireland have fallen off a cliff. I see a few 500's around and the odd Panda. Other than that very little.

road_high

Limerick man wrote: »

As for the 500L, I think it looks cool and could be a worthy replacement for the now, completely out dated, but seemingly still selling, Panda.

There's a new model Panda out though?

The Recliner

I have a soft spot for Fugly cars

hence I liked the Multipla, it dared to be different and did what it was supposed to do well

The 500L yoke and the Juke rip off just seem so uninspired and bland in their ugliness

ThisRegard

I like the Multipla, the original bug eyed on more so than the 'normalised' facelifted one. Was only stop alongside one in traffic last week and the family inside lived up to the media blurb portrayal of what owners should look like, kids and parents alike all very smiley and with loads of space and light. Sure how could you not be when in one of them !

L-M

mfitzy wrote: »

There's a new model Panda out though?

Really? Haven't seen much of it yet, although there's little in the way of a Fiat dealer down here.

Zubeneschamali

I don't think it looks bad in itself, if there was no modern 500, people would say how Fiat had cleverly evoked the original 500 in the styling.

If you park one of these next to a regular 500, it will probably look wrong, like that BMW Maxi thing.

martyc5674

dgt wrote: »

Anan1 wrote: »

That thing isn't great, but I think the Mk1 Multipla was a very cool car. The Irish just weren't ready for it - we're extremely conservative when it comes to design.

I was 10 when it came out 1st and I nearly cried at how ugly it was compared to the other cars Fiat had at the time. Granted it's versatility and very roomy but I couldn't accept it's exterior styling.

Love or loathe, some people love em, some hate em. Can't be a bit of both!

I remember seeing my first one and thought aaaarrrrgh what's that yoke!!!

Roll on about 10 years and I'm looking for a car to lug kids around in and use as a bit of a van... The only car that ticked those boxes were the multipla... I said what the heck and started looking around till I got a good clean one(was a hard search!!)

Anyway i absolutely love it...it is by far the most practical and fun to drive car I've ever been in.
Any of my friends who have been in it have been more than surprised and admit how much they like it.

The 3 seats across the front and the huge boot with tailgate is an excellent design that no other car offers.
Seats six adults comfortably with boot space and your so high up it's like driving a jeep.
My only worry with it is what to replace it with when it finally gives up.

They have a huge almost cult following in the uk and they will certainly be a classic.

I and many others would love if Fiat or someone else came up with a modern replacement for the multipla.
Marty.

road_high

Limerick man wrote: »

Really? Haven't seen much of it yet, although there's little in the way of a Fiat dealer down here.

Yea it was launched in the Spring. Not a bad little looker. Chunkier than old Panda. Got good reviews in the English mags as well. They are still selling the old model on run out now so I've seen a few '12 old models about still.

There's few dealers anywhere I think. Many of the good ones they had left the franchise.

Bigus

Anan1 wrote: »

That thing isn't great, but I think the Mk1 Multipla was a very cool car. The Irish just weren't ready for it - we're extremely conservative when it comes to design.

we're extremely conservative when it comes to design. eh FIATS

If the Multipla had been a Toyota or honda it would have been seen as Funky.

There a great yoke to drive BTW and don't feel like an MPV

road_high

There's the Fiat Freemount, which is a rebadged Dodge. Not sold in Ireland/UK.

Victor Meldrew

They both look a lot better than the derivatives of the BMW MINI. especially the awful 4x4 thing.

The 500L is not a 500. looks totally different, and the retro nose does not suit the rest of the car. but it is still better looking than the over worked MINI hacks...

While I like the idea of the original 500, it always looks like it has a massive ar$e, and a bad case of muffin top, which ruins it, and is totally at odds with the perfection of the original.

Sometimes retro does not work. The new beetle works, the MINI works till you get inside, as long as you avoid cooper stripes and other chintz...

langdang

Victor Meldrew wrote: »

avoid cooper stripes and other chintz...

they are so not in the spirit of the original Minis...


oh wait, no...

langdang

Bigus wrote: »

we're extremely conservative when it comes to design. eh FIATS

If the Multipla had been a Toyota or honda it would have been seen as Funky.

There a great yoke to drive BTW and don't feel like an MPV

I get what you're saying - but I don't think even Toyota could have pulled it off in Ireland - but if it had been the "Polo XL" or something it would have been the best thing since sliced bread.
In fairness,Honda did do a "mulipla" and it (FRV) was a far shexier looking beast

Zubeneschamali

FRV kinda copied the idea, but missed the point of 6 full size seats, and instead has 2 adult, 3 child and one baby seat.

martyc5674

Zubeneschamali wrote: »

FRV kinda copied the idea, but missed the point of 6 full size seats, and instead has 2 adult, 3 child and one baby seat.

Totally missed the point!!!...lack of space & versatility aswell.

colm_mcm

I disagree, the frv has a good boot and the sliding middle seats make the car feel huge

I slept 4 in a multipla once at a festival. 2 on the floor and 2 on the seats.