It’s Columbus Day – Let’s Talk Italian Cars
Today is 10/11/2010 – Christopher Columbus Day. It’s a holiday full of controversy. Native Americans loath this day and many protest against it. Today is also National Coming Out Day, and we support all our LGBTQ friends! Columbus Day is also a big deal for those of Italian heritage. So it only makes sense that we talk about the latest Italian addition to America’s automotive industry – the Fiat 500 Sport.
Fiat, which is now part-owner of the auto maker Chrysler, agreed to bring the Fiat name back to the States as part of their deal together.
The Fiat 500 Sport for US audiences will having several additions its European cousin lives without – including sportier exterior designs and a speedometer that reads Miles Per Hour. Fiat is keeping 500′s design pretty traditional still, in line with the original 1950′s look, much like the MINI.
The car gets new fascias all around, 16-inch wheels, and a large sunroof. 500′s power will come from Fiat’s brand new turbocharged 1.4-liter MultiAir engine with no word on domestic horsepower. You should begin seeing Fiat 500′s on Chrysler-Fiat lots next year.
Fiat is also introducing the Fenice Gold 500 – a customized, sportier version of the 500 Sport. The list of gold-plated parts includes the front bumper and hood ornaments, front and rear wheelarches, side pillars, headlight ornaments, badges, exterior mirrors, door handles and even the tailpipe. We must mention that we’re not pretty sure of the practicality of a gold-plated tailpipe.
The car’s 1.4 liter engine receives a new air intake, a custom exhaust system and an ECU remap.
The Fenice Gold 500 is not done by Fiat. That’s an aftermarket customizer and the car isnt even real, it’s just a photoshop concept (they have yet to build any real cars), just like their Rolls Royce Phantom Gold concept.
We should, howeve, get the Abarth version of the 500 here in the states late last year.