[VanDiemen]

I appreciate this is a Mini forum with an obivous Mini bias (quite right so!) but how many people would consider swapping from Mini to Fiat 500, or MCS to Abarth? All options have got genuine appeal.....

[James]

no...

[minicabrio]

Not me - I'm not a fan to be honest

[vickietots]

Must admit it is not doing much for me either.

[rellik666]

Hey, as I haven't seen it in the flesh, this is pretty speculative.

But,

I can see the appeal. Nothing would ever take me out of my MINI (except for maybe a Lotus Exige, Ferrari etc) but if I lived in the heart of the city and didn't have off street parking and couldn't walk to work, the 500 would be an interesting option. I like the fact that there is a quirky car on the market, not necessarily to challenge the MINI but to supplement it.

I am sick of seeing boring cars on the roads and MINI rip offs. At the least the 500 has some history and character. The MINI is a premium car and always will be, but the 500 will appeal to a different market, but will still have some crossover appeal.

I have two MINI’s now and will probably have both for the next couple of years. But if I had another car, a land Rover or Rav or something, a Fiat 500 would be an interesting town car. I will go pretty much anywhere in my MINI, as long as there is tarmac, but I wouldn’t be so confident in the FIAT.

So I say good on Fiat, I wouldn’t buy one, it just wouldn’t suit my lifestyle, but I can see why someone would.

[minicabrio]

I was fortunate (or unfortunate) enough to see a MINI, before BMW got their hands on it back in 2000. The MINI was a Rover product, and after the sale of the MG Rover Group, BMW invested loads in turning the Rover MINI into a BMW MINI and the car we know today. Interior quality, engine selection, build quality were all improved. The car without BMWs intervention would have been released with the usual K-Series 1.1, 1.4, 1.6 litre engines.

I see in the Fiat 500 what I saw in the earlier Rover MINIs. The quality just isn't there.

As a city car, in basic spec, it works - just. But as a rival to the MINI forget it. There's no way I could climb into one of these, drive it 300 hard miles, and get out feeling fresh as a daisy with no back ache, i'd welcome Fiat to prove me wrong though.

[rec]

i'll have the Abarth SS version with this body kit (minus the extra rear spoiler) Fiat 500 Cup by MS Design · NF500

Thanks !

[rellik666]

Urgh

[AprilWhine]

Depending on whether a Fiat 500 could be flat towed, I might.

[n1tr0]

for a 2dr sports hatch, the MCS is the only option on the market in north america, but even if we had options, I've always been a mini fan, so it wouldn't make any difference.
It's kind of like food, if someone was to tell me I could only eat pizza, but I could customize it 1000000 different ways , I wouldn't be all too bummed

that being said, the new Abarth logo/badge is AWESOME !
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...barth_Logo.jpg

[paulteix]

well, to be quite frank, i´ll shurely take a look for it and i think it will be very successfull on the market (take a look at the price!!!). people who like individual cars, but not that much money for a mini will buy one and for me a fiat 500 has much more individualism than a beatle for example or other retrostyled cars on the market. nevertheless - NO, i won´t change and sell my loved cooper, but who knows, perhaps as another funcar in the family??? we´ll see, after my first ride

[LMB]

I recon once you've seen it in the flesh many will warm to it.

[LMB]

Quote: Originally Posted by minicabrio (original)

I see in the Fiat 500 what I saw in the earlier Rover MINIs. The quality just isn't there.

I think you'll be surprised on how good the quality is. It may not be quite up there with the Mini but I bet it's not far off.

[minicabrio]

Quote: Originally Posted by LMB (original)

I think you'll be surprised on how good the quality is. It may not be quite up there with the Mini but I bet it's not far off.

I hope I'll be pleasantly surprised

[Snowie]

I saw one at the weekend parked up in Marenello

I am really impressed with style (inside and outside) and panel fit.

Would definitely consider one for the wife.

[k m s]

My girlfriend is seriously considering getting one as she has always loved the original

[poddy]

Must admit I do like the Fiat 500, esp. the Abarth version when that comes out but still wouldn't swap my Mini for one. I think in the UK people generally have v.fond memories of the old Mini and that's carried over to the new-I'm in that category and I just love my Mini too much. It's not just the looks of the Mini it's the awsome handling as well-the reviews of the 500 I've seen so far say the handling isn't up to the Mini's.

Other than that then it's down to nostalgia-might work brilliantly in Italy but not quite so good in UK.

Guess they'll sell well, esp. if Fiat start to slash the prices as they so often do.

[Paul]

Unless the Abarth is seriously good I can't see the Fiat 500 taking too much in terms of MINI sales from MINI enthusiasts, it is no "drivers car" in the way the MINI is. The interior quality is also not on a par with a MINI, lots of hard grey plastic. It's also a smaller car, rear space is extremely limited even compared with the MINI. But, I can see it taking a fair amount of MINI One sales for a small city car.

[Johnfh]

Here in Sweden the MIMI has excellent residual values, but there is no way Fiat can hope for that - they have such a bad reputation for rust and general quality. And I doubt their convertible willl be as appealing as the MINI.
Love the looks of the 500 though! And over the years we've been very happy owners of 600, 850, 124 and a few other Fiats.
John (MCS conv)

[Paul]

I think residuals and dealerships will play a bit factor too. The average Fiat dealer doesn't seem to give the same feeling as the average BMW/MINI dealer.