Tag: 500l

Video: 2014 Fiat 500L now comes with a complimentary Italian family

Filed under: Budget, Marketing/Advertising, Videos, Hatchback, Humor, Fiat

2014 Fiat 500L

Fiat’s marketing machine has invaded Funny or Die, and the resulting web commercial is both entertaining and weird. Watch one couple buy the “most stylish” and “roomiest” car they’ve ever had, thinking they’d be able to transport golf bags and art supplies (and 32 basketballs?) only to have the roomy-for-a-Cinquecento back seat filled with a complimentary Italian family. In real life, we can’t see this being a good thing; not only do they take up space, but their added weight most certainly would hurt gas mileage and performance.

But in commercial land, it comes off as funny, and Fiat does prove that the 2014 500L is roomy enough for five people (including the driver), if not golf bags, art supplies and 32 basketballs. Scroll down to watch amusing Internet short below.

Continue reading 2014 Fiat 500L now comes with a complimentary Italian family

2014 Fiat 500L now comes with a complimentary Italian family originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 06 Aug 2013 12:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Continue reading “Video: 2014 Fiat 500L now comes with a complimentary Italian family”

First Drive: 2014 Fiat 500L

Filed under: Wagon, Hatchback, First Drives, Fiat

Unexpectedly, This Opposite Attracts

2014 Fiat 500L

Back in 2007 when the Fiat 500 was launched, I was unrepentantly nuts about the thing. From the first time my eyes clapped on the Nuevo Cinquecento at the Geneva Motor Show that year, I wanted one. Since there were no plans for a North American model at the time, I had to settle for purchasing a 1/18th-scale diecast at the expo. When Fiat finally returned to the US and the Cinquecento went on sale in 2011, I was no less excited.

And then I drove one, and the bloom was off my little Italian rose. Oh, I still appreciated its size and high style, but I found it wholly unsatisfying to drive, something that wouldn’t be rectified until the Abarth arrived. It wasn’t that the standard 500 was slow – I expected that – it was that its wonky driving position, lackluster transmissions and ropey steering all stood in the way of appreciating its other virtues. The Abarth’s characterful powertrain would eventually come along to alleviate most of those pains, but not all of them.

Now with the advent of the 500L for 2014, it appears I’m living the same scenario, albeit in reverse. My first encounter with this new, larger Fiat was also at the Geneva show, only this time, when the sheet was yanked off its flanks in 2012, I didn’t like what I saw. The Italian marque hadn’t just name-checked the Cinquecento with this larger five-door, it attempted to appropriate its amusing and iconic design by repeating key styling elements like its circular light fixtures and simple chrome bar grille (collectively known as the “whiskers and logo face”), along with rounded interior forms painted in body colors. To my eyes, the design just didn’t work, yet I was still intrigued about the promise of a larger 500 and more polished driving experience.

Continue reading 2014 Fiat 500L

2014 Fiat 500L originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 19 Jun 2013 11:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Continue reading “First Drive: 2014 Fiat 500L”

Official: Fiat officially introduces seven-seat 500L Living

Filed under: Minivan/Van, Hatchback, Fiat

As Fiat prepares to expand the lineup of the 500 with the roomier 500L, the Italian automaker has just announced a further addition to its enlarged hatchback offering. While the standard 500L has a five-passenger seating configuration, the new 500L Living brings a third row of seats, upping capacity to seven passengers.

Based on the specs Fiat released, the 500L Living has had its overall length stretched by about eight inches to accommodate the extra seats, while width and height stay about the same. We still have no word on the wheelbase of this new model versus the 500L. Fiat also says that the 500L Living will have a luggage capacity of 22.5 cubic feet (we assume that number is with the rear seats folded, which is smaller than that of the five-passenger 500L (12.1 cu-ft with rear seats up and 46.2 cu-ft with rear seats down).

European sales of the 500L Living will commence this summer, but there is no mention as to if or when this seven-passenger Fiat could be offered in the US, to compete against the likes of the Mazda5, Ford Transit Connect Wagon and Nissan NV200. Scroll down for the more information on this new Fiat model.

Continue reading Fiat officially introduces seven-seat 500L Living

Fiat officially introduces seven-seat 500L Living originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 18 Jun 2013 15:44:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Continue reading “Official: Fiat officially introduces seven-seat 500L Living”