Launch of the new Fiat 500C

The exciting new Fiat 500C was launched over the weekend on July 4, exactly 2 years after the launch of the new Fiat 500. It was previously unveiled at the 2009 Geneva Motor Show in March.

The Fiat 500C is coming to America, along side the regular 500, the Fiat 500 Abarth and the yet to be released 500 Giardiniera. Come take a look, with the help of Fiat Group Press, at this open roof version.

The Fiat 500C was created by the Centro Stile Fiat design centre with input from enthusiasts all over the world via the website the "500 Wants You". This is in keeping with Fiats philosophy of "a car for the people, by the people"..

Based on the sedan version, it has identical dimensions but has the added feature of a folding electric top. The top design is similar to the type that was on the original.

According to Fiat

"..The decision to re-interpret the original design in modern key, with an electric sliding roof but a stylistic design that retains the shape of the classic car makes the Fiat 500C less of a seasonal product and one that can be enjoyed the whole year round. In short, all these features make this new vehicle one of the most successful convertibles in the modern city-car segment."

"A true object of design, the soft top of the Fiat 500C stands out for its elegant electrically controlled movements and its impressively finished and carefully selected technical features, from the glass rear window to the third brake light built into the soft top itself. Available in three colors (ivory, red and black), the clever soft top is matched with various paint finishes including three ad-hoc creations: a pearlescent Ragamuffin Red, a Tech House Grey so typical of sporty super cars, and Goth-Metal Blue (the latter available for the whole range)."

The interior is also in keeping with the cars haute couture design:

"...The Fiat 500C has an exclusive feel to its interior, which is embellished with top quality and highly desirable fabrics, including Frau leather upholstery, and a long list of market-dependent standard and optional features: from automatic climate control to the innovative Interscope HiFi System, from the Blue&Me Map portable navigation unit to the smart wind-stop, and from the Start&Stop system to the new collection of customizable options."

Two years after the launch of the sedan and continuing now with the new 500C convertible, the Fiat 500 is still getting rave reviews.

Fiat puts it this way:

"...the Fiat 500 continues to be talked about and confirms its status as a real Italian style icon, able to win over the public and critics worldwide. The best evidence of its success are the 30 awards it has won across the globe, the 11 million Internet users that have visited its website (viewing a total of 200 million pages) and the more than 360,000 orders so far received across the 59 markets in which it is being sold."

"In short, as an expression of Italy's finest automotive design, the 500 is not merely a super-compact city car, but a real platform upon which Fiat Automobiles is building a whole family of cars with advanced technology and high attention to detail. The new 500C represents another step forward in this direction."

We are definitely in for a treat when we get cars like the Fiat 500C here in the USA.