PARIS: As the Italian marque comes to the French capital for this year's Paris Motor Show, it's clearly got one eye on the US.
The car that will sum this up better than any is the new special edition 124 Spider "America" series. The "standard' roadster, unveiled earlier this year, is already an homage to the original Pininfarina-designed-and-built Fiat Spider that launched back in 1966 and proved a huge hit in the US.
This new model is an homage of an homage as it takes its special edition cues from the Pininfarina 50 edition, which the Italian design and coachbuilding firm created to mark its own 50th anniversary in 1980.
So the car gets a recreated magnetic bronze paint finish (just like the one on the original) while the interior is dressed in tobacco color leather.
The wing mirrors are capped in contrasting silver, and a vintage-style trunk-mounted luggage rack is available as an option.
Each model will carry special badging plus an interior plaque indicating its number in the series, and the car comes as standard with a six-speed sequential automatic transmission, an addition that will give it a very different driving character.
Another car that has US buyers in mind is the new 500S, the sportiest Fiat-built version of its retro-chic city car, in terms of visuals at least -- those that want a seriously fast 500 usually turn to Abarth.
It features a more aggressive exterior look -- integrated fog lights, side skirts, a rear spoiler and redesigned front and rear bumpers, plus unique 15-inch alloy wheels with a satin graphite finish.
The same satin graphite finish is applied to the dashboard where a sports steering wheel is one of the standout features
Fiat will be making a big deal of transmissions at this year's show as it's bringing a dual-clutch six-speed paddle operated gearbox -- the sort of transmission that was exclusive to the likes of Porsche only a few years ago -- to a number of its new mass-market cars, including the new 500X Cross Plus.
Described as the most capable take on the Fiat 500-inspired crossover, the new model gets special front and rear bumpers with off-road protection plus wheel arch guards. However, power is sent solely to the front wheels. Still it will compensate for that with a host of active driver aids including adaptive cruise control and blind spot monitoring. PHOTO by AFP
