After a nearly 30-year hiatus the Italian Fiat 500 has made a return to the American car market and it couldn’t be at a better time… Back in the ‘70s Americans were used to driving 20-foot hulks of metal that consumed gas like Jersey Shores’ Snookie on a binge – but times have changed; cars have been getting smaller, more gas efficient as gas prices have gone up and cities have increasingly grown in population.
When I first saw the photos of the new Fiat 500 I thought it looked trendy, fun and surprisingly functional for today’s busy lifestyles – then I saw the low sticker price and knew I needed stop by Houston’s Sterling McCall Fiat studio to check it out first hand!
Sports Package with the Sterling McCall customized stripes and 18″ wheels
It’s a ‘studio’ and not just a dealership since they focus strongly on offering more than color choices, types of upholstery and manual versus automatic gearboxes. Sterling McCall Fiat works with graphic designers and aftermarket auto shops to let you trick out the standard Fiat with special graphic art on your new Fiat’s exterior and interior. You can also add custom 18” wheels painted in a wide range of colors. Don’t just wear your style; trick out your new Fiat and drive in style.
The North American Fiat 500 engine produces 101 hp and 98 lbs.ft of torque, however, that is just part of the story. MultiAir enables the 500′s engine to have increased throttle response and optimizes torque at part throttle openings, allowing the 1.4 liter engine to have the flexibility of a larger engine.
Ladies Sterling McCall will powder paint the wheels hot pink and put an exploding pattern of hot pink flowers on the sides making it a true power chick car! And guys don’t let that dismay you because the hot red sports version isn’t a chick-car… it’s a chick magnet.
At first glance the 500 might seem good for singles only, but it’s also extremely young-family friendly offering plenty of room for rear passenger. It’s safe too, with 7 airbags. State-of-the-art connectivity combined with a heritage of top international safety ratings and more than 35 safety and security features keep passengers of the new 2012 Fiat 500 connected, comfortable and secure.
Not only does the Fiat 500 come equipped with a Bose sound system, but it also has BLUE&ME – a Bluetooth hands free mobile access, developed as a collaboration between Fiat and Microsoft. BLUE&ME is an in-vehicle, voice-activated communication device. If you’ve got a phone with Bluetooth capabilities, which includes just about every smartphone on the market, you’ll be able to use the system while keeping your hands on the wheel and eyes on the road. Using a series of voice commands you can place phone calls, access your phone’s address book or listen to your favorite MP3s. What’s more, the system integrates an innovative 4.3-inch TomTom hand-held navigation unit that docks on top of the Fiat 500’s instrument panel. With a large touchscreen display, simple map displays with available real-time traffic, weather and more than 7 million points of interests it’s definitely easy to find your way around. It’s also removable so you can take it with you if you need to change cars or are exploring a new part of town on foot and find your way back to your car afterwards.
Anthony Valverde, left, explains the features and culture of FIAT to me, Alec Lasar
Anthony Valverde, the Sales Manager of Sterling McCall Fiat, told me how passionate he is about the culture behind the new Fiat 500 and everything the Fiat 500 has stood for over the last 30 years. He’s using all that passion to push the new Fiat 500 beyond the boundaries, allowing us to create our own vision of art and style. When asked about how he would explain the brand to those who are unfamiliar with it he smiled and replied, “It’s like the VW bug and the Mini but the culture behind it is just so much more diverse. It’s Italian, artistic and beautiful.” Anthony said about the 500 that convinced us that he’s passionate about it – it’s what he’s working with Sterling McCall and Fiat to do. “I really love the sense of loyalty people had with the old 500 back in the ’70s and I really believe in helping to bring that back.
Sterling McCall Fiat
We like that Sterling McCall Fiat is giving a lot back to the community, as Anthony told us “We’ll be setting up different art shows to really help the local art community.” No dates have been set yet, but an art event coming up soon will let artists use rejected Fiat parts to form art pieces they conceive so as to not just throw the parts away. Sterling McCall Fiat is also willing to open their studio up to host art shows for large groups of people to enjoy and support the local artist.
In early October two or four pink 2012 Fiat 500s will be delivered to Sterling McCall Fiat and a portion of the proceeds will be donated to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation. These cars can be ordered now and this version is part of a limited 250 edition.
Rolling into Houston later in the year will be the Gucci line of the Fiat 500s and will be available in black and white, with Italian-flag stripes and Gucci logos.
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