Fiat 500 and Bravo coming to India

Fiat is planning to give its image a much needed boost in India by launching the 500 and Bravo hatchbacks in early 2008. These models won’t be assembled in India, but will be imported directly from Italy, so they will be ridiculously pricey. However, Fiat is not looking at large numbers and is using both these hatchbacks to make a statement about the company. The idea is to inject some zing into the Fiat brand — which has languished in India for the past several years — in the run-up to the launch of the Linea and Grande Punto.

Style Statement
The cute little 500, or Cinquecento, is a national icon in Italy and this latest model launched exactly 50 years after the original Cinquecento, fondly called the ‘Mighty Mouse’, has gone on to become a smash hit. Fiat can’t ever hope to replicate the Cinquecento’s success in India but this cheeky little car has the potential to become the style icon of 2008. Fiat is targeting Bollywood stars and celebrities as potential customers who would think of the Cinquecento as a style accessory to flaunt. Besides, its small and compact dimensions, along with fuel-efficient motors, give it the politically-correct and eco-friendly tag that makes it cool to be seen in one. The 500 can be infinitely customised too. Myriad options for the exterior colour and upholstery, over a hundred accessories and three engines can give the 500 the exclusivity celebs expect. Engine options include 1.2 and 1.4-litre petrols and the 1.3 Mutlijet that is currently powering the Swift. The little Fiat reeks of class with its classic styling and interiors that exhibit true Italian flair. It’s incredibly safe as well, for a small car. It comes equipped with seven airbags and scores a top-class five-star Euro NCAP crash rating. The price of the Cinquecento, after paying 120 per cent in taxes and duties, will be north of the Rs 10 lakh mark. In fact, a fully-loaded Cinquecento could even hit Rs 15 lakh. That may seem a ridiculous price to pay for a two-door car that’s smaller than a Swift but factor in the style, exclusivity, funky interiors, safety and the fact that the 500 was elected European Car of the Year, and perhaps to a rich few this car could make sense. Perhaps.

Hot Hatch
If the Cinquecento is aimed at those who want to be seen looking cool, the Bravo is for those who want what could possibly be the hottest hatchback in the country. The Bravo slots in above the Grande Punto in Fiat’s range and the family look is quite evident. This five-door hatchback, which was launched in mid-2007, comes with a wide range of engines, but it’s likely that India will get the 148bhp, 1.4-litre T-jet petrol and the 118bhp, 1.9 diesel. Performance, as a result, will be terrific and a top speed on the far side of 200kph is what you can expect. The interiors reek of style and the mock carbon-fibre-finished dash, contrasting upholstery inserts and classy piano black and chrome detailing look great. A chunky three-spoke wheel and stubby gear-lever, plus the angled dash, all point to a driver-focussed car. The Bravo is pretty spacious, even though it’s a hatch, and you can expect space and comfort to match a premium saloon car. The underpinnings are tried and tested, with the Bravo featuring MacPherson strut front suspension and a twist-beam axle at the rear. This non-independent rear setup, however, features hydraulic axle anchorage bushes for better wheel location and less noise. The Bravo also managed to score a 5-star crash rating, but pedestrian crash ratings were not as good.

Again, the Bravo will be an import so it will attract crippling customs duties, which could push its price to more than Rs 20 lakh in Indian showrooms. However, like with the Cinquecento, Fiat isn’t looking for large numbers and is targeting only those people who aren’t too bothered about price, but simply want exclusivity. But for snob value will the rich and famous buy a Bravo?