Italy saluted a national icon yesterday when the Fiat 500 was relaunched on
its 50th birthday with a blaze of nostalgia.
The small, blunt-nosed car symbolises for many Italians the postwar years of
economic boom and the dolce vita. Fiat hopes that its new incarnation will
consolidate the once ailing carmaker’s recent revival.
The launch in Turin was attended by the country’s elite – Romano Prodi, the
Prime Minister, and six Cabinet ministers, captains of industry and
showbusiness stars. The show was choreographed by Marco Balich, who staged
the spectacular opening and closing ceremonies at the Turin 2006 Winter
Olympics.
With the iconic original Cinquecento raised on a giant floating platform in
the River Po in the city centre and “skyscrapers of light” reaching upwards,
the new version was unveiled to fireworks, acrobats and a concert by the
American singer Lauryn Hill.
“The new Fiat 500 will be the iPod of cars,” said Sergio Marchionne, the Fiat
chief executive officer. The original Fiat 500 went out of production in
1975.
Having viewed the new Fiat 500 in Rome on 5/6 July. We have still not been able to establish the price that we would have to pay in England. Could you please let us know.
John Lehan, Horsham, West Sussex, England