Poll
Question:
Which would you rather have?
Option 1: At a glance: Mini Cooper
Option 2: At a glance: Fiat 500
Option 3: What? A Fiat in the US?
Option 4: Cars Suck.
If you had to choose, which would you rather have?
(http://t2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRDA_xiKUZNFHVUPSJCVe15cwUPPWcvuP0N_kJEVChBskrAVCAH)
or
(http://static.howstuffworks.com/gif/2011-fiat-500-4.jpg)
I like the Aston Martin Cygnet myself.
Fiat is cool, but the mini has an established track record and dealer network...
(oh and Cooper S, right?)
Quote from: Heath on December 15, 2010, 09:17:35 AM
I like the Aston Martin Cygnet myself.
The flashed up SMART car? ungh.
Quote from: JEFF_H on December 15, 2010, 09:54:10 AM
Fiat is cool, but the mini has an established track record and dealer network...
(oh and Cooper S, right?)
+1
mitt
If you would ask this to most Europeans, it would be like asking would you rather have a bmw 5 series or a chevy malibu. Fiats are not considered desireable, even though you see a lot of them since they are cheap.
mitt
I can't speak for the Fiat, but I hate my gf's Cooper S for anything other than driving through the mountains. You can't have a conversation in it because it's too damned loud.
There's a tune up kit for the Abarth [thumbsup] With that in mind - a Fiat for me. Problem is that it's NOT a cheap car.
I think the Mini is a much much better car, but it's so obvious / not as unique as a Fiat Abarth.
Are you buying?
As I understand it, having Fiat in the US is a big deal because it shows that Chrysler is trying to reinvigorate their product line. Since they are the only company to still not recuperate (or show much progress) after the bail out, this may be their last chance.
(http://www.themotorreport.com.au/content/image/3/7/3757_fiat_500_abarth_tmr_1-4b77ac69291b0-1280x1024.jpg)
[evil]
Now that's not bad. [thumbsup]
Here's this take:
(http://fancytuning.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/02/rieger-fiat-500-4.jpg)
Quote from: mitt on December 15, 2010, 10:28:04 AM
If you would ask this to most Europeans, it would be like asking would you rather have a bmw 5 series or a chevy malibu. Fiats are not considered desireable, even though you see a lot of them since they are cheap.
mitt
Unless talking about the 500
Heard the 500 is hands down better from friends and it looks the part as well.
I've thrashed a friend cooper s and it was blast
either way you win but i'd go with the 500
I just don't like the 500.
I agree. The stock version looks blah....
Why do small cars always look so funky?
Out of curiosity, why do you want such a small car?
Quote from: erkishhorde on December 15, 2010, 01:31:16 PM
Out of curiosity, why do you want such a small car?
I don't. It's just a poll and I was curious.
Quote from: sugarcrook on December 15, 2010, 11:22:16 AM
but I hate my gf's Cooper S for anything other than driving through the mountains. You can't have a conversation in it because it's too damned loud.
Really?? my wife LOVES hers. when it wears out she will get another.
fun in the twisties, good in town
holds enough for shopping, but too small to be the designated driver
plus the best part is its too loud to talk in so you dont have to have a conversation with your spouse...turn up the stereo
We've got a guy that owns a ducati and he comes in the store occasionally in his 500 Abarth, just the sound of the four exhaust pipes is enough to make you want one... [drool]
Mini Cooper run of the mill... :-\ Fiat 500 Abarth awesome... [bow_down]
[coffee]
What's the retail on one of those anyway?
Especially yes if we're talking about the Abarth
Michael Shumacher uses one for his daily driver, don't you want to drive like Schumacher?
Top Gear Fiat 500 Abarth SS (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UpAFi9nIJVQ&feature=related#normal)
Not cheap
doesn't the Mini come with all-wheel drive?
Performance info for the Abarth 500:
"The 1.4 litre, 16-valve turbocharged engine delivers a blistering 135bhp at 5500rpm, while peak torque is a wrenching 206Nm at 3000rpm in Sport mode."
Quote from: duccarlos on December 15, 2010, 02:05:02 PM
doesn't the Mini come with all-wheel drive?
New mini Countryman does but the rest are FWD
Quote from: Turf on December 15, 2010, 02:08:50 PM
New mini Countryman does but the rest are FWD
1.6 litre 181 HP at 177lb-ft torque.
I've always been a Fiat fan, but voted for the Mini. I had a Cooper S for a while, and it was a terrific car. The 500 looks like it would be fun, but not as much of a canyon carver.
Quote from: duccarlos on December 15, 2010, 02:13:54 PM
1.6 litre 181 HP at 177lb-ft torque.
it's also $7,650 more
AWD countryman
$27,650
3,091lbs
181hp
power to weight
1:17.1
abarth
$20,200
2282lb
135hp
power to weight
1:16.9
Quote from: Monster Dave on December 15, 2010, 01:13:38 PM
Now that's not bad. [thumbsup]
Here's this take:
(http://fancytuning.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/02/rieger-fiat-500-4.jpg)
Looks like the Harley Davidson Edition.
I love the old school versions of both.
Quote from: Turf on December 15, 2010, 02:41:14 PM
it's also $7,650 more
AWD countryman
$27,650
3,091lbs
181hp
power to weight
1:17.1
abarth
$20,200
2282lb
135hp
power to weight
1:16.9
You gotta pay to play.
Quote from: duccarlos on December 15, 2010, 03:05:35 PM
You gotta pay to play.
power to weight is like golf, you want the lower number ;D
Old Mini Vs New
Old Mini Vs New Mini Cooper (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2l06P1RhQwA#normal)
www.superfastminis.com (//http://)
Damn - reminds me of the old days...
It only lasted two years, but my Clubman Estate was a riot.
Suspension, wheel geometry, 110bhp, 1,300lbs, top speed 125mph(after gear box mods) at 8,000 revs.
The look on the face of Autobahn-express-drivers when I showed up in their rear view mirror 8)
Best thing was cornering though [thumbsup]
The Helmet says it all... [evil]
(http://i415.photobucket.com/albums/pp231/tazios/photo-35.jpg)
;D
[bacon]
having driven a mini around the NY suburbs, and a fiat 500 through the mountains of Liguria, I would take the 500 over almost anything
Hmmm... I didnt vote coz I like em both. If pressed for a decision - even though I do really like the Abarth - I probably have to go for the Mini. British cars are so much better now that they're German ;).
I can't vote yet.
I've had a blast in a cooper S works edition....so much fun [drool]
but, I won't make a decision until I've driven a 500. I love the looks of them, and the abarth seems very tempting
We've yet to drive either car....we may have to do that at some point...
The 500 Ferrari Tributo. 180hp
There really aren't any good pics of it out there, that I could find in a quick search anyway. Luca Badoer, the Ferrari, test driver just left the team and got one of these as a going away present.
(http://www.icars.sg/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/010937600_1253045624.jpg)
resurrecting an old thread because it needed to come back.
I had firmly decided on a fiat 500. My bank firmly decided I should take a walk off a pier. I ended up paying cash for a used cooper S as my second choice. The only problem I had with the fiat was there's a HUGE blind spot to the driver's right. The cooper has amazing sight lines all around. While that little bit of engineering has little to do with performance or cool factors, it does mean I'll be MORE likely to see you riding and less likely to cream you. I figure in about 3-4 years I might be up to buy another car, and hopefully fiat will fix their oversight (no pun intended).
Quote from: Heath on December 15, 2010, 09:17:35 AM
I like the Aston Martin Cygnet myself.
Quote from: Sad Panda on December 15, 2010, 10:20:43 AM
The flashed up SMART car? ungh.
The A-M Cygnet is based on the Toyota iQ, not the Smart Fortwo
fiat [thumbsup] grow up around fiats and dream of it but after seeing the price point :'(
I don't get the price point. It's comparable to the Honda Fit, but Honda has that bulletproof reputation to justify it. The fit feels so cheap. The fiat feels small, but substantial. I'd take a Fiat over a Fit any day.
personnally i would love to see Fiat make a resurgence in the US and then start a new 124 spider line :D
Quote from: redxblack on April 26, 2011, 09:41:51 PM
I don't get the price point. It's comparable to the Honda Fit, but Honda has that bulletproof reputation to justify it. The fit feels so cheap. The fiat feels small, but substantial. I'd take a Fiat over a Fit any day.
No comparison other than sharing the same price class. One is a 5 door (barelly) 5 passenger practical urban economy car. The other is a cool small bundle of fun. just imagine getting your 88 year old mother in law out of the back seat of a 500!
Ive driven both and the fiat 500 has the driving dynamics and power of a 95 ford aspire. Its a fine looking car but a friend at another dealer that sells them brought the sportier manual trans model and let me try it out. The most gutless thing ive ever driven, just sitting there idling it would noticebly struggle when the a/c compressor would engage. The fiestas we have are head and shoulders above this car and trust me i really wanted to like it