History has shown us that what is popular in Europe doesn’t always carry over into the United States. The new Fiat 500 was launched in Europe in 2007 and it became a sensation across the continent. Fiat’s partnership with Chrysler enabled the car to come to the United Staes last year. While it is viewed as a new product by most Americans, the 500 was already well into its model cycle.
That’s okay though because it is still fresh and relevant. Fiat has announced that the 1 millionth 500 has been produced at Fiat’s plant in Poland. These 1 million models are spread across the globe as the car is sold in over 100 countries. North America accounts for 70,000 units of that total.
Fiat 500 number 1 million is a Lounge model that features Fiat’s three-layer Bianco Perla paint scheme. It got off to a slow start, but the 500 has done very well in the United States. Sales momentum is growing and Fiat is looking to add models such as the 500L. Fiat’s original goal was to topple the MINI, and with more models we can definitely see them getting close to that. There is a lot of room for growth.
The next generation MINI R56, due next year, is set to feature a 5 door hatchback version of the original for the first time. MINI has finally realized that adding a 5 door model of the original could greatly increase sales. We think there is similar potential for a 5 door model of the 500, especially here in the United States. The 500 is already very practical as a 3 door; adding a pair of extra doors in the back would only make it that much more so. As a fan of the 500, we are looking forward to seeing it hit more milestones in the future.
