Fiat has released a short documentary that follows the six-month development of three one-off 500 models, each created with an iconic Italian design brand: Bulgari, Kartell and Armani. The cars were shown in March to mark the launch of the brand new 500, which is now an electric-only model.
In the film, Fiat President Olivier Francois explains why these three brands were chosen: “I [wanted] the three most iconic brands in the three fields. Craftsmanship…that’s Bulgari. Eco-sustainable design…that’s Kartell. Armani…the most iconic fashion brand we could imagine”. He’s obviously forgotten about Lonsdale.
The film shows the first discussions between Fiat and the three brands, and culminates with the launch of the cars themselves in Milan during March, each conceived to “celebrate the arrival of the first FCA fully-electric car built from the ground up”, according to Fiat.
Making the 500 an electric model is actually quite a risky move, given that the last 500 – only the second generation model following the genuinely iconic 1957 original – is the company’s biggest selling and most recognisable product. While it seems almost certain that battery EVs will become the norm within a couple of decades, today electric cars make up a fraction of the new car market – around 4% so far this year in the UK, according to SMMT figures. It’s rising rapidly, though; the EV market share was just 0.9% at the same point in 2019.
Speaking to Auto Express in March, Francios called the new 500 “our urban Tesla” and explained that the car sits on a completely new chassis designed specifically to accommodate a battery EV drivetrain. “The thing we know is that we have a successful nameplate. It is a leader in Europe. People love it. What we don’t really know, what we have no visibility on, is future demand for electric vehicles”, he said.
And on that last point, the company has mitigated its risk somewhat because it will continue to sell today’s petrol powered 500 alongside the new car. “This will be the case for as long as there is a real demand”, said Francois.
Keyword: WATCH | Fiat releases short film to showcase brand collaborations