Baby Fiat Makes Parents Proud

After making its first steps in July last year, the Baby Fiat 500 proved to be a big success for the Italian automaker which had financial problems before it unveiled this model.

The demand for the trendy mini car has reached such a high level that Fiat decided to increase production to 190.000, because the 120,000 cars planned to be produced every year couldn't please the 160,000 orders received between July 2007 and January 2008. For that reason, the factory in Tychy, Poland , will have an increased capacity of 750 daily units, compared to the 500 units initially planned.

Based on the technical platform of the Panda, the baby Fiat is the remake of an iconic minicar ,as the original 500 , launched in 1957 was also a big success , being sold to 3.9 million clients until it went out of production in 1977.

Trying to make another step toward success, Fiat will expand the range of the current 500 with the launch of a 135 horsepower turbocharged Abarth version that will be presented at this year's Geneva Auto Show. The 500 Abarth, priced around 18.000 euros, about 3500 over the standard 1.4 litre100 hp model, is expected to be sold in 2,500 units this year. For 2009, the company wants 10,000 units on the streets.

This model will be followed by a convertible version, in 2009 and a station wagon, called Giardiniera, in 2010. The original 500 Giardiniera was a 3-door wagon version of the hatchback and had a 100 mm longer wheelbase.