30 January 2012

Bigger, longer 500

Fiat is expanding and enlarging its 500 range, the car that successfully revived an iconic nameplate for the brand, writes Brian Byrne.

The 500L will debut at Geneva and will go on sale in Europe in the summer. Built on a widened version of the Punto platform, it will look the same as the current 500 from the front, but will be big enough to hold five people. A 7-seat version is planned for sale two months after the first.

The 5-seat will be 4.1 metres long, about 60mm longer that the current 500, and taller.