Automotive nostalgia
For those interested in cars and automotive stuff, a classic just came back.
Small and practical, in many ways a forerunner of the "city car" concept, the original Nuova (New) FIAT Cinquecento was introduced on 1957, July 4.
A tad confused? Well, the "New 500" label was used because another model, the Topolino, had been originally addressed with the same numeric designation - this legacy of sorts was eventually forgotten, though, because the Cinquecento quickly attained immense popularity and became a smash hit by itself...
..In fact, propelling much of FIAT's growth during the ensuing years, with production shifting to the modern Mirafiori factory in place of its original headquarters, the Lingotto production plant and administrative buildings.
Director Hayao Miyazaki still owns a 500, and it was his idea to use the car as Lupin III's signature vehicle in both the animated series and the Castle of Cagliostro movie feature (the car has reappeared through many other installments of the Lupin saga).
Production stopped in 1975. The car is still referred to by enthusiasts as the "Cinquino", which may be translated as "Wee Five", and was in the same league (in terms of design, widespread popularity and resilience) as the Volkswagen Beetle and Citroen 2CV.
In 1991, the manufacturer launched yet another Cinquecento on the market. The car was fairly welcome but hardly popular as its antecessor.
Built in Poland, its boxy design was very far removed from the Nuova, it was reportedly a tad fragile and the original specs were only slightly better than FIAT's workhorse, the Panda (very much utilitarian, but extremely robust and economic at the same time); ending up with two "economy" models competing was also somewhat of a faux pas. The original Panda won, as it was discontinued in 2003, five years later than the angular 500.
In recent years, recovering after a prolonged crisis, FIAT has rebuilt itself around its core business. Its formerly ailing corporate identity needed anchors.
Lingotto had been previously restored and transformed in a multifunctional complex aimed at international fairs. Today it also houses a museum (the impressive art collection the late Senator Giovanni Agnelli, Jr. and his wife donated to the city as whole, shortly before the "Avvocato" passed away), the national Book Fair, a music auditorium, off-campus facilities for the Polytechnic, offices, and even a mall and cineplex.
FIAT's headquarters also moved back to the historical company building (the one where the founder Giovanni Agnelli, Sr. had his office), next to the former factory.
Among other things they turned back to the Nuova Cinquecento, at least in spirit.
Released exactly fifty years after its antecessor, the new model has a similarly soft, curvaceous design - even going as far as quoting the front side of the original and sporting circular-shaped cockpit indicators in the same vein. Unlike the spartan 1991 release, though, this is a real modern city car with a fair dose of tech thrown in for good measure (as it's meant to compete with the Mini, Smart, Yaris, and other "small ones").
I wonder whether Miyazaki will get this one, too? o.o