Fiat Chrysler Automobiles : The 500 Dolcevita special edition celebrates the 62nd anniversary of the iconic Fia...

04 July 2019

The 500 Dolcevita special edition celebrates the 62nd anniversary of the iconic Fiat

• The mood of a legendary past is revived by the cool 500 Dolcevita, the first special edition of the new range that sports white livery, red, white and red beauty line and 'Dolcevita' badge.
• Two versions are available: convertible, with one-of-a-kind horizontal white-and-blue striped top and red '500' badge reminiscent of the colours of the Italian Riviera of the Sixties, and hatchback with a glass sunroof.
• The striking nautical wood dashboard and the new Frau ivory leather seats with red piping and embroidered 500 logo express sophistication and exclusivity.
• This year also marks the tenth birthday of the 500 convertible, a real 'window onto the sky'.
• The Dolcevita 500 expands the collection of over 30 special editions created over the past 12 years which have contributed to the success of the model which is the leader in Europe in its segment.
• It has been the FCA Group's highest-selling car for 2 years and is also head of the family bearing its name - the 500, the 500X and the 500L models - which recently reached the milestone of three million units sold in Europe.

In the best tradition, on July 4^th, Fiat will be celebrating the anniversary of the 500, the authentic Italian masterpiece that contributed to motorising Europe in the Fifties and still continues to amaze with record-shattering numbers today. The fascinating 500 Dolcevita is debuting today to celebrate the Italian icon. The first special edition of the new range embodies the values of Italian Glamour and of the lifestyle that started in those years involving fashion, design and art and the aesthetics of everyday life, taste, imagination and enjoyment. These are the ingredients of the identity and charm of Italy, of which the 500 is one of the most famous symbols in the world. The anniversary is even more exciting because this year it coincides with the 120th of the Fiat brand, a milestone that only a few car manufacturers in the world can boast.

500 Dolcevita, refined elegance for a masterpiece in motion
The new 500 Dolcevita special edition is dedicated to discriminating customers in search of exclusivity and elegance. The same values underlie the most authentic Italian style that in collective imaginary is embodied by the 'Dolce Vita' years. As befitting for a timeless diva, the new car sports an exclusive Gelato White livery, enhanced by a red, white and red beauty line drawn around the entire silhouette. Elegance is reasserted by the cursive 'Dolcevita' chrome badge on the rear that perfectly complements the chrome moulding on the bonnet, the chrome mirror caps and the side moulding with the '500' label. The look is completed by elegant diamond-finished 16-inch white alloy wheels and Skydome glass roof on the hatchback version.
The convertible version of the 500 Dolcevitadeserves a special mention. For the first time in the history of the model, it is fitted with a horizontal white-and-blue striped top with embroidered red '500' logo inspired by the deck chairs and beach umbrellas of the Italian Riviera of the Sixties. These brushstrokes of colour, hinting to white sands and blue seas, are created with a production process using looms that simultaneously weave the blue and white threads to achieve a fresh denim effect and the red thread for the '500' logo, that is the exclusive signature of the special edition. This year also sees the celebrations to mark the tenth birthday of the 500 convertible, expressing the 'free and emotional' approach to motoring. Launched in 2009, the irresistible 500C pays homage to the 1957 open-top car but also features state-of-the-art solutions, especially the innovative canvas soft-top, a real 'window on the sky'.
The same refined elegance winking to the world of boating and sailing characterises the interiors of the 500 Dolcevita with its wood dashboard and contrasting beauty line. To ensure stability, flexibility and perfect resistance over time, the wood is applied onto an ultra-light carbon shell through a process that brings together craftsmanship, of sanding, tinting, finishing and quality control inspections, and industrial processes, such as stamping, milling and assembly. Wood, the most natural of materials, meets state-of-the-art technology for a result of absolute excellence. The passenger compartment is the perfect match for the exteriors and is made even more exclusive by new ivory-coloured Frau leather seats with embroidered 500 badge, red piping and a wicker-inspired central part. The ivory colour scheme is mirrored on the edges of the mats.
Available in two configurations, hatchback and convertible, the engine range of the 500 Dolcevita special edition includes the 69-hp 1.2-litre engine paired with the Dualogic automatic or manual transmission, the 85-hp 0.9-litre Twin Air and the 69-hp 1.2 LPG, the latter two both with manual transmission.

The excitement of the Sixties is back to make you dream
The new 500 Dolcevita special edition is an invitation to relive the mood of the Sixties, when Rome was the capital of the international jet-set, home to chic nightclubs and luxury hotels that drew actors and writers, while politicians and VIPs met at the tables of trendy cafes. Their stories were told by the photojournalists of Via Veneto, the 'paparazzi', who become the witness of the crazy nights in Rome ready to take pictures and sell stories and scandals to the tabloids. And one of the most indelible images of that period is the very famous scene of Marcello Mastroianni and Anita Ekberg in the Trevi Fountain, from the film 'La dolce vita' (1960) by Federico Fellini. These were the unforgettable years of the 'Dolce Vita' during which Italy restarted with new momentum and enthusiasm, often in a 500, the car created to provide an affordable answer to the people's growing need for mobility and freedom. The same flair was alive in the most famous holiday resorts across Europe, such as the Côte d'Azur, Forte dei Marmi, Portofino and Capri. It was not uncommon to see the stars of the time in the 1958 Jolly 500, also known as the 'Spiaggina', which was the first special edition of the classic 500 that was revamped last summer with the 500 Spiaggina '58 special edition. The joy and sophistication of the Sixties are back today with the 500 Dolcevita that once again explores the world of fashion and boating, like the 500 Riva (2016), dubbed 'The Smallest Yacht in the World', and the 500 Anniversario (2017), a tribute to the 60th anniversary of the model. Not by chance, many products that emerged from the creativity of the Italian industry in those years, like the 500 and the Vespa, gained a firm footing in collective imaginary and are a source of inspiration still to this today. They are timeless masterpieces and the Fiat 500 is one of them.

An even larger collection to set new records
The new 500 Dolcevita is expanding the collection of more than 30 special editions launched over the past 12 years. They are all unique cars springing from the collaboration of the Fiat Style Centre with iconic brands from worlds of fashion, luxury boating, technology and heritage, to name a few, to explore unusual territories for a city car. Strong of its trendsetter vocation, the Fiat 500 recently made another leap forward with the introduction of important updates, such as the two new top-of-range versions Star and Rockstar. In short, everything is in place to consolidate the success of a model that last year, in its eleventh year of life, experienced its best year-on-year results with almost 194,000 new registrations (total of Fiat 500 and Abarth 595). Importantly, it has now been the best-selling model of the FCA Group for two years, as well as leader of the city-car segment in Europe. The Fiat 500 has also spawned a whole family bearing its name, consisting of the 500, the 500X and the 500L, which has reached the milestone of three million units sold in Europe.

FCA Bank financial solutions for the new Fiat 500 Dolcevita
FCA Bank, the 50-50 joint venture between FCA Italy S.p.A. and Crédit Agricole Consumer Finance, supports the sales of the Fiat brand with a wide range of financial solutions to facilitate customers in purchasing their new car.
In particular, during the launch period, anybody who wishes to get behind the wheel of the new 500 Dolcevita can benefit from the additional advantage of €1,200 combined with the FCA Bank instalment loan: the traditional sales financing plan that allows the buyer to pay for the vehicle easily with a flexible payment plan, by choosing from a range of different loan durations.
What's more, the following are also available for the new 500 Dolcevita:

• Più by FCA Bank, the innovative sales programme that offers the customer the possibility to choose, on the contract expiration date, whether to replace the vehicle by purchasing a new one, redeem it or return it;
• Private Lease, the ideal solution for private individuals and professionals seeking an alternative to owning their own vehicle.

To complete the financial options available, FCA Bank also offers a full range of insurance services, all of which are designed to be paired with financing contracts. They include personal protection services, such as Prestito Protetto, which guarantees payment of part of the financing package in the event of unforeseeable contingencies such as a job loss, and car protection services, such as the permanent marking on key components of the vehicle as a deterrent to prevent theft, Theft&Fire insurance, collision insurance (covering damage in the event of crashes with other identified vehicles), fully comprehensive insurance (covering damage in case of collision with other identified vehicles, overturning, impact, and going off the road).
Additionally, the cost of the new third-party insurance can be blocked and certain for the entire duration of the contract on all FCA Bank financing programmes.
The customer is also offered competitively priced long-term hire packages, through Leasys, for a no-worries driving experience.

Turin, 4 July 2019