Fiat at the Detroit Auto Show

[kmead]

http://www.flickr.com/photos/9008298@N0 ... 714884921/

Went to the Detroit Auto Show yesterday.

Finally saw the near final spec version of the new Fiat 500.

A link to my pics:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/9008298@N0 ... 714884921/

Definitely a great little car. Lots of different versions were shown with both automatic and manual transmissions. Great interiors and although small, the back seat is certainly livable if not desirable.

The quality was very good as well as the materiality of the parts. I really enjoyed the interiors. The seats were comfortable, switches and controls were well weighted and nicely done.

Sadly there were no brochures left (after one day of show), I take that back as Pete Ziegler snagged the last flip book which was well done. Sad there weren't more of them or a nice Fiat bag to carry stuff with. The Fiat staff was very nice and did their best to answer questions and inform show goers as best they could one at a time.

The blue was really a great color, Sherri may over rule getting the Red Prima Edizione, so we can get an Azzuro Sport later...

http://www.flickr.com/photos/9008298@N0 ... 714884921/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/9008298@N0 ... 714884921/

[mdrburchette]

Was the much interest in the car compared to the other cars that were being shown?

[TX82FIAT]

Great post. Nice pics to get a better feel for the car since I have not seen one to date. Thanks, Ray

[kmead]

The cars were mobbed. I had a really hard time getting pics of the cars. They could have had twice the room and twice the cars and it would have still been busy.

They should really have made an effort to have lots of marketing materials. For a reintroduction they were woefully understaffed and lacked collateral materials. The folks working the area were doing a great job, courteous, knowledgeable and quick to grab your contact info. Having some computers/iPads on stands to enter info would have been great compared to them using their cell phones. No one was staffing the desk which was amidst the cars.

The live painting of the one car was pretty neat, if a bit smelly...

GM's display areas had people in them but it wasn't crowded. They had the new small car and were doing a really lame apply your own vinyl graphics to the cars, no one except a few little kids were in that area. Ford was mobbed and the displays were excellent, lots of info, great explanations and very interesting. The rest of Chrysler/Jeep was busy but not particularly active.

Although the 500 area had a nice selection of cars, features and so on they just were not as prepared as they should have been for a reintroduction of the brand. Last year didn't count.

[mdrburchette]

I don't know when they'll decide to kick it in gear. It seems a lame attempt at best so far.