The Italian car industry (mainstream) went through a tough time in the 80s: poor reliability and build quality. But I have to say that in the last 10-15 years it has come back with a punch. Bold styling, quality materials and much better reliability. I've had a Fiat Punto Sporting for the last 7 years and every day when I drive it I look like this

I'm starting to see more and more of the new 500s on the streets in Sardinia and I think it will become a classic in its own right.

I'm going on past history. In Canada, Fiat, Renault, Peugeot and others no longer found here just couldn't cut it. The winters are too harsh both for the mechanicals and the body.

Even today, my girlfriend's brother who just sold his automotive parts business in Northern Italy didn't have much good to say about Italian cars...and he is 100% Italian. He stated, "sure you can buy a 4 x 4 Fiat Panda cheap, but I know what the parts cost and thats where they get you later. Most of the family there drives VW or Audi.

But don't take this personal. We are talking about cars, so who really cares. Its the people I like and I guess thats why most of my friends are Italian, and so is my girlfriend of over three years.

Furthermore, the car has been winning awards for best small car, best looking car, and overall best design from all around the world! I really love its looks, its too bad FIAT isn't in the United States, by the time they do get it over here (apparently 2010), it will probably be updated with a newer version.

Maybe they plan to use the next small update to send here...we'll see.

Dan,
the new F500 its pretty good looking I have to admit... good Italian design which reminds a lot of the classical one. But its not a 500 cc. anymore... its a 1000 cc. and over and pretty well overpriced for what it offers. If you see other European cars, especially the French ones, cost about half of the price and offer more. I know for a fact that Fiat will, one day, land back in the USA... but first they'll have to pass some pretty tough road tests. The new Punto seems to be doing rather fine for that matter.. we'll see!
Ciao

Siamo andati a Torino in 500!
Forse eravamo un pò troppi??

Well! My personal point of view its that the new 500 its too expensive and its not a 500cc but 1.200cc. (+/-) You can get a Citroen for half of that price.
I had a 500 Abarth (650cc.)... 130 Km an hour in 1973, when I was in the army (I bough it because I was stationed near to Rome, were my family lived and found a deal) it was cheap built but very 'Fiat Abath'!
I don't complain, good cars... me and a friend went to Germany with one of those and came back alive!! People went all the way to the Baltic Sea and came back!
If you have an old 500... keep it as if you have GOLD on weels!!
Ciao

I had the original "Nuova 500" in London - great little car, and after a re-bore when the piston rings scored the pots, it would do 80mph! (not to be recommended on the A40 toward Central London).

I only gave mine up when the bottom half rusted away - sad day, as I was on holiday over here when I found out it was beyond economic repair. Still, there are a few for sale in the local free papers, so maybe I'll have one again.

The new one? Lovely looking, I'm sure it's well engineered, but isn't it built in Poland? If so, my vote is with mmccain - if I'm going to by a "foreign" car and keep Italians out of jobs, it won't be the new 500, it will something as good, or better, but cheaper. Or better still, a car built in Italy.