Diesel, long known or their hip fashions, their irreverent advertising and their forays into unusual collaborations, does it again. This time, Diesel lends their inimitable style to a Fiat for the European and Japanese markets.
This Fiat 500 is not actually powered by a diesel engine, but instead a fashionable collaboration between the Italy-based Diesel fashion and denim label and Fiat, the automobile manufacturer.
The Fiat 500, which has been a popular car in international markets and as a small, fuel-efficient automobile, it is a stylish choice for this export of Italian creativity.
The "500 by DIESEL" is the joint result of the Fiat Style Center - led by Roberto Giolito, designer of the new 500 - and DIESEL designer Lars Schwartz. The objective of the project: to create an Urban Survival Vehicle, a car capable of easily extricate in city traffic and at the same time express a young and original personality.
Deisel branding is found outside and inside the car. Details like hub-caps printed with Diesel’s Indian Logo and tagline of “Only the Brave” are accompanied by interior denim upholstery with yellow stitching.
The brand logo stands out on the instrument panel (marked by a yellow background) and on the side of the front seats, you notice a particular pocket referring to the fifth pocket of DIESEL jeans.
The 500 Fiat is available in three colors, Diesel Green, Diesel Brown or Diesel Black and was unveiled at The Paris Auto Show and released on September 22nd. It comes with 16" alloy wheels, satin finished steel details and lots of fun diesel details like the phrase "for successful living" imprinted on the metal baseboard and the diesel logo on the shifter knob.
Finally, the "500 by DIESEL" will be available with three different engines, all "Euro 5 Ready" in range (1.2 69 bhp, 1.3 Multijet 75 bhp with DPF and 1.4 16v 100 bhp), all fully exploited by 'coupling with mechanical changes to 5 or 6-speed transmission (petrol engines can be combined with a change sequential robotic Dualogic 5-speed transmission).
Prices (turn key) are 15,000 Euros for the "500 by DIESEL" equipped with the 1.2 69 bhp and 17,000 euros for versions with the 1.3 Multijet 75 bhp with DPF or 1.4 16v 100 bhp.
Like everything they do, the Fiat 500 Deisel micro site, while not totally rich in automotive information, is strikingly designed and fun to investigate:
No, the car is not available in the US.
Check out the 500 Diesel site here.
