10:45 AM
Trendy Italian clothier Diesel has hooked up with trendy Italian carmaker Fiat to produce--yes--a diesel Fiat 500 by Diesel that, hopefully, has no emissions.
The one-off collaboration combines fashion savvy with the small, cute and stylish Fiat 500 for what will be a limited-edition run of 10,000 cars. Unfortunately, these hip rides will be available only in Europe and Japan, starting in early November.
"The Fiat 500 has been extremely successful, especially in international markets," said Sergio Marchionne, Fiat CEO. "This new version . . . is a welcome addition to the range. Diesel has been an ideal partner because from the very beginning, the company has shown an enormous capability for exporting the best of Italian creativity."
Not to be out done in the praise department, Renzo Rosso, president of Diesel, was equally effusive.
"The Fiat 500 symbolizes Italy the way I would like it always to be: creative, passionate, cheerful," he said. "We put all the values we believe in into this project."
The Diesel 500's goal was to create an "urban survival vehicle" with low fuel consumption while expressing a strong personality. This 500's impact is boosted by exclusive green, bronze and black colors.
The Fiat 500's wheels wear the Diesel Mohican logo.
The Fiat 500 by Diesel wears 16-inch wheels with Diesel's Mohican logo. The 1.4-liter, 100-hp version gets bright yellow brake calipers. Fenders and body trim show "rivet" details; they come in chrome, as does the radiator cowling and hood logo. The Diesel is on the rear, where the classic Fiat 500's characteristic five-intakes cooling system is reproduced.
Strong personalization follows inside. The seats and steering wheel carry yellow thread stitching to mimic the look of denim. Diesel's Mohican logo stands out on a yellow background on top of the shifter, while the Diesel jean "fifth pocket" is stitched onto the front seats. In the door panel is the jeans company's famous "For Successful Living" claim.
The Fiat 500 by Diesel comes in three engine variations: A 1.2-liter, 69-hp four, a 1.3-liter multi-jet 75-hp turbodiesel and a 1.4-liter 16-valve engine that delivers 100 hp. All engines carry five- or six-speed mechanical gearing, though the gas engine can get Fiat's clutch-free gearbox.
