The Fiat 500 has already struck a chord with European Car of the Year 2008 Judges. It's described as a car of classless appeal in the tradition of Fiat automobiles- and it beat out the Mazda 2 for the title of "European car of the Year" by some 60 points. Yesterday, the little 500 took home another even larger price prize- the "Car of the Year 2008" award. During evaluation, 57 out of 58 journalists included the machine on their short lists, while no less than 33 putting it in first place. That's about as close to a unanimous vote as it gets in this business.
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| Sergio Marchionne, CEO Fiat Group, receives the award 'Car of the Year 2008' from Ray Hutton, president of the jury. |
The latest win brings the total count to 12 Car of the Year trophies for the automaker, the next most recent being the Fiat Panda in 2004. The Fiat 500 boasts a lineup of quiet and efficient engines which drive the front wheels. A gasoline 1.2 litre mill is standard, with 60 horsepower. Fiat 500 Buyers can opt for a 1.4 litre with 100 horsepower or 1.3 litre, 75 horsepower diesel engine.Sergio Marchionne is the CEO of Fiat Group, and accepted the prize at a ceremony in Berlin. Of the win, he states "we have gone a long way in a short space of time. And I am proud to be able to underline that Fiat was the fastest growing car brand in Europe last year. The 500 is not a final target for the brand, but just the first stage in the ongoing development of the 'new Fiat'. Which is why we see the 500 as not just a car, but as a 'travelling agenda' of what we want to achieve."
photo: Fiat