Fiat 500 Cattiva coming in Q4, priced from $18,350*

Tue, 13 Aug 2013

When it comes to the 2013 Fiat 500 Cattiva, we already knew that the show car would make it into production, we just didn't know when... until now. Fiat has announced that the "naughty" 500 Cattiva will be unveiled at the Concorso Italiano in Monterey, CA, and it will go on sale in the fourth quarter of this year, with models based on either the 500 Sport or 500 Turbo. Pricing will start at $18,350 for the Sport Cattiva – *not including $800 for destination – with the Turbo commanding an extra $2,000.

Looking almost identical to the concept car we saw earlier in the year at the Detroit Auto Show, the Fiat 500 Cattiva will have a custom look with its blacked-out headlights and taillights, 16-inch wheels and gloss black-painted roof and liftgate spoiler. The Cattiva also features a matte black instrument panel, black and gray seats (cloth is standard, leather is optional) and a leather-wrapped shift knob and steering wheel. Scroll down for Fiat's official press release on this car, and stay tuned for live coverage of the car's unveiling this Friday.

A "Naughty" Fiat 500 to Debut at Concorso Italiano

-New 2013 Fiat 500 Cattiva provides a factory-tuned look, with blacked-out design elements and two-color appearance on 500 Sport and more powerful 500 Turbo models

In Italian, "Cattiva" can describe a person or situation that is naughty yet cool. With that inspiration in mind, FIAT designers developed a standout, factory-customized Cinquecento with a "blacked out" look and an aggressive demeanor: the Fiat 500 Cattiva.

"The FIAT brand is all about personalization and self-expression," said Jason Stoicevich, Head of FIAT Brand for North America, Chrysler Group LLC. "Now, Fiat 500 customers have a chance to showcase a different side of their personalities with the special-edition 500 Cattiva exuding a devilish designed-for-the-street look."

New Fiat 500 Cattiva provides the 500 Sport and 500 Turbo models with a factory-tuned look
Inspired by the FIAT Design concept that debuted at the 2013 North American International Auto Show, the limited-production Fiat 500 Cattiva adds more excitement and tuned style to the 2013 Fiat 500 Sport and more powerful Fiat 500 Turbo models.

The aggressive styling approach starts with blacked-out headlamp, taillamp and parking lamp bezels and unique 16-inch Hyper Nero painted aluminum wheels with all-season performance tires. A uniquely painted Gloss Nero roof and performance spoiler enhance the silhouette of the athletically designed Fiat 500 Sport, or the performance-styled 500 Turbo with a bi-color look. Exterior paint colors for the 2013 Fiat 500 Cattiva include Rosso (red), Rame (copper), Nero Puro (straight black), Argento (silver), Granito Lucente (granite crystal), Bianco (white) and Luce Blue (light blue, 500 Sport only).

Inside, the Fiat 500 Cattiva features a Nero interior environment paired with Nero/Grigio (black/gray) cloth sport seats with Argento (silver) accent stitching. For a premium look and feel, Nero leather-trimmed seats are also available. Finishing the interior is a Matte Nero instrument panel for an understated look, while a Nero leather-wrapped shift knob and sport steering wheel are hand-stitched with Argento accent thread for added for detail.

The 2013 Fiat 500 Cattiva based on the 500 Sport includes the innovative 1.4-liter MultiAir® engine and fun-to-drive C514 five-speed manual transmission that deliver an EPA estimated 31 mpg city and 40 mpg highway. Like all FIAT products, engaging dynamics are essential, and the 500 Cattiva includes a driver selectable "Sport" mode on the instrument panel to unleash a more aggressive throttle map. Additionally, this naturally aspirated 500 Cattiva offers an optional six-speed automatic transmission with driver-selectable gear changes. With the six-speed automatic transmission, the driver can also select "Sport" mode on the instrument panel for a more aggressive shift schedule and a throttle map that improves engine responsiveness.

For the driving enthusiast, the Fiat 500 Cattiva based on the 500 Turbo includes the MultiAir Turbo engine and sport-tuned exhaust to deliver 34 percent more power (135 vs. 101 horsepower) and 53 percent more torque (150 vs. 98 lb.-ft.) compared to the naturally aspirated model. Also upgraded in the powertrain is the track-proven C510 five-speed manual transmission that includes an intermediate shaft with equal-length half shafts to mitigate torque steer. Additionally, brake performance is improved with semi-metallic brake linings at all four corners and larger 11.1-inch ventilated front rotors (up from 10.1-inch).

The 2013 Fiat 500 Cattiva will debut at Concorso Italiano, which takes place August 16 at Laguna Seca Golf Ranch in Monterey, California, and is scheduled to arrive at FIAT studios nationwide in the fourth quarter of this year. Pricing for the Fiat 500 Cattiva based on the 500 Sport model starts at $18,350, plus $800 destination charge. Pricing for the more powerful Fiat 500 Turbo based model starts at $20,350, plus $800 destination charge.

About FIAT Brand

The FIAT brand stands for discovery through passionate self-expression. It encourages people to be in charge of their lives, live confidently and celebrate the smallest of things with infectious excitement. That philosophy is embodied by the North American introduction of the iconic Fiat 500 or Cinquecento - a small car that lives big. Italian at heart and rooted in a rich heritage, the Fiat 500 is synonymous with modern, simple design blending form, function and a pride of ownership that is genuine.

Reminiscent of the original Cinquecento, the Fiat 500 and Fiat 500c (Cabrio) build on the vehicle's global popularity. Since its initial launch in 2007, more than 1,000,000 Fiat 500 vehicles have been sold in more than 100 countries around the world. In addition to success on the sales front, the Fiat 500 has earned more than 80 international awards, including being named the 2008 European Car of the Year, 2009 World Car Design of the Year and Best New Engine of 2010 (Fiat MultiAir® Turbo). In the U.S., the 2012 Fiat 500 was named "Best Buy" in the subcompact category by Consumers Digest and was deemed a "Top Safety Pick" by the influential Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). This year, the 2013 Fiat 500 was named to the "10 Coolest New Cars Under $18,000" list by Kelley Blue Book's KBB.com.

The FIAT brand portfolio in North America continues to expand. In 2013, the FIAT brand launched the high-performance Fiat 500 Abarth Cabrio, the fully-electric Fiat 500e and the Fiat 500L, an all-new five-passenger model that expands FIAT's brand style and efficiency into the growing B-segment.

By Jeffrey N. Ross