The Fiat 500 GQ Edition is not all that it appears to be

Wed, 06 Mar 2013

With Fiat's business model effectively previewed by rival Mini's moves toward success throughout the years, it's certainly no surprise to see the Italianate 500 start to cough up some limited edition models. The 500C has already, and famously teamed with Gucci (via a small J.Lo kerfuffle) and now Fiat has brought a 500 GQ Edition to Geneva, presumably for gentlemen drivers with style.

The co-branding with Gentleman's Quarterly includes orange GQ badges that match 500 logos of the same color. The show car seen here is presented in a matte grey and carbon black paint scheme that will not be offered for the public when the car goes on sale in Europe (500 Bait and Switch Edition is more like it). Instead, European customers will get a two-tone metallic grey/black 500S, with chromed mirror caps, unique 16-inch wheels, orange brake calipers. Inside we're told the car will offer unique leather seats and a leather-covered gear knob.

See the show car in our gallery above, and scroll down below for the press release.

World première: the 500 GQ

- Presenting the Gentleman's Car, a special series for the metropolitan man of the third millennium.
- With the collaboration of Gentlemen's Quarterly, the men's magazine edited by Condé Nast.
- Orange details and a sporty look for those who like to stand out with style.
In European showrooms from next June.
- A showcar in the exclusive two-tone matt grey/carbon black livery on exhibit.

The Geneva International Motor Show witnesses the world début of the special series Fiat 500 GQ resulting from the collaboration with Gentlemen's Quarterly, the men's magazine edited by Condé Nast which sets the style and culture trends across the world each month. Available for purchase next June, a showcar of the new version will be on exhibit at the Fiat booth. This model stands out for its exclusive and refined two-tone matt grey/carbon black livery.

Resulting from the partnership with the world-famous men's magazine, the Fiat 500 GQ is dedicated to the metropolitan man of the third millennium: a fan of sophisticated aesthetics and uncompromising style, he's a young customer who's always connected to his web community, who enjoys what life throws his way to the full, experiencing the fun, the culture, and the social life of the modern city.

The new special series about to be marketed is based on the 500S, yet the exterior differs in the two-tone paintwork (metallic grey/black), the chrome-plated mirror covers, the specific 16" alloy rims and the 'GQ' logo on the pillar, as well as some exclusive features of this version: an orange 500 logo on the hub caps, orange brake callipers (only on the 100 HP 1.4 engine version) and grey aesthetic liner.

Similarly, the car features the exclusive orange Fiat 500 GQ logo fitted on the dashboard and leather seats with matching stitching. Specifically, the new upholstery was designed to offer the best possible ergonomics, guaranteeing comfort and character in a single solution. The internal look of the Gentleman's Car is completed by the sports pedal unit with aluminium effect and the leather gear knob.

Available in the saloon and convertible configurations, the new Fiat 500 GQ can be equipped with the 69 HP 1.2, 85 HP 0.9 TwinAir and 100 HP 1.4 petrol engines, as well as the 95 HP 1.3 MultiJet (all combined with a manual gearbox).

With the new 500 GQ, the range of the iconic Fiat 500 is completed, having recorded over a million sales across the world since 2007. A genuine expression of style and personality, the 2013 range includes 2 bodies (saloon and convertible) and 5 engine versions (69 HP 1.2, 85 HP 0.9 TwinAir Turbo, 100 HP 1.4 16v, 69 HP 1.2 EasyPower and 95 HP 1.3 MultiJet 16v).

By Seyth Miersma