CAR /
FEATURES
December 2, 2020
Stylist Mika Nagasawa and Magazinist Toru Kitahara Discuss the Charm of the FIAT 500C Dolcevita, a "Sweet Life" Reimagined for Today
Presented by FIAT
FIAT 500C Dolcevita | Fiat Cinquecento Dolcevita
The Fiat 500C Dolcevita: An Encounter and a New Lifestyle.
Federico Fellini, the master of Italian cinema, released "LA DOLCE VITA" (The Sweet Life) in 1960. The "Dolcevita," a special edition of the Fiat 500, has been reimagined with a contemporary sensibility, reviving the world of the luxurious and snobbish lifestyle of 1950s Italy depicted in the film. Stylist Mika Nagasawa, active primarily in popular women's magazines, and Toru Kitahara, former deputy editor of "Popeye" and now editor-in-chief of the fashion culture magazine "Please." How did these two, with their deep knowledge of cars, fashion, and Italian culture, perceive this small masterpiece named after "the sweet life"?
Text & Photographs by TORU KITAHARA
Starting the Shoot with Paparazzi Play, Just Like "LA DOLCE VITA"
The Fiat 500, a small giant named after Federico Fellini's masterpiece "LA DOLCE VITA." What is a car? What kind of fashion and lifestyle suit the style of Fiat, which seems to ask that question? Popular stylist Mika Nagasawa and magazinist Toru Kitahara, who have reinterpreted the 1960s mood in monochrome for today, share their thoughts.
Kitahara began by saying they started with preparations for the shoot.
Toru Kitahara (hereinafter "Kitahara"): Since today's Fiat 500C is inspired by Federico Fellini's masterpiece "LA DOLCE VITA," I thought about what I had that related to the film and brought this.
Mika Nagasawa (hereinafter "Nagasawa"): A paparazzi camera! (Editor's note: referring to the news photographers in "LA DOLCE VITA")
KitaharaThis is a Rolleiflex, used by the paparazzi who gave rise to the term "paparazzi." It's still considered a masterpiece and can be used today if loaded with film. I thought I'd start the shoot with some paparazzi play.
NagasawaI'm not an actress!
KitaharaThat's a direct quote from the movie! (laughs)
KitaharaI'd always thought the Fiat 500 was cute, but when this "Dolcevita" appeared before me, my heart skipped a beat. It gave me that kind of thrill and excitement, like turning "cute" into "kawaii."
NagasawaIsn't it important to have "excitement" in life? I want to feel that excitement, so I want to see and experience many things. Perhaps I pursue challenges because I want to keep feeling that excitement. Come to think of it, when I was 19, I saw a Fiat 500 in my hometown of Sapporo and decided to get my driver's license! There was also a vintage car parked next to the Fiat on the street. Looking back, it was like a scene from the movie "The Castle of Cagliostro"!
KitaharaSeeing the Fiat 500 at first glance and deciding to get your license for it! You truly are a future stylist. The car came first! I had to get my license quickly, thinking it was urgent! That was when I was 25.
NagasawaThe car came first (laughs). I think a car's style is important for the person driving it.
KitaharaI remembered being in the passenger seat of an original Fiat 500 during my university days (laughs). There was a small, cute car near the university, and as I was staring at it, the owner came out of his house and asked, "Would you like to take it for a spin?"
KitaharaYeah, he let me ride. He said, "It's good design, isn't it? This one has the same body as the Fiat 500, but a different engine, it's an Abarth model, and it's powerful despite its small size." Then he accelerated with a "Gweeeen" through the streets of Shibuya.
NagasawaSo the owner was more about performance than style.
KitaharaThe performance was good, but for me, it was more about realizing there was such a cute car! I just loved how cute it was.
NagasawaIn that sense, aren't you and I kindred spirits who got our licenses because of the Fiat 500!?
KitaharaThinking about it that way, maybe so.
The Fiat 500 Dolcevita Has the Power to Make You Want to Drive It
NagasawaThe Fiat 500 also appears in the movie "LA DOLCE VITA," doesn't it?
KitaharaIt's just a fleeting appearance, though. What do you think about the connection between Fellini's masterpiece and this car?
NagasawaIt depicts the bourgeois world of that era, doesn't it? While it's easy to focus on the luxury and opulence, I'm drawn to the liberal way of life depicted within it.
KitaharaThe DVD commentary says "Pleasure and Adventure" (laughs).
NagasawaWhile that's what catches the eye, I think there's a certain Italian sensibility of not wanting to be ordinary. It's a free style.
KitaharaI'd love to hear more about that.
NagasawaI feel that car manufacturers, in most cases, are constrained by purpose, fuel efficiency, aerodynamics, and other formal aspects, leading them to a similar outcome. However, in this era where practicality is prioritized, I believe the Fiat 500 can become a car that expresses individuality.
KitaharaIt's one of a kind, isn't it?
NagasawaFor men, fashion is often expressed through watches and cars. However, cars inevitably involve practicality. I believe the developers of Fiat wanted to create a car that sparks excitement first. It feels like it started from the desire to "drive a car with this kind of design," rather than "we've incorporated this much realism into the car, hence this design."
KitaharaI understand that! In fashion, some brands create clothes based on what's trending or what sells well. But brands that create clothes they themselves want to wear, or that they want their boyfriend or girlfriend to wear, tend to have more power in the clothes themselves and are more appealing to wear.
NagasawaExactly! That's it. This car has the power to make you want to drive it. It values that feeling of excitement.
KitaharaPerhaps the protagonist Marcello in the movie also enjoyed the nights in Rome, seeking excitement and thrills every day.
NagasawaIt has to be a car you can enjoy driving! After all, a car is the ultimate private space. I consider it an important part of my lifestyle.
KitaharaYou can listen to music at high volume, do things you can't do at home, and have private conversations more easily.
NagasawaWhen I'm with my car, it's a very important time for me. Whether it's listening to good music alone, reading a book, thinking, or going on a long trip with my children or partner. That's why I want it to be a space I love, including the interior. I think young people feel the same way. You can have a girlfriend or boyfriend next to you, listen to good music alone, read a book, or ponder things.
KitaharaIt's not just a means of transportation, is it?
NagasawaIt's like a mobile private room (laughs). I'd tell young women living alone to buy their favorite car instead of renting an apartment.
KitaharaI get it. The Dolcevita has an interior that's perfect for women.
NagasawaPeople say it's aerodynamic or futuristic, but the roundness of this Dolcevita is somehow nostalgic, reminiscent of classic cars. While it's important to choose a car that matches your fashion, it's also important to enjoy fashion that complements your car. The interior of the Dolcevita, while perfectly matching our keyword for today's fashion, monochrome, can also be enjoyed with beige and brown styling.
KitaharaThe white body with red lines designed throughout reminds me of the colors often found on European linen tablecloths. I have something similar that I bought at a雑貨屋さん (zakka-ya, miscellaneous goods store). The slightly off-white seats (exclusive seats made with leather from the Italian luxury brand "Poltrona Frau") are also nice, aren't they? They have a sense of luxury yet feel casual. It's truly elegant casual! That was my copywriting from my "Popeye" days.
Fun to Look At and Fun to Drive
NagasawaAfter driving it, I realized, is it a "parapara" sound?
KitaharaIt sounds like the onomatopoeia "borororororo!" in a manga! The engine sound also evokes the good old days!
NagasawaI think women will like this gentle sound too. It's a "sweet" tone!
KitaharaDriving it, even in automatic mode, reminded me of the feel of a manual, and I liked the throttle response too.
NagasawaWhen we test drove earlier, we drove with the soft top open, and it felt wonderful. The opening is wide. With it opening this far back, it's almost like a convertible!
KitaharaThe white and blue stripes on the soft top are exhilarating.
NagasawaThat feeling, like a striped T-shirt, might be present in the overall image of the Fiat 500. The design somehow evokes Italy, the land of the sun. It's bright, sunny, and uplifting.
KitaharaEarlier, when I opened the soft top all the way and tried to open the trunk, the soft top lifted slightly. It's thoughtful.
NagasawaWhen I opened the dashboard, the vehicle inspection certificate holder came out, and the embroidery on a white background was so cute. I thought, "This is the kind of thoughtful detail I expect!"
KitaharaIt's fun to drive. The round headrests are charming, and it's fun to look at as well as to hold the steering wheel.
NagasawaIt's a car that makes you want to dress up the part of your arm around the steering wheel.
KitaharaYes. Talking with you, Nagasawa, I feel that both "LA DOLCE VITA" and this Fiat 500C Dolcevita teach us to "enjoy the present." That life isn't fun if you don't enjoy the moment! Cars that make you feel this way are truly precious.
Spec
FIAT 500C Dolcevita | Fiat Cinquecento Dolcevita
- Body Size | Length 3,570 x Width 1,625 x Height 1,505 mm
- Wheelbase | 2,300 mm
- Tread Front/Rear | 1,415/1,410 mm
- Vehicle Weight | 1,030 kg
- Engine | 1,240cc Inline 4-cylinder
- Maximum Output | 51 kW (69 PS) / 5,500 rpm
- Maximum Torque | 102 Nm (10.4 kgm) / 3,000 rpm
- Transmission | 5-speed Sequential with AT Mode (Dualogic)
- Drive System | FF
- Front Suspension | MacPherson Strut (with stabilizer)
- Rear Suspension | Torsion Beam (with stabilizer)
- Front Brakes | Disc
- Rear Brakes | Drum
- Tires | 195/45R16
- Fuel Consumption (Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism standard value) / WLTC Mode | 17.5 km/ℓ
- CO2 Emissions (Fuel Consumption Equivalent) | 133 g/km
- Seating Capacity | 4 people
- Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price (including tax) | 2.89 million yen
MIKA NAGASAWA
Active in a wide range of genres, including women's fashion magazines, menswear, interiors, and baby clothes, she is highly supported by many actresses, models, and celebrities. Her ability to blend high fashion with vintage styles into realistic fashion is renowned as top-notch within the industry. Her work-style proposals, drawing on her experience as an office worker, and her sharp comments are highly persuasive.
TORU KITAHARA
Representative of PLEASE Inc. Magazinist/Photographer/Writer. Participated in numerous magazines such as "Weekly SPA!", "an an", "POPEYE" (Deputy Editor), and "Croissant". Currently, he founded the magazine "PLEASE" and works as an editor who can also take photos, producing magazines and apparel catalogs. Also active as a photographer under the name Ray and LoveRock.
