Fiat 500's Four-Door Version, the "500L," Arrives

Fiat 500L | The Fiat Cinquecento L

Introducing the Fiat 500L, a Four-Door Version of the Fiat 500

Fiat Automotive has announced the "500L," a four-door variant, as the fourth member of the 500 family, following the 500, Cabriolet, and Abarth. This is theConcept Model Exhibited at the Geneva International Motor Showproduction version.

Text by HORIGUCHI Yoshihiro (OPENERS)

The "L" Stands for Three Meanings

The "L" in 500L carries three meanings. First, naturally, is "Large," signifying it is bigger than the standard 500. Second is "Lightness," representing eco-friendliness and user-friendliness. The final meaning is "Loft," denoting a space for fully enjoying life.

Although it bears the "500" name, the 500L is actually based on the "Punto." Its dimensions are 4,147mm in length, 1,784mm in width, and 1,665mm in height, with a wheelbase of 2,612mm. This makes it approximately 600mm longer, 160mm wider, and 150mm taller than the "500" sold in Japan. According to Fiat, the average length of vehicles sold in Europe in recent years is 4.1 meters, positioning the 500L as the perfect size that people are looking for. The cargo space capacity is about 400 liters when the rear seats are slid forward to their furthest position, and expands to a maximum of 1,310 liters when the seatbacks are folded down.

World-First Features

The audio system is a collaboration with "Beats Audio," a first for Fiat. Even more noteworthy is the world-first in-car espresso machine, jointly developed with Lavazzo. The 500L is equipped with a dedicated socket in the center console, eliminating the need to route power from the cigarette lighter socket like an aftermarket accessory, ensuring a stable supply for enjoying a warm espresso anytime.

Three Environmentally Conscious Engines

The engine lineup consists of three options: two gasoline and one diesel. One of the gasoline engines is the 0.9-liter, two-cylinder "TwinAir" engine. This is the familiar "downsizing concept" engine from the 500, but it has been enhanced to produce a maximum output of 105ps (77kW) and a peak torque of 145Nm. It achieves a top speed of 180 km/h and accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in 12.3 seconds. With low environmental impact, its European fuel economy is 4.8 L/100km (approximately 20.8 km/L), and CO2 emissions are 112g/km. The other gasoline engine is a 1.4-liter, four-cylinder "Fire" engine with a maximum output of 95ps (70kW) and a peak torque of 127Nm.

The diesel engine is a 1.3-liter, four-cylinder, 16-valve "Multijet 2." It is paired with a wide-ratio 5-speed manual transmission, based on the "down-speeding concept," featuring third-generation common rail injection and a variable geometry turbocharger that contributes to torque improvement at low RPMs. It minimizes environmental impact without sacrificing performance, achieving a maximum output of 85ps, peak torque of 200Nm, a top speed of 165 km/h, and 0-100 km/h acceleration in 14.9 seconds, while maintaining European fuel economy at 4.2 L/100km (approximately 23.8 km/L) and CO2 emissions at 110g/km.

Additionally, a model equipped with a two-cylinder engine that uses methane gas, an ecologically significant fuel, is scheduled to be added next year.

Reservations will begin in Europe in July, with the initial launch in Italy on the first weekend of October, followed by a global release in over 100 countries within 2013. Production will take place in Kragujevac, Serbia.

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