Fiat Cinquecento Prima Edizione for US Fiat fans

The Fiat 500 Prima Edizione

You don’t have to be fluent in Italian to work out that Prima Edizione means ‘First Edition’, or something similar. Which is probably as well. Because the Fiat 500 Prima Edizione is destined for the US, and if there is one nation on earth which is more foreign-language-phobic than the Brits it’s the Yanks.

But that’s understandable. They speak English as a first language (although that is changing) and when you speak English as a first language you already speak the world’s second language. And if English is your first language what do you choose to learn as a second? French? German? Italian? Chinese? Russian? Urduh? Swahili?

You see the problem? The rest of the world has it easy – they choose English. Whatever we choose is of precious little use in world terms. At least that’s my excuse whenever I’m chastised by a non-English speaker – and I’m sticking to it.

Anyway, back to the Fiat Cinquecento Prima Edizione. It’s aimed at the Fiat fan club members in the US. Despite Fiat deserting their shores almost 30 years ago the Club Fiat-Lancia Unlimited still exists and valiantly perseveres with keeping rusting (at least on the East coast) lumps of Fiat and Lancia’s best on the go. And this weekend was their annual convention.

Laura Soave – Head of Fiat North America – turned up to the convention and made members an offer they couldn’t refuse – a special Limited Edition Fiat 500 when it arrives in the US later this year. Just 500 Cinquecento Prima Ediziones will be built in a choice of bianco, rosso or grigio. Each will feature sequentially numbered VINs and a matching badge.

Frankly, after trying for 30 years to keep old Fiats on the road we’re pretty sure that the members of Club Fiat-Lancia Unlimited will jump at the chance to get the very good Fiat 500 in a special limited edition just for them.

But if they’re slow to buy there’s always the horse’s head in the bed trick.

By Cars UK