U.S. pricing for the Fiat 500C has been announced, and the diminutive droptop will start at $20,000 for the base Pop model, or a hefty $4000 more than a 500 Pop three-door hatchback. (For reference, Smart puts a $3K premium on the convertible version of its Fortwo Passion.) The top-spec 500C Lounge, the only other trim, requires another $4000 and begins at $24,000. Fully loaded, a Lounge crests $27,000, to which we say, uh, how about you check out a Mustang V-6 convertible for $27,995? Or a Toyota RAV4 V-6 AWD for $26,270? Or a $25,065 VW GTI five-door? Or any number of more fun to drive and more practical vehicles?
Of course, the 500C often will be the only car on someone’s shopping list; they’ll have to have one, and no amount of cajoling or logic will convince them otherwise. Those folks will find that, beyond the ability to drop the top (which you can see in motion on the just-launched configurator), the 500C does add some additional baubles as standard over the hatch. These include heated power side mirrors, a chrome exhaust tip, voice-activated Bluetooth connectivity, a USB jack, and a leather-wrapped steering wheel with audio and cruise controls.
There are three cloth roof colors available, but to upgrade from basic black on the Lounge—the other two options are red and beige—you must spec the upgraded Luxury Leather package, which runs $1250 and adds hide upholstery, heated front seats, and an auto-dimming rearview mirror. On the Pop, as long as the top-color/paint pairing isn’t restricted (no olive-green car with red roof for you), changing the lid costs you nothing.
You can dress up the beltline with several $399 graphics, among them a checkered racing stripe in red, white, or black; a green, white, and red Italian-flag motif; and, in a nod to its U.S. availability, a red, white, and blue stripe. There are also a number of accessories available, such as a car cover, a bike rack, and in-car Wi-Fi.
Our complete rundown of the 2012 Fiat 500C lives here, and our first drive of the U.S.-spec hatchback here.
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