Fiat 500 voted the best compact car in Japan

The cute little Fiat 500 which is also known as Cinquecento and the 'mighty mouse' continues to impress as it has been voted as the 'Best Compact Car' in Japan. Over 80,000 users took part in the competition and judged it ahead of it's competitors Toyota IQ and Peugeot 308- Yes, the unpredictable Japanese are at it again voting for the 500 in spite of the home grown IQ contesting.

Fiat has already inaugurated the Fiat Café in Aoyama (Tokyo), where Fiat say, common man “will be able to appreciate the concept of a Café as a perfect meeting place, pleasant and cosmopolitan”. The best thing is that on the new café's floor there will be a Fiat 500 on display.

The Fiat 500 has been making consistent appearances on IAB. Scores of tuners have laid their hands it and Fiat 500 special editions continue to reach us years after its debut. It silently arrived here in India earlier this year, and the creative brains in Fiat's advertising division churned out countless colorful and eye-catching ads on pages of popular auto mags and dailies. It didn't do very well at getting people to book one alright with only 41 bookings, but the response it got from both the media and the auto enthusiasts, is just what the doctor ordered for Fiat.

We aren't sure why Fiat hasn't done road shows or campaigned more aggressively using the Fiat 500 as a reason. The launch program of the Fiat 500 a couple of years back in Italy was like a festival, and people welcomed the car like they would, if a king returned to his home country after a long period overseas. Fiat is keeping a low profile in India. I think they want to let the cars do all the talking.

The Fiat 500 is more like a candy bar than a car- Look at it! We can go on for days at a stretch rambling about it.

Press Release-

In Japan, Fiat 500 is the best “compact car”

The Fiat 500 is still the talk of the town, asserting itself as a real “Made in Italy” icon, capable of winning over the public and international critical acclaim. The best proof of its success is the over 270 thousand orders received to date and the 29 prizes awarded around the world. And now, to this collection of prizes will be added the prestigious title of “Best Compact Car”, a recognition coming from Japan where the super compact Fiat was presented last spring.

It was chosen as the “Best Compact Car” by Internet users who, in an online competition for the “Consumer choice car of the year”, preferred it to the Toyota IQ and Peugeot 308. Over 80,000 users took part in the competition organised by the famous publishing company, Neko Publishing, which publishes the main Japanese motor magazines, both specialised and in other sectors.

This prestigious recognition is matched by extraordinary commercial success in Japan, as proved by the 1,800 Fiat 500 delivered so far. This is an important fact which has certainly contributed to Fiat Automobiles’ excellent performance in 2008: at the end of the year, the turnover is expected to be double that of 2007. This result is all the more significant if it is considered that it has been achieved in a constantly declining Japanese market (-19% in sales of national models, and -14% of imported cars).

2008 Fiat 500 Image Gallery