Sex sells Abarth 500s in US
Fiat's Abarth is a sell-out success in Europe, thanks to Charlie Sheen and a few scantily clad womenCharlie Sheen’s wilder than life persona has given Fiat’s very small 500-based Abarth larger than life appeal with US buyers.
It has emerged that Chrysler’s US allocation of 3000 Abarth specials, built at Fiat’s factory in Toluca, Mexico, has sold out for the 2012 model year.
Charlie, complete with home-arrest anklet device, stars in the TV ad for the Fiat 500 Abarth. He’s featured driving the high-performance mini inside his mansion committing the type of driving stunts that should land him in prison, to demonstrate the Abarth’s nimble abilities and close-quarters control.
As you’d expect from an Italian company that dares to sign up legendary bad boy Charlie Sheen to a corporate deal, there are plenty of stunning women featured in the ad, which follows another sexy Abarth TVC that co-incided with the Super Bowl extravaganza earlier this year.
The 500 is Fiat’s only passenger model currently on sale in Australia, where the 0.9-litre TwinAir opens the range at $22,990 and the 1.4-litre Esseesse-based 695 Ferrari Tributo crowns it at no less than $69,990.
While Fiat sales were up a massive 128 per cent in the US last month, they are down more than 26 per cent in Australia so far this year. During the same period, Fiat 500 sales were down 24.4 per cent with 102 examples sold, while Abarth 500 sales were up 51.8 per cent, at 85. The change of local distribution from Ateco to Chrysler has had an effect, with Fiat and Alfa Romeo racking up no numbers in VFACTS last month. Those cars sold in May will be added to the June total.
Read the latest news and reviews on your mobile, iPhone or PDA at carsales' mobile site...
Please see our Editorial Guidelines & Code of Ethics (including for more information about sponsored content and paid events). The information published on this website is of a general nature only and doesn’t consider your particular circumstances or needs.
