Frank Stephenson has just about done it all in his design career. Not only did he create the new MINI and the BMW X5 but he’s overseen the latest Ferraris and is now at Fiat helping to rebuild a brand that will eventually go head to head with MINI. The Irish Times has a piece that covers his previous work as well as looks forward to the new Stephenson designed Fiat 500 due out soon. Here’s an excerpt:
>Aside from the Bravo, the big news from Fiat is the return of the iconic 500. “When I came in, the concept car was already there so the project has really been about how can we make the 500 more desirable than the Mini. The Mini has set the bar upon which all the rest can be judged. It’s the pinnacle of trendy cult cars.
>”If you want to do something here you have to pull customers away from it. Perhaps its greatest weakness is the price. This is where Fiat can succeed.
>”The Mini was not a retro car. The new Mini was an evolution. I sketched out what it would look like in 1969 if they’d redone it, and then 1979 and up to 1999.”
>Stephenson dismisses the opposition of the time. “In comparison to the Mini, the Beetle was a compromise on everything. There was nothing better about the new Beetle over the old version. The Beetle was a real retro car; design for design’s sake.
>”In comparison, the 500 will be classless and people have fond memories of it plus you gain a whole new youth market from its trendy looks.”
You can read the entire interview here:
[ From concept … … to creation ] Irish Times
I can’t wait to see the Fiat 500 looks like.
Frank Stephenson is one of my heroes. Luckily, Fiat doesn’t sell cars in the US . . . yet.
<blockquote>Frank Stephenson is one of my heroes</blockquote>
Absolutely! Frank’s new MINI styling is an elegant and powerful evolution of the classic Mini. It seamlessly merges with the elegant and powerful evolution of the Rabbit GTI that’s underneath the shiny stuff.
I wonder what Stephenson would do, evolution-wise, starting with a 1966-69 Alfa Romeo Spider.
<em>First sentence in the article reads:</em>
<blockquote>Frank Stephenson, head of design at Fiat Frank Stephenson is head of design at Fiat.</blockquote>
That sentence structure sounds <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_W._Bush" rel="nofollow">familiar</a>…
Does anyone else find it humorous the the man who designed the MINI Cooper went on to work at an <em>Italian</em> job?
They will have a built-in fan base for any Disney fan who loved the movie “Cars”. The Fiat 500 was awesome in that flick!
They even have a web site, where you can submit ideas for the new Fiat 500 design.
<a href="http://www.fiat500.com/" rel="nofollow ugc">http://www.fiat500.com/</a>
Nissan already make a model very similar to Fiat 500 Bambina – we know it as Nissan Micra.
Hopefully the new 500 wont have the 500c two cylinder motor.
Betcha it is a lot bigger than the old model, a la Mini.
i dont see the 500 as being MINI snatching
”If you want to do something here you have to pull customers away from it. Perhaps its greatest weakness is the price. This is where Fiat can succeed.”
the mini is that big a brand now you wont budge owners who have had 2 or more. and anyway the 500 is is going to be smaller than a MINI it will probley have its own followers but i dont see it making any difference to people buying MINIs ! 🙂
I am convinced it will be felt in Mini sales if they do it right. Obviously not to those that are going for their third Mini and are absolute Mini nuts, like most here on MF. Nor, probably, to those that bought the Mini for its driving characteristics (but I could put down a similar reply for those people had this been a post about the upcoming Audi A2). But for those that bought their current, first Mini for its looks and cuteness factor and/or as a fashion accessory? You betcha.
Take a look at this photo of the Nissan Micra or March. Fiat 500 will not be too different to this car. Then tell me why the Nissan hasn’t already taken sales off the MINI. Fiat has an uphill battle ahead. Has Fiat cured it’s quality and rust problems?
If it sounds like a duck, and looks like a duck, chances it is a duck! A dead one at that.
oops..quack…<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Nissan_Micra_2005_red_vl.jpg" rel="nofollow ugc">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Nissan_Micra_2005_red_vl.jpg</a>
I don’t think the Fiat 500 will sell in the same “space” as the MINI. The original Mini Cooper was a Sports Coupe/Rally car. The Fiat 500 was a working class daily-driver, like Citron’s Deux Chavaux. They have their nostalgia buffs, but if Frank thinks competion withn MINI is all about price, he has lost touch with the “MINI” world. There are a dozen cars out there at least the beat MINI on price if all you want is a cheap car, and maybe they outsell the MINI. Who cares? People don’t buy MNINs on price, they buy MINIs ’cause they are MINIacs.
Here, here, Mark. Well said.
True Mark, but not forget that he probably mean that they will have for the Fiat 500 every choice from “cheap” (like MINI One) to “expensive” high performance version (like Cooper S) because you remember the Abarth 595? This too was giant killer of a machine! So no reason why this cars can not compete with MINI sales if the price is right (mean better). This worry me because I know he can make the Fiat 500 beautiful too and maybe I will NEED then to buy one 🙂 He can not repeat MINI but I think he can be father to many “beautiful and successful children”. So I await anxiously to see his new baby…and PEDRO, here is a interesting fact/coincidence about the movie “CARS”…Frank Stephenson is mentioned in the credits!!! Have a look, I do not no why but I think is because he is influenced the world of autos. Mamma mia!