LIMITED editions from car makers are certainly nothing new.
Some special models have just seen the addition of an extra badge, while others have been the full boonah setting it apart from the model on which it is based.
One such example was the Fiat 500 by Diesel which was launched way back in December 2008, and came with chic denim upholstery and trim, a special colour range, chunky alloy wheels and lashings of chrome.
Now for 2011– just in time to mark the 150th anniversary of the unification of Italy – comes the Fiat 500 Gucci, which coincidentally also marks the 90th birthday of the famous design house founded by Guccio Gucci in 1921 producing top-end leather trunks, suitcases and handbags for the then rich and famous.
Kitted out with the tried-and-tested 1.4-litre, 100bhp Sport engine mated to a six-speed manual gearbox, the 500 Gucci offers perky performance with a top speed of 113mph and a 0-62mph sprint time of less than 11 seconds.
Fuel consumption is a respectable 48.7mpg on the combined cycle while CO2 emissions are 135g/km.
Available in the choice of either black or white high-gloss pearl glass paint, the 500 Gucci sets the stage for a neo-classic black and white film.
The car’s silhouette is outlined by Gucci’s signature green-red-green stripe, which runs around the entire car, linking the exterior to the interior which sees the stripe also featuring on the seats, the gear shift, the key-cover, the carpets and on the seatbelts. The rear brake callipers are finished in Gucci green.
The result is a beautifully-finished modern-day classic, with chic embroidery, exclusive top-class materials, glossy and satin chromes, down to the velvety varnish on the “radioboard” and the two-toned seats in Frau leather with the Guccissima print.
The exterior is further personalized by 195/45 R16 wheels with hubcaps featuring the interlocking GG in the matching colour of the car’s bodywork, while the Gucci signature appears on the hatchback as well on the doorpost.
The Fiat 500 by Gucci will be available from April 1 to June 30 exclusively by pre-order online at www.500bygucci.com, before becoming more generally available towards the end of the year. Pricing has yet to be announced.
To finish off the Gucci experience, buyers can also personalise their package further by adding some of the exclusive 500 by Gucci collection, made up of travel accessories, small leather goods, drivers, tracksuits, bombers, gloves, sunglasses and a watch, which will also be available from selected Gucci stores from next month.