The Fiat 500e is a city car to the core, so why not name it after the City of Angels?
Back in March, Fiat announced the first expansion of its new 500e lineup with two ‘Inspired by’ models: the Inspired by Beauty and Inspired by Music. There’s another option joining the range this week called “Inspired By Los Angeles”, and will arrive at dealers in the next few months.
So, just how different is it from the other versions of the 500e? Well, each is meant to bring its own distinct flavor and theme to the table, rather than just have your traditional trim walk with various features as you make your way up the list. That said, the extras on this model come exceptionally close to the Inspired By Music, including the seven-speaker JBL sound system with four distinct “venues” programmed into it for different sound experiences and the 17-inch alloy wheels.
The Marine Layer Mist paint scheme is unique to this model, as are the gray mirror caps and blacked out trim around the windows. Of the paint, Fiat says the color “is named after the Southern California coastal marine layer that results from air masses of different temperatures and densities interacting, a natural phenomenon from May through June that gives the City of Angels a magical and complex feel, much like the Marine Layer Mist paint color.” I’d love to know how explaining that at a party turns out.
As with the other flavors, though, this is the same Fiat 500e underneath. You still get a front-wheel drive hatch with 117 horsepower and 162 lb-ft of torque on tap. That means a 0-60 time of about 8.5 seconds, while the 42-kWh battery is good for around 149 miles of driving range.
Pricing is at least the same as the other Inspired By cars, starting at $37,595 including destination. I’m not sure how much Angelenos will vibe with what Fiat’s trying to pull off here, but if you want one, they will begin arriving at dealers in the third quarter.
