Fiat's email about our seats

[sam500]

Not sure how thin it will be, or exactly how it will look, but I could definitely see graphite in a few places. Maybe around the AC controls, or the radio like you say, or around the front cover that houses the speedo, or maybe even around the steering wheel controls as in some models of the abarth...



kudos to topspeed.com for the pic!

[sketch]

I was hoping that was from the grey car, but you do have a point.  I'd really prefer that to be body-colour, but that's more in line with the definition of "bezel" with which I'm familiar, and that's definitely "graphite".

Hm.  It's not gonna turn me off the Prima Edizione, but it is curious.

sam500, I wouldn't call that "graphite", around the Abarth controls.  That's far too light—think of the business bit of a pencil :)

[Gavin]

no, I think that shiny around stuff will be the bezel...



that is the grey with shiny bezel material in drawing form....

maybe....

a good reason for this to be the next sneak photo from fiat :)

Gavin

[Giallo Edizione]

Like a nice letter from the FIAT lady with a picture:

"I know you are as excited as me, so we just got this graphite bezel part in and wanted you to see it as soon as we did..."

[sketch]

Indeed, today has taught me that I actually have no idea what a bezel is!  Apparently it refers to the plastic face of a computer CD drive, the part surrounding the screen on a television or monitor, or perhaps the aluminum bit surrounding the screen on the iPhone 3G/3Gs.  So... it could mean anything...

I really hope it's what I think Gavin is referring to, unless I read it wrong: those chrome bits surrounding the buttons and gearshift?  I don't know.  "Bezel" in the jewelry world refers to the metal band which holds a gemstone in place, which would make sense referring to the chrome bits.  It's also used to describe the rotatable rims that certain watches have.

I have a feeling (and I'm crossing my fingers hoping I'm right) that, in the same sense, the bezel refers to the surrounding dash area, which encompasses and holds in the body-colored center panel.  I really really want this to be the case.  Every Cinquecento I've seen has a dash panel matching the exterior paint, so hopefully that's it.  And graphite is a very dark grey color, so it would be in line with the preview image and indeed with all the Sport models I have seen.

[sam500]

Sketch, i understand that that's not graphite :) I was just merely using the pic to illustrate the area where the bezel could be on a steering wheel. As far as I understand, bezel simply refers to the surface surrounding a given part, or a "retaining outer rim" of say a dash, a headlight, or an instrument panel. So I think I'm being a bit optimistic in hoping that bezel and dash mean different things, since for me a graphite dash might be what keeps me from getting the PE. Maybe not.

Now, I would like to point out that on the email we received a while back it says "Graphite Instrument Panel Bezel" while in the canadian Prima Edizione Speciale list of features it says "Liquid Graphite Painted Instrument Panel." I'm not sure exactly what this means, but my guess is they are talking about the same thing.

[sketch]

Haha, my bad :P

Oh man, you know what I've just thought of?  Maybe by "instrument panel" they're referring to what I've typically heard called the instrument cluster.  So maybe they've painted the bit that surrounds the gauges, which I'm totally fine with.

[Fiat500USA]

TopoRosso wrote

I'm not so sure we'll see body color panel. This interior shot from Chris's blog:

http://fiat500usa.blogspot.com/2011/01/first-view-of-2012-fiat-500-prima.html

Now this could be concept interior, could be from the grey car, who knows. All graphite....I share your concern. But, absent some integration with the airbag system, perhaps the panel(s)  could be replaced with other colored panels ordered from FIAT parts.

Sorry, don't know how to post a picture in email on this forum yet. Maybe somebody can follow my link and post that interior picture.

Here you go:

[Fiat500USA]

They are dying to get another picture to us but there is the usual legal "crap" (sorry, but in this case it's appropriate) that is driving them crazy!

I've seen it and the seats are as described, black and charcoal.

[sjmst]

Somewhere I read (maybe in this blog) that the dashboard will be body color just like all the other 500's.
The graphite refers to other bits.

[Gavin]

Strange that "Legal" would hold up a dashboard photo of a car about to ship...but then "legal" can be like that I guess. It's not like it is a brand new car...just a slight variation of a car already on the internets and nice photos from places like Golling.com

Hopefully soon. Mostly just cuz we like getting emails from Laura. :)

Gavin

[Fiat500USA]

rights to the picture, who's in the picture, etc., etc., etc., etc., etc., etc., infinitum

I didn't think about this but it is very frustrating to them and it is something they are working on fixing.

[Fiat500USA]

That is something I forgot to ask about (!). Man, I'm kicking myself! I just sent that question in, so hopefully we'll hear an answer.

sjmst wrote

Somewhere I read (maybe in this blog) that the dashboard will be body color just like all the other 500's.
The graphite refers to other bits.

[Giallo Edizione]

Fiat500USA wrote

rights to the picture, who's in the picture, etc., etc., etc., etc., etc., etc., infinitum

I didn't think about this but it is very frustrating to them and it is something they are working on fixing.

Hmm, maybe we need to put a call into Julian Assange.

[sjmst]

I guess we all know this, but the very first cars to be sold, our PE's, have had NO, none, nada pics published.
Only a photosshop of the whole car, and an actual pic of the seat! Ironic.  

[sam500]

Sam: I hate to say it, but I can kind of understand why. The P.E are special edition cars, being customized and tailored to be something unique within the 500 family. Details on (production) cars like these are usually kept secret for legal, marketing, bureaucratic, and all sorts of other reasons, until they are ready for a full release. We've been thrown a few (tiny, digitally manufactured) bones, but nothing particularly substantial. I'm guessing soon we'll get far much more information, pictures,  and details, since they are now in production!

That said, I, like many others here, am dying to see what the car looks like. Not just computer generated images, but actual pictures, delivery timetables, and details!! Anything that can answer the million questions we have about the car!

[sjmst]

Yes, I understand. But, at 52 I'm like a kid who can't wait 'till Christmas morning!

[sketch]

Sometimes I wish I could just forget about the car until the day it shows up... not gonna happen, though!

[sjmst]

sketch wrote

Haha, my bad :P

Oh man, you know what I've just thought of?  Maybe by "instrument panel" they're referring to what I've typically heard called the instrument cluster.  So maybe they've painted the bit that surrounds the gauges, which I'm totally fine with.

I really think that is the case.

If you look at the illustration below, note that the door jamb matches the dash; both grey.
So, another clue that we will have matching dashes, like all the other 500s.

Wow, look what I am reduced to.."reading tea leaves"!