Fiat’s adorable and perplexing Topolino is now on sale at US dealers for close to half the price of the next-cheapest new car in the US. Of course, it’s that cheap because, as delivered, it’s not street legal in most of the US. But now it can be. A kit is now available to let you use the Topolino, rope doors and all, on the street. Or at least some streets.
The best part: You won’t have to pay any extra for that kit, not even installation.
Step One: Turn Up The Top Speed
Fiat TopolinoFiat
This tiny electric vehicle has a 46-mile range and, as delivered, has a top speed of 19 miles per hour. That speed limiter is the first thing to go as part of the new street-legal kit, though.
Fiat uncorks the top-speed limiter on the Topolino so it can qualify under federal low-speed vehicle laws. On the road, the car can now reach the dizzying top speed of 25 mph. That’s about one-third faster than before, which is impressive if you ignore the raw numbers. It’s twice as fast as the fastest marathon runner, so there’s that.
The kit, Fiat told Road & Track, also includes a box of new parts. Even at 25 mph, this car needs much of what a full-speed car does, including a pedestrian warning alert speaker and a new digital mirror that shows the feed from the rearview camera. Yes, even this car needs a backup cam.
You also get some stickers, to make sure it has all the proper warning labels, and the most important part of all: a VIN so you can register it. Other features the cars need but already have include turn signals, headlights, a vehicle-safe front windshield, and a horn.
Will Fiat Really Add These Features For Free?
Fiat TopolinoFiat
Not only is the kit free as part of the $14,985 Topolino’s MSRP, even though you didn’t get it with purchase, Fiat will pay for the installation. Fiat told Road & Track that the automaker is paying dealers for the labor costs.
Any Fiat dealer can sell one of the cars, though some of them are probably going to pass. Among other things, the low-speed vehicle rules don’t apply in every state. But they are a common sight in others.
Who wants a car that can only travel 46 miles and do 25 mph? Fiat USA CEO Andrew Waterhouse told the site that it expects the cars to be used on large properties, like resorts, or in special car-free communities that are common in retirement areas like Florida and Arizona. It isn’t bringing over thousands of them, and businesses that want some attention are probably all over getting one for their fleets.
Fiat has already discussed a customization program that will let you outfit your Topolino with more features and colors beyond the green, which is the only shade the company currently offers. Waterhouse said that “We’re hearing stories of consumers that want a Topolino to match their Ferrari,” which shows you who is buying these runabouts.
CarBuzz Insight – Why This Matters:
Fiat TopolinoFiat
Fiat’s move from offering a single car that is selling like snow shovels in Phoenix to offering a second car that wasn’t even road legal was baffling to us, and frustrating for dealers. Now, the company is demonstrating who will use them, and is even getting them on the road without an extra charge. This could be the perfect car for many gated communities and downtown small businesses.
Source: Road & Track
