Fiat and Italian supermarket chain Esselunga share the same values of customer-focus and uniqueness. So for the supermarket’s sixtieth anniversary, both companies teamed up and handed over a total of 1,495 Fiat 500 cars to their new owners. This event surprised many, including the Guinness World Record judge, who later on approved for it to be included in the book of records. That is a lot of giveaways!
Overall, there were 1,520 units that were supposed to be delivered to Fiat’s Mirafiori plant where the event took place. However, 25 of the winners in the Esselunga competition could not make it to the event. Fiat said that in under two days, all the cars were collected by the winners who came from several parts of Italy including: Lazio, Tuscany, Emilia Romagna, Veneto, Liguria, Lombardy, and Piedmont.
The winners were given keys to their new Fiat 500 Esselunga. The special version 500 was made specifically for the competition in association with Fiat Design Center, thus only 1,520 units are available. The design of the car was inspired by the Lounge trim, riding on 14-inch wheels, with Paste White exterior finished paired with an Ivory interior. The 500 Esselunga features seven airbags, climate control, Uconnect 5 infotainment system, AUX-IN and USB ports, steering wheel controls, and LED daytime running lights. Under the hood comes a 1.2 liter naturally aspirated gasoline engine, which produces 69 horsepower (51 kilowatts).
The Italian manufacturer has always been known for being a generous company. This is not the first time they gave away a Fiat 500. Just last December, Fiat collaborated with Paco Rabanne and automotive atelier Garage Italia Customs, wherein they developed a one-off 500. This custom was made especially for a loyal customer of the perfumer. The automaker has also partnered with a number of big fashion and lifestyle brands including Gucci, Diesel, Ron Arad, and GQ in the past years.
Though Italy is the kind of place where bicycles and motorbikes are ideal due to the narrow streets, a Fiat 500 will still work, especially as a family car. The subcompact is an easy and inspiring automobile to live with in a country of old and narrow streets, where there are too many people and traffic is congested. It would be an advantage especially since Esselunga’s customers will not need to bike to the supermarket anymore, as they now have their own Fiat 500.
A 2017 Fiat 500 has a starting price of $14,995. Though it may be an affordable subcompact car, multiply that by 1,520, and that’s a total of $22.7 million. That’s definitely a huge giveaway.
