Fiat 500 to be sold as a Fiat in Chrysler dealerships in about 18 months

Here come the little Italians!

The Fiat 500 will be Fiat/Chrysler's response to the MINI when it arrives in the USA in about one and half year's time. The spunky Italian will be the only car sold as a Fiat according to spokesman Richard Gadeselli.

The Polish built 500 mimics the MINI in many ways, from its retro looks, size and fantastic customization possibilities. In Europe the 500 has 549,000 possible configurations, 11 different colors, 100 accessories, and seven different interior trim choices.

With only 18 months left to wait, American buyers would do well to brush up on their Italian, enjoy a cappuccino and perhaps pickup a diecast model of the 500 on eBay. Since the Fiat/Chrysler union has not yet been fully ratified and the 500 has not officially been announced for the U.S. market, dealers are probably not accepting deposits for the car (you should be wary of any dealership that IS currently taking deposits). However, if you truly have you heart set on this model, you might want to buddy up to your local dealer over the course of the next few months.

For the curious, check out how the 500 is made in this YouTube video (there is no sound).