Wendy Rozov gushes about her Fiat 500.

Ask her how it drives, she’ll tell you “like butter.”

“It’s the most amazing ride. I love it,” she said. “It’s solid, it holds the road well and I get great gas mileage.”

Fiat enthusiasts like Rozov of Phoenix were thrilled when the Italian automaker opened a “studio” in Scottsdale late last fall. People had anticipated the opening for almost a year, and hundreds had put their names on a waiting list for the Fiat 500.

Four months after the 4,100-square-foot studio opened in the Airpark, sales are still going strong. In fact, Fiat of Scottsdale is one of the brand’s top-selling dealers, which is good news for the automaker that missed its overall U.S. goals.

“We’re ranked No. 7 in the nation as far as sales,” said Damon Ebner, a manager at Fiat of Scottsdale. “We missed fifth place by about five cars.”

Fiat left the North American market 30 years ago. After merging with Chrysler in 2009, the automaker returned, debuting its 500 series last year. A slow rollout of dealerships and a lack of regional advertising are some of the reasons Fiat sold only half of the 50,000 cars it had hoped to sell.

“Not all the dealerships were able to get up and open at the same time,” said Mary Robertson, a lead for Fiat of Scottsdale and a department head at Airpark Dodge Chrysler Jeep, which owns the studio. “One of the requirements was dealers had to have a separate showroom. Not everyone was able to open at the same exact time.”

The Scottsdale studio is one of five Fiat dealers designated for Arizona and the only freestanding showroom. Arizona was one of the last states to receive any of the 130 dealerships Fiat has authorized. But that hasn’t impacted the Scottsdale studio, Robertson said.

“We’ve had some record months ourselves,” she said. “We’re thrilled at the current time.”

In selecting the Scottsdale Airpark, the automaker looked at demographics as well as the proximity of other brands. "One of the major brands they're trying to compete with is the Mini Cooper, and we’re less than one mile from a Mini Cooper dealership," said Robertson.

The idea is for customers to easily compare the two and ultimately, at least Fiat hopes, make the choice of a Fiat.

Italian Allure
Fiat may have had a slow start overall, but Robertson and Ebner are certain that will change as more people become aware the brand is back. The stronger economy helps too, Ebner said, pointing to an increase in car sales across the board.

“People are buying cars,” he said. “Car sales in Greater Phoenix were up 40 percent this year over last year. There’s definitely a pent-up market.”

It’s not just the fuel efficiency—38 mpg—or the subcompact design that have people smitten with the Fiat 500. Like most things Italian, it’s the cultural allure.

Fiat was founded in 1899 and led the start of Italy’s automotive industry. For many, Fiat represents the Italian way of life.

“It’s its own world. It’s the Italian style,” said Ebner. “This car is part of the culture in Italy. When they re-released the 500 in Italy in 2007, they interrupted television to show the car unveiled.”

Ebner said most people who walk into the Scottsdale studio talk about that Italian connection. Many of them have an Italian relative or just want to own a slice of Italy, he said.

Rozov and her husband, Eric Lynn, are connected more than most. Lynn grew up in Turin, the Motown of Italy and home of Fiat’s world headquarters. His father is an avid collector and, like father like son, Lynn got the bug, Rozov said.

“We’re hugely into the cars,” said Rozov, who along with Lynn, own two Fiats, a 1956 600 they bought in Italy and the new 500 they bought in the states.

The couple also started the Arizona chapter of Fiat Lancia Unlimited, a club of Fiat enthusiasts from across North America. They participate in all kinds of Fiat-related events such as scavenger hunts and road rallies. Recently, they drove a Fiat 500 across the country from Detroit to Colorado, logging 1,900 miles in six days.
“It was an amazing experience and very comfortable,” Rozov said.

Abarth on the Way
The Fiat 500 is the only model sold in the United States.

It comes in several different styles including the Pop, Sport, Lounge and Gucci. The Pop and Lounge are the most popular, Ebner said, largely because they offer a lot of car for the money. The Pop starts at around $16,000. On the higher end, is the Gucci, the car pop singer Jennifer Lopez drives in Fiat’s national ad. That car can run about $28,000, Ebner said.
Newer Fiat 500s are expected to hit the market this spring, such as the Abarth, a turbo-charged 500 that can go from zero to 60 in about 7.5 seconds —2.5 seconds faster than its non-turbocharged counterparts. A wagon version of the Fiat 500 is also on its way.

“One of the benefits of being one of the top 10 dealers is that we can pretty much get the inventory we want, including the Abarth,” Robertson said.

Already, 30 to 40 people are on a list for the Abarth, which starts around $22,700, she added.

“That’s going to be a huge seller for us,” she said. "We’re going sell those cars like hotcakes.”

Rozov and Lynn may not be in line for an Abarth just yet. But they’re happy it’s coming. In fact, they’re happy Fiat is here. Period.

“We’re thrilled to see Fiat back in the country,” Rozov said. “Being collectors, we really want this to be a success story.”

 

• Owned by Airpark Dodge Chrysler Jeep
• One of five Fiat showrooms planned for Arizona and the only freestanding Fiat studio in the state
• Located at Frank Lloyd Wright Blvd. and Greenway-Hayden Loop
• Active in Fiat-related events, such as a New Year’s Day scavenger hunt and a charity Italian car show set for Feb. 18.
• Visit the studio on the web at fiatusaofscottsdale.com.
• Find out more about Fiat Lancia Unlimited at flu.org.