The Fiat 500L is the bigger version of the fun and funky Italian Fiat 500. In the stretch, some of the style and excitement was lost in the larger design. Where the 500 looks cute and lithe, the 500L looks a little…frumpy. The larger front end is a bit lumpy, and the longer wheelbase upset the near perfect proportions of the normal 500->ke1708.

Fiat->ke30 has just gone a long way to improving the overall look and style of the 500L with the new Fiat 500L Beats Edition. With a full collection of special exterior embellishments and changes, added to a similar interior treatment, the 500L Beats Edition looks good.

Apart from the improved styling the Beats Edition also comes loaded with a signature Beats Audio stereo. As you may have guessed, the Beats By Dr. Dre stereo collaboration is what paved the way for this stylish five-door's creation.

Read on for more details on the Fiat 500L Beats Edition

2014 Fiat 500L Beats Edition

Specifications
  • Make: Array
  • Model: 2014 Fiat 500L Beats Edition
  • Engine/Motor: inline-4
  • Horsepower: 120 @ 3750
  • Torque: 236 @ 1750
  • Transmission: 6-Speed Manual
  • [do not use] Vehicle Model: Array
Pros
Cons

Exterior

The outside of the Beats Edition uses a smart combination of colors, finishes and details to make the overall package of the 500L better than the sum of its previous parts. The exterior of the Beats Edition is being sold in a collection of two-tone colors that include black body with a gray roof, or a gray body with a black roof; both colors are gloss paint. The best looking version is also a gray body with a black roof, but instead of the gloss paint it’s a matte finish.

Regardless of your color choice, many of the details on the outside are satin chrome. The Mirror fairings, grille and tailgate handle are all made of the shiny stuff. The wheels and body kit are all painted in a matte black. The final touch of flair on the exterior design is a splash of red on the brake calipers and on an insert in the mirror housing.

Exterior Dimensions

Model

All Four 500L Beats Trims

Length

168.11 inches

Width

70.86

Height

66.10

Wheelbase

102.83

Number of Seats

5

Number of Doors

5

Front - Rear Track

59.92 - 59.8


Standard Exterior Features

-Painted door mirrors with red liner

-Special protective side strips with brushed steel insert

-17" matte black alloy wheels

-M+S Snowflake tires 

-Red painted brake calipers

-Two‐tone paintwork

-Metallic paint finish

-Remote control for door opening/locking

-Rear window wiper

Optional Exterior Features

-Non‐standard 16" diamond‐finish black alloy wheels (compatible with snow chains)

-Matte paint

-Rear parking sensors

-Rear parking camera 

-Electric sun roof

-Skydome sun roof

Interior

The inside of the 500L Beats Edition gets the same stylish treatment. The dashboard is painted a matte gray, and the trim is painted in a color called Total Black. The seats are black, but they are covered in a special fabric/leather combination and the whole thing is put together with red stitching.

The big story on the inside is that stereo though. With 520 watts and seven speakers the stereo is capable of pumping out some serious volume. The system also has an amplifier with DSP and 8 channels and runs through an advanced equalization program.

The end result is studio quality sound inside of your new Fiat.

Standard Interior Features

-Third rear headrest

-Electric front windows

-Rear electric windows

-Tinted windows

-Leather gear lever knob

-Leather and fabric seats

-Rear seat armrest

-Front mats

-Electrically adjustable door mirrors with demister

-Electrochromic internal rear‐view mirror

-Driver's seat with armrest

-Driver's seat with electric lumbar adjustment

-Height‐adjustable driver's seat

-Passenger seat with lumbar adjustment

-Dualdrive electric power steering with City function

-Height and depth adjustable steering wheel

-Leather steering wheel with radio controls

-Cargo Magic Space (height‐adjustable load platform)

-Remote control for door opening/locking

-Beats Audio sound system

-Uconnect: 5" touchscreen radio with Bluetooth

Optional Interior Features

-Equipped passenger seat

-Height‐adjustable passenger seat

-Heated front seats

-Equipped front seats

-Baby surveillance mirror 

Drivetrain

The engine options for the 500L Beats Edition include a pair of gasoline engines and a pair of diesels. The gasoline-burning line is made up of a 1.4-T-Jet four-cylinder making 120 horsepower and a .9-liter, two-cylinder, TwinAir Turbo with 105 horsepower. The turbodiesel choices are Fiat’s 105-horsepower MultiJet II, and an upgraded 120-horsepower version of the same 1.6-liter mill.

As you can guess by these engine choices, the Beats Edition is not yet for U.S. consumption, as our version of the 500L is loaded with the 160-horsepower turbocharged MultiAir engine.

Engine Specifications

Model

0.9 Turbo TwinAir 105 HP 

105 HP 1.6 16v M‐Jet II

120 HP 1.6 16v M‐Jet II

 1.4 16v T‐Jet 

120 HP

Model

Inline-2

Inline-4

Inline-4

Inline-4

Cylinders (cc)

875

1,598

1,598

1,598

Displacement

10:1

16.5:1

16.5:1

9.8:1

Compression Ratio

Petrol, electronic multipoint injection, turbocharger with intercooler 

Diesel, MultiJet II "Common Rail" direct injection with electronic control, turbo and intercooler 

Diesel, MultiJet II "Common Rail" direct injection with electronic control, turbo and intercooler 

Petrol, Multipoint (MPI) electronic injection, with sequential timed injection, return system

Supply

single overhead camshaft with MultiAir system, 8 valves 

double overhead camshafts, 16 valves

double overhead camshafts, 16 valves

double overhead camshafts, 16 valves

Timing

Yes

Yes

Yes

No

Start & Stop system

105 @ 5,500

105 @ 3,700

120 @ 3,750

120 @ 5,000

Max Power

98 @ 5,750

N/A

N/A

N/A

Max Power Output in ECO mode

107 @ 2,000

236 @ 1,750

236 @ 1,750

158 @ 2,500

Max Torque

Six-speed manual

Six-speed manual

Six-speed manual

Six-speed manual


Chassis and Suspension

The Fiat 500L Beats Edition comes standard with Fiat’s Traction + technology. This smart front-wheel drive technology is used to increase traction on low-friction surfaces like snow or gravel. To increase traction further, the 17-inch alloy wheels are wrapped in Mud and Snow rated tires.

Suspension Specifications

Good for All Models

Front

Independent wheels with MacPherson layout 

Rear

Interconnected wheels with torsion beam layout


Price

The price of the upcoming Fiat 500L Beats Edition has not been released. Expect it to be priced at the top of the range, however.

Competition

Mini Cooper Countryman

The Cooper Countryman is a nearly identical style of vehicle to the 500L. It’s based on a smaller stylish car that has been stretched to become a spacious five-door. The Mini is more expensive, but it is more stylish than the basic 500L. What the Mini can’t match is the Fiat’s awesome stereo and there is no matte finish paint option either.

Conclusion

The Fiat 500L Beats Edition is the best version of the largest 500. It has the most menacing visual presence, and the best stereo. We do lament the fact that it doesn’t offer the same powerful engine choices as the US. With a max horsepower rating of 120 horsepower, we feel the car will be sluggish in its performance.