Fiat gives the 500 credit as being a “strong contributor to motorizing Italy,” and since it’s introduction n 1957 it has earned a cult-like following with over four million units sold. It became known as a model that made mobility accessible and “expressed a deep-seated zest for life.” At the same time, back in the late 50s and early 60s, the same feeling was said to be expressed by the Riva speedboat – a boat that was meticulously executed with premium quality materials and was often looked to as a symbol of perfection. Since the Riva and the 500 both shared a similar cult-like following, Fiat decided to throw both into a blender and created the car you see here, the Fiat 500 Riva special edition.

As a model that was built in partnership with Riva, the car is said to “stand out for its unique appearance and refined details” and is “Synonymous with elegance and Italian taste.” The model itself is offered as a coupe or a convertible and takes on more interior design changes than anything, with the exterior limited to minor additions like chrome mirror caps, pin striping, and some extra trim inserts. Of course, it shouldn’t surprise you that Fiat would drop a special-edition model that isn’t all that modified – it seems to be the name of the game these days, as manufacturers get even better at tooting their own horns and placing the “special edition” name on anything with a few extra options.

With that said, the 500 Riva does have some interesting interior characteristics that do set it apart from the standard 500, while at the same time paying tribute to the Aquariva Super yacht, which is the current Riva icon. So, let’s take a look at this special model and see what all the hype is about.

Continue reading to learn more about the Fiat 500 Riva.

2016 Fiat 500 Riva

Specifications
  • Make: Array
  • Model: 2016 Fiat 500 Riva
  • [do not use] Vehicle Model: Array

What makes the Fiat 500 Riva special

To start off, Fiat finished the exterior of the 500 Riva in a “Sera Blue,” which is exclusive to this model only and is borrowed from the palette offered for the Aquariva Super. On convertible models, the Riva gets a blue drop top while the coupe gets a panoramic roof. Chrome trim can be found on the door handles, mirror covers, and the trim on the bonnet – similar to that found on the Aquariva Super. While it is a little hard to see under certain lighting, there is an aquamarine pinstripe that runs from the front headlights all the way back to the rear, a feature Fiat says is there to recall the “beautiful line of a yacht.” To round out the exterior package, the car comes equipped with 16-inch, 20-spoke light alloy rims that have an exclusive blue finish and are designed specifically for this special edition.

On the inside, The most notable feature is the hand-painted mahogany with maple wooden inlay. It features a central stripe and prominently displays the “Riva” logo on the passenger side, near the right-most HVAC vent. The wood itself is actually built onto an ultralight carbon shell to make it stronger without adding unnecessary weight. You can also find the same wood prominently displayed as part of the steering wheel, and there is a mahogany shift knob, two features that also harken to the Aquariva Super. The door sills, like the shifter knob, are carved from a solid piece of wood.

Moving over to the comfortable aspects of the interior, the seats have been wrapped in exclusive ivory leather that was created by Poltrona Frau. To make the seating design even more bespoke, the ivory stitching carries a contrasting tone on the seat piping. The side seat strips are done up in Sera Blue, just like the exterior, as are the edges of the seat belts. You’ll find a “Riva” logo embroidered on both front seats as well. The floor mats have ivory hems with Sera Blue stitching, as does the mat in the rear that features a wood insert with the “Riva” logo. All told, the black and ivory interior seems like it would offset the interior a little too much, but with the extra hints of Sera Blue and the few wooden inlays, the interior comes together quite nicely. Not bad, Fiat; not bad.

Before we move on to what is offered under the hood, I want to point out that the 500 Riva comes equipped with a Uconnect seven-inch HD live touchscreen display and standard equipment. The system includes Bluetooth connectivity, voice recognition, a 3.5-mm auxiliary input, and music streaming. A digital radio or 3D TomTom navigation can be specified as an add-on. Another great option is the BeatsAudio system that was developed in conjunction with Beats by Dr. Dre. It boasts a total system output of 440 watts, all of which is sent to two dome tweeters, two midwoofers in the front doors, two full-range units in the rear side panels, and a larger subwoofer in the spare wheel compartment in the rear.

The 500 Riva is offered with a number of engines, including a 1.2-liter Fire unit that delivers 68 horsepower and has an Eco function. There are also a TwinAir 0.9-liter two-cylinder that offers up either 85 horsepower or 105 horsepower. On the diesel front, you’ll find a 1.3-liter Multijet on the list that delivers 95 horsepower. According to Fiat, the Fiat 500 is the only car in its segment to offer a turbodiesel so, you know, there’s that. Fiat didn’t release performance figures for all of the engines, but the 95-horsepower diesel can push the 500 Riva to 62 mph in 10.7 seconds on the way to a top speed of 111 mph – enough to give the Toyota Prius a fair race. Depending on the engine of choice, there is a five- or six-speed manual available or the “robotic” Duralogic automatic transmission.

Fiat has yet to release pricing on the 500 Riva, but you can be sure it will pull a nice premium over the entry-level Pop model at $16,995. It may even pull closer to the $25,000 mark as, here in the U.S., the range-topping 1957 edition only goes for $21,295. As a special edition, I expect Fiat to treat it as a model that is worthy of making you dig deeper into your pockets if you want to take one home.

Fiat 500S

The Fiat 500 was originally produced between 1957 and 1975, at which point the model was discontinued. The 500 was practically forgotten about until 2004 when Roberto Giolito designed the 2004 Fiat Trepiuno 3+1 concept. It didn’t become a production model again until 2007 when Fiat decided it was done licking its wounds and would fight back against the amazing success of the Smart Fortwo, which at the time was thriving in Italy. While the new Fiat 500 is larger than the original 500, it is actually quite similar in appearance, with circular headlights and driving lights, a pretty chrome strip on the front fascia, and the overall small but bubbly look. At the time of this writing, the Fiat 500 is available in six different trims here in the U.S. that range in price from $16,995 up to $21,295 for the range-topping 1957 Edition trim level. It is also marketed under various other trim levels in more than 100 countries around the globe.

Read our full review on the Fiat 500S here.