Fiat Seicento
- "Seicento" can also refer to the earlier Fiat 600
The Fiat Seicento (in order to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Fiat 600, since September 2005 being sold as Fiat 600, Seicento being the Italian word for this number) is a city car made by Italian company Fiat. It was introduced in 1999 as a replacement to the Fiat Cinquecento, but didn't differ much from its predecessor, retaining the same chassis and general dimensions, with the Seicento gaining a minor 9 cm in length.
The design was similar too, in which the Seicento kept the same three-door hatchback body, instead of the 5-door mini-MPV look that other vehicles in the same segment were starting to use. When the new 5-door Panda was released in 2002, the Seicento's sales have been decreasing in the European Union countries, but the car is still popular in Eastern Europe.
The Seicento is available in two engines, the old 900 cc OHV, which is no longer produced and exported to Western Europe, because it no longer complies with emissions regulations, and the 1.1 L FIRE. This engine is also available with "luxury" SX and "sporty" Sporting versions.
Like its predecessors Cinquecento and 126 Polski, the Seicento is built in Polish Fiat factory in Bielsko-Biala. Fiat has still not confirmed if and when the Seicento will be replaced, as the Panda fits into the niche of urban compact cars, but Fiat might still want to continue betting on a smaller 3-door model. It's been rumored the 2004 concept car Trepiùno might serve as a replacement for the Seicento.