The Fiat 500 has gone on sale in Brazil and the supermini was introduced to the national press today in the city of Rio de Janeiro. The small car will also be launched during the same period in Colombia, Barbados and Panama - and presented in Jamaica before the end of 2009. Not to mention the fact that the 500 is already present in Argentina, Chile, Curaçao, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Mexico, Peru, the Dominican Republic, St Martin and Paraguay.

The Fiat 500 marketed in Brazil is available in Sport and Lounge outfits, powered by a lively 100 hp 1.4 16v engine teamed with a manual 6-speed gearbox or a 5-speed Dualogic gearbox (robotised, sequential). The power unit and suspension have been adapted to local market needs: the injection system has been re-calibrated to adjust to the 22 percent of ethanol present in the petrol sold in Brazil. Certain components in direct contact with this specific fuel have also been changed. The suspension has also been revised for the Brazilian roads by increasing the flexibility of the springs and the shock absorber travel.

The Brazilian edition of the car, which has already been awarded the prestigious EuroNCAP 5-star ranking in Europe, will offer seven airbags as standard (two front airbags, two window bags, two sidebags and one knee bag) plus state-of-the-art hi-tech active safety features: ABS with electronic brake distribution (EBD), the sophisticated electronic stability program (ESP), an antislip regulation (ASR) system, a Hill Holder to help the driver with hill starts - and hydraulic brake assistance (HBA) to help with emergency stops.

The Fiat 500 model is an authentic Italian style icon that has won the hearts of the international public and critics alike, as confirmed by more than 390,000 orders collected to date around the world and more than 40 international awards.