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While artwork will adorn the walls, the real masterpiece of this gallery will be the 2012 Fiat 500 Cabrio, the convertible version of the Fiat 500 that will be unveiled Thursday, April 21 at the New York Auto Show. The Fiat Gallery at 18 Wooster will display the 2012 Fiat 5The Fiat Gallery at 18 Wooster combines design and interactive elements of a Fiat Studio wîth an art gallery and an intimate Italian lounge and café.00 Cabrio, the Fiat 500 Lounge and Sport models and a vintage Fiat 500. Visitors can experience the design evolution of the Fiat 500 through drawings by Roberto Giolito, the Fiat 500 Italian designer, that wrap around a vintage 500 display. The 2012 Fiat 500, which went on sale in March, marks the return of the Fiat brand to the Únited States after a 28-year absence. Not only will visitors learn about the modern Fiat 500 and its heritage, they will be able to test drive the Fiat 500 on the bustling streets of New York City. The Fiat Gallery at 18 Wooster will have three Fiat 500s on site each day for the test drives.

An inviting Italian lounge and café will greet visitors as they enter the 4,500-square-foot Fiat Gallery at 18 Wooster. Visitors can enjoy an espresso compliments of Fiat and Lavazza while relaxing in this intimate lounge and café, or while checking out the Fiat 500 Lounge model wîth all of its premium amenities. A second room showcases the vintage Fiat 500 and design story panels, as well as the Fiat 500 Cabrio and Fiat 500 Sport hatchback. Just as you would find in a Fiat Studio – the name the Fiat brand has given its Ú.S. dealerships – visitors will be able to use the Style Center to consider and choose their favorite of 14 exterior colors, as well as 14 unique seat color and material combinations that can be ordered to personalize the vehicle.

The Fiat Gallery at 18 Wooster also will feature art exhibits, including Fiat 500 hoods and doors that were used by artists as their canvas and musical instruments created from automotive parts. Engaging interactive elements such as Style Sculpt allow visitors to create a Kaleidoscope from the Cinquecento and experience Fiat in unique ways. The Fiat Gallery at 18 Wooster will offer entertainment during the 11-day run, including live music and art exhibitions.

Price: $15,500 – 23,500
Invoice: $14,990 – 22,495

Body Styles, Trim Levels and Options

The 2012 Fiat 500 is a two-door subcompact hatchback available as a hardtop or 500C convertible. Both body styles are available in Pop and Lounge trim levels, while the hatchback adds a Sport midgrade trim. Standard equipment on the 500 Pop includes 15-inch steel wheels and chrome-trimmed wheel covers, keyless entry, full power accessories, heated mirrors, air-conditioning, cruise control, a tilt-only steering wheel, a height-adjustable driver seat, a trip computer and a six-speaker sound system with a CD player and auxiliary audio jack. The Convenience package (standard on the 500C) adds a leather-wrapped steering wheel with audio controls, Fiat’s Blue&Me Bluetooth phone connectivity and an iPod/USB audio interface. The Bose Premium Audio package adds satellite radio along with an upgraded six-speaker system and subwoofer.

The Fiat 500 Sport gains 16-inch alloy wheels, firmer suspension tuning, retuned steering, slightly different styling, a roof spoiler, foglamps, sport seats, cloth/vinyl sport upholstery and the Pop’s two optional packages. Satellite radio is a separate option, however. The Safety & Convenience package (automatic transmission required) includes automatic climate control, a compact spare tire and heated front seats.

The 500 Lounge reverts to the Pop’s mechanical tuning and includes its optional packages as well. Also included are 15-inch alloy wheels, exterior chrome accents, foglamps, a fixed glass roof (hatchback only) and upgraded cloth upholstery. The Convenience Group adds rear parking sensors, an auto-dimming rearview mirror and heated front seats. The Luxury package adds leather upholstery and upgraded trim. A sunroof and an integrated TomTom navigation system are optional on both the Sport and the Lounge. Dealer-installed accessories like interior ambient lighting and exterior graphics are also available.

Interior Design and Special Features

While the Fiat 500′s retro styling screams “Mini fighter,” its interior raises the decibels even further. It doesn’t possess as many customization options and accessories as its British archrival, but the 500 does offer snazzy two-tone color schemes and plenty of neat little design cues. It also has a more straightforward control layout than the form-over-function Mini. However, the available “Blue & Me” voice-activated iPod control is practically unusable, leaving you to use the standard auxiliary jack. As for interior quality, the Fiat is not quite up to the Mini’s level. There are more hard surfaces, but compared to other cars in its modest price range, they are pleasingly textured and generally higher in quality.

Other than the Smart Fortwo, the Fiat 500 is the smallest car sold in the United States. Nonetheless, the high-mounted front seats allow for an impressive amount of legroom even for tall drivers. Sadly, however, those same tall drivers will find their heads grazing the headliner should they get a car with the available sunroof. Headroom is always tight in the backseat, as is legroom. Behind the backseat you’ll find only 6.5 cubic feet of luggage space, but here again, it’s more than what’s offered by the Mini. Lower the backseat in the hatchback and you’ll discover a less boxy, less useful space, but it’s still good enough to carry the odd bulky item.

Powertrains and Performance

The 2012 Fiat 500 is powered by a 1.4-liter four-cylinder that produces 101 hp and 98 pound-feet of torque. A five-speed manual transmission is standard on the Pop and the Sport. A six-speed automatic is standard on the Lounge and optional on the other trims. In Edmunds performance testing, the Fiat 500 went from zero to 60 mph in 10.8 seconds with the manual transmission — a good 2 seconds slower than a Mini, but closer to other underpowered subcompacts. The automatic is likely to be slower. EPA-estimated fuel economy stands at an excellent 30 mpg city/38 mpg highway and 33 mpg combined with the manual transmission. This drops to 27 mpg city/34 mpg highway with the automatic, which is still thrifty, but worse than almost every competitor.

Driving Impressions

It may be one of the slowest cars on sale, but the 2012 Fiat 500 is willing and eager to pull its weight (especially with the easy-to-drive manual transmission), and exhibits more pleasing noises than other underpowered subcompacts. The steering is rather devoid of feel and numb on center, but press the Sport button on the dash and the 500′s steering firms up pleasingly. This is especially true for the 500 Sport, which we think is the model to get given its more responsive handling and ride quality that still betters a Mini Cooper’s.

Safety

The 2012 Fiat 500 comes standard with stability and traction control, antilock disc brakes, a driver knee airbag, front side airbags and side curtain airbags. In Edmunds brake testing, a 500 Sport came to a stop from 60 mph in a short 119 feet.