Fiat’s New 500 is already top of our list of truly compact EVs, pairing an acceptable range of around 200 miles with a nipped and tucked take on the wonderful retro-modern Fiat 500 design.
This new edition of the top of the range La Prima model incorporates a JBL premium sound system and is available as either a convertible or a conventional hatchback.
Fiat has teamed up with the singers Andrea Bocelli and Matteo Bocelli to hone the in-car audio. The talented father and son are hugely popular opera and crossover classical stars in their native Italy, and this is the first time the Bocelli family has applied their decades of experience, working alongside JBL to tune a 320W sound system that is fully integrated into the bodyshell.
You don’t have to be a Classic FM devotee to realise that La Prima by Bocelli offers something slightly different. JBL’s ‘Virtual Venues’ technology allows listeners to personalise the audio output, creating a soundstage that evokes everything from arenas to small venues. Not only that, but the silent drive system of the New 500 EV offers the perfect backdrop to a serious piece of audio kit.
Fiat CEO Olivier Francois describes the partnership as a celebration of Italy as a source of ‘the highest expression of art, beauty and music.’ ‘For this reason, together with Maestro Andrea Bocelli, we have created the ultimate listening experience to enhance the silence of an electric car,’ he adds, ‘the revolutionary premium sound system completes an authentic Italian icon, proudly created in Italy to bring the most authentic Italian spirit to the world.”
Big wheels, big screen, and a choice of six body colours (Onyx Black, Rose Gold, Ice White, Mineral Grey, Ocean Green, and Celestial Blue) will make La Prima by Bocelli a sound choice for those who want to make an electrifying impression.
This article is part of The T3 Edit, a collaboration between T3 and Wallpaper* which explores the very best blends of design, craft, and technology. Wallpaper* magazine is the world’s leading authority on contemporary design and The T3 Edit is your essential guide to what’s new and what’s next.
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Jonathan Bell is Wallpaper* magazine’s Transport and Technology Editor, a role that encompasses everything from product design to automobiles, architecture, superyachts, and gadgets. He has also written a number of books, including Concept Car Design, 21st Century House, and The New Modern House. His interests include art, music, and all forms of ephemera. He lives in South London with his family.