FIAT 500L

The 2014 Vans US Open of Surfing competition, which took place from July 26 to August 3 in Huntington Beach, California, provided a stage for Fiat’s unveiling of an exclusive design concept of the Fiat 500L by Vans. This is not the first time Fiat has had fashion labels design its cars. There have been special editions of the Fiat 50 designed by Tracey Emin, Gucci, and GQ.

For the surfing competition, Vans designers took over one of the 500L models, featuring a 160-horsepower 1.4-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine powered six-speed manual transmission car, turning it into a close relation to their shoes. This model is a one-off, exclusive vehicle designed for this event.

The Design of the Exterior

The Vans design team created a look for the regular Fiat 500L that reflected the typical style of Vans trainers and embodied surf culture and beachwear. The original Vans high top shoes inspired some of the design elements of this special 500L vehicle. The concept led to some people saying it looked like a Vans trainer on four wheels.

The Vans 500L featured blacked-out 18-inch alloy rims with a two-tone blue and white paint job. The top of the car was blue, the mid-section white, and the bottom was a dark gray around the wheel arches and grill. The typical Vans checkerboard pattern trimmed the roof. It also has a new front bumper and grille that feature four round LED lights. Additionally, the sills and grille featured the Waffle Sole design, the special material on the bottom of Vans shoes.

The roof features a rack ready to carry any necessary gear for a day at the beach. The concept car carried surfboards and kite surfing equipment with a basket to carry other accessories necessary for a day on the beach.

The Interior Design

The Vans designers continued their homage to their trainers and brand with the interior design. Hundreds of Vans stickers were placed on the dashboard, covering the whole area in what has been called a sticker bomb effect.

The seats were made from the canvas material used in Vans shoes in two-toned blue design with a palm tree. Many areas of the interior, including the storage bins and the pedals, feature the Vans Waffle Sole material. This provides extra traction, so that even wet feet will not slip on the pedals.

The Purpose

Fiat and Vans partnered on this one-off design concept vehicle to help push the 500L in the American market. This version features more interior space for holding more passengers than the regular 500.

The 500L models are offered alongside the 500, electric 500e, Abarth and cabriolet models. Fiat hopes to use the Vans US Open of surfing competition to tap into the young male surfer demographic that is the typical customer of Vans.

Viewing at the Open

The special 500L was displayed in a special dedicated area on the beach that also included the full Fiat range of models, including the Fiat 500, Abarth, Cabrio, and the electric Fiat 500e. It also featured the water-bound Fiat-skis, which was a hit with the attendees of the open last year.

Visitors to the Fiat area were able to view the Vans design vehicle, interact with the other Fiat models, and enjoy some other special activities. Surfer Brianna Cope signed autographs and there were giveaways that included Wayfarer sunglasses and branded items. This is the second year Fiat has been part of the event, which is free and open to the public.

Being involved in an event like the Vans US Open of Surfing provides an opportunity for Fiat to interact with a specific demographic. By having a unique and exclusive vehicle, they were able to capture the attention of the visitors to create a larger impact.

photo credit: portugalmotorsport via photopin cc