(The Italian Automobile Factory of Turin might team up with Ford to bring us the 500!? flickr/van.brussel)

Fiat S.p.A., founded in 1899, had formed a partner ship with Ford after their agreement with GM dissolved back in 2005. With their new found friendship rumors have been spreading that Fiat is considering the usage of Ford's distribution network to bring the new Fiat 500 (European Car of the Year 2008) stateside for 2010!

The 500 is available with four different trim levels: Naked, Pop, Lounge and Sport. Customers can also choose between 15 interior trims, 9 wheel options, 19 decals and 12 body colors. There are over 500,000 different personalized combinations of the 500 that can be made by mixing and matching the various accessories, decals, interior and exterior colors
and trims (wikipedia).

Not sure how they will be received here in the USA, but within three weeks of the 500's launch the entire year's production of 58,000 units had been completely sold out. Fiat is expecting to break 350,000 units sold by the end of 2010. To that I say "BRING 'EM ON!"

Thanks to William Lincoln for the scoop!