#Fiat500Cabriolet

As expected, the Fiat 500 Abarth Cabriolet will be making its North American debut at the upcoming 2012 Los Angeles Auto Show.

The original Fiat 500 by Gucci was an overwhelming success, quickly garnering over 3,000 pre-orders, pushing the two Italian companies to release a cabriolet version of their customized 500. The 500C by Gucci shares much of the same modifications its hardtop counterpart has, being offered at a little over $28,350. It’ll inherit the same color choices – white with matte chrome trim or black with glossy chrome accents – as the original coupe, and will also sport the same body color-matched 16-inch wheels.

After re-launching in North America last year, Fiat has just introduced its second model to our shores, the 500 Cabrio. A ‘convertible’ version of the 500 hatchback, the Cabrio is a different sort of drop-top as it retains the factory roof structure, but with a retractable material top instead of sheetmetal. Because of that structure, the 500 Cabrio is unique in that it offers the exact same interior room as the original hatchback. Yet another advantage is that the material roof can be operated at speed of up to 60 mph.

Fiat will reportedly launch the U.S.-spec version of the 500 Convertible at the New York Auto Show in late April, with the car going on sale almost immediately. Just in time for Spring, the drop-top is unique in that it retains the roof structure, but trades rear glass and a metal top for a retractable cloth section.