Fiat and Jennifer Lopez unite in sharp pairing

Jennifer Lopez is the 'face' of Fiat's ad campaign to sell the compact Fiat 500 Cabrio to US drivers. Photo / Supplied

American superstar and mum of two Jennifer Lopez has a new bambino - no, the newly single singer hasn't followed in the footsteps of Madonna and adopted a baby. Instead, she's proud mamma of a Fiat 500C.

The multi-award-winning actress, singer, dancer and producer is behind the wheel of the small Italian car formerly known as the Bambino, as the famous face of Fiat.

The small convertible is the co-star in a video clip for her new song, Papi, and the two feature in a new TV advertisement that has just debuted in the USA and is already on YouTube. The commercial, titled My World, is voiced by Lopez, who is seen driving a Fiat 500 Cabrio through the streets of Manhattan to the Bronx where she grew up.

The new ad explores her take on how life in the New York City borough continues to inspire her to be tougher, to stay sharper and to think faster.

The ad features the song, Until It Beats No More, from the album Love?, which is available in New Zealand.

As well as the TV advertisement, the advertising campaign features an interactive pathway that, through a series of freeze frames, makes it possible to explore a key concept of the video, the Fiat 500 values of style, charm and ingenuity, which have allowed it to be welcomed with wild enthusiasm in all the markets in which it has been launched.

BRANDS GET BOOST FROM FAMOUS FACES

Jennifer Lopez isn't the only singer who promotes cars - Posh Spice, aka Victoria Beckham, is the famous face of Range Rover Evoque, and has even influenced the design of the vehicle recently launched in New Zealand.

Some celebrities do the voice-overs for car ads - veteran actor Donald Sutherland has been the voice of Volvo commercials since 1994 and Academy Award-winning actor Kevin Spacey was the voice behind many commercials for Honda - but other stars are more visible.

Titantic star Leonardo DiCaprio appeared in an ad in Japan for the Suzuki Wagon RR in 1998 but since then has embraced the hybrid technology. Not only was he one of the first celebs to drive a Toyota Prius, he has appeared in ads for the hybrid.

Also appearing in car ads in Japan have been such famous faces as Bruce Willis alongside the Daihatsu Mira, and funny man Eddie Murphy was paid millions in the 1990s to advertise the Toyota Celica.

Although George Clooney has appeared in ads for Toyota, he recently starred in a TV commercial in China to promote the new Mercedes-Benz E-Class Long Wheelbase Edition.