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The new Fiat 500 and the Alfa Romeo Spider have made their American debuts at one of the world's largest and most important exhibitions. But we're not talking about a motor show. The Italians have instead gone to Las Vegas to take part in the Consumer Electronics Show, the world's largest such event with 2700 exhibitors and 140,000 visitors walking through 1.8 million square metres of floorspace.
Fiat and Alfa Romeo are attending the show to display Blue&Me, the joint venture between Microsoft, Fiat and Magneti Marelli that integrates communications, entertainment and navigation systems. The Fiat 500 displayed the standard Blue&Me system, which will be fitted as standard to the top versions of the car when it arrives in New Zealand.
The Alfa Romeo Spider added navigation with Blue&Me Nav, as well as EcoDrive, which offers real-time information on the efficiency of driving style. Following its launch 18 months ago, 250,000 Blue&Me systems have been sold, fitted to Alfa Romeo, Lancia, Fiat and Fiat commercial vehicles with average take-up in excess of 20 per cent. Seven out of 10 Fiat 500s incorporate Blue&Me as standard.
