Cars are often seen as fashion statements, or at least they end up taking on the same role as ones fashion choices do. The vehicles that people own can say a lot about them before any words are exchanged, and the 2025 Fiat 500e Giorgio Armani edition, as the press release states, “is meant to be worn, not driven.” Except that it’s a car so you can’t actually wear it, you can only drive it. This kind of nonsensical vibe-driven speech is indicative of one thing: The 500e Giorgio Armani isn’t about logic or practicality, it’s about the vibe.
The 500e has always been a tough sell for the American car buyer. It’s tiny, cutesy, not particularly fast, and has a short maximum range. Non-exotic Italian cars have a tough time in the American market too, but thankfully that hasn’t stopped Fiat from bringing the new 500e to the United States. Opting for the Giorgio Armani trim allows buyers a choice of two colors — a dark green or a ceramic Greige — and it also gets chevron stitching on the seats, laser-cut wood on the dash, and some Armani signatures and logos sprinkled around the car. My absolute favorite detail is the truly unique Giorgio Armani wheel design, which are asymmetrical and feature a stylized letter G and A.
I checked out both flavors of 500e Giorgio Armani at the LA Auto Show, and aside from the cute looks, I was saddened to learn that there isn’t much else about the car that’s special. The door panels are covered in hard plastic, the trim pieces feel flimsy and wiggle in their mounts, the leather feels plasticky, and aside from the wheels and dedicated paint colors, it’s not massively visually distinctive from other 500es. Despite these many shortcomings, I still love it, and I suspect the target audience will too.
The Fiat 500 is already a vibe-based vehicle. It’s an objectively cute, quirky and left-of-center little car that appeals to a niche within a niche. I still do a double take whenever I spot a Gucci Fiat 500 on the fashion-conscious streets of LA, and that special edition faced similar challenges. Emotional connections are what create cult classics. The Fiat 500e Giorgio Armani is a silly car, but it elicits a strong emotional response, for better or for worse. As a 6-foot-8-inch tall dude whose daily driver is a Mini Cooper S, I totally get the allure of this automotive fashion accessory. Is it going to be the next Corolla? Absolutely not, but it is going to be a cool niche rarity that will cause car nerds like me to take a second glance. Bravo, Fiat and Armani, and here’s to more fun, whimsical cars.
