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What's the deal with Fiats? Seinfeld flips car, but fine now
News is just now surfacing that comedian Jerry Seinfeld flipped his 1967 Fiat BTM on Saturday in New York when the classic car's brakes failed. The funny man surely wasn't laughing when the brake pedal stopped responding, so he swerved to avoid the heavily trafficked Montauk Highway, causing the car to flip and come to stop before the intersection. Police credit Seinfeld with avoiding a very serious accident thanks to his split-second decision, and the ever joking ex-TV star said this about the accident: "Because I know there are kids out there, I want to make sure they all know that driving without braking is not something I recommend, unless you have professional clown training or a comedy background, as I do. It is not something I plan to make a habit of."
We're not quite sure why news of Seinfeld's traffic mishap sat around on some news reporter's desk for four days until it blew up. He flipped the Fiat on Saturday and suddenly news of his near death experience is everywhere on Wednesday. Oh well, we should just be pleased that one of our country's national treasures is safe.
[Source: CBS47TV, Photo by Stephen Lovekin/Getty]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Mr. Oak 11:11AM (4/03/2008)
Well, FIATs are FIATs. Much ado about nothing.
Reply
Ian 1:11PM (4/03/2008)
You must be American. Me and my car mates have noticed this attitude towards FIATs in the US. Here in Oz, they are respected by automotive enthusiests. Luckily, we still have them imported. A refreshing change to all of the Mitsues and other Japanese makes.
Kayne001 2:10PM (4/03/2008)
Here's a better sentence:
Here in Oz, Fiat is respected by automotive enthusiasts. Luckily, we still have them imported. Fiats are a refreshing change to all of the Mitsues and other Japanese makes.
And a reply:
I agree.
Mr. Oak 3:00PM (4/03/2008)
Ian you are correct in assuming that. It has been quite sometime now, but here in the northeastern UN the acronym FIAT means "Fix It Again Tony".
Back in '79 - 80 I lived across the street from a FIAT dealership. Became really good pals with a few folks who had their Spyders and X-19 serviced there (they were there often enough). Most of what was said was not good. Of course that was a long time ago, but it was the last we saw of FIAT on this side of the ditch.
Mr. Oak 3:02PM (4/03/2008)
That should read: Here in the northeastern US.
H4MM3R 11:13AM (4/03/2008)
I'm glad you walked away unhurt. I know you read Autoblog.
Reply
X3S2000 11:13AM (4/03/2008)
What the heck is a Fiat BTM??
Reply
Jruhi4 11:25AM (4/03/2008)
I have no clue what a Fiat BTM is, and most people don't either. Jalopnik started a separate article on that point, and the most educated guess came from someone that suggested that BTM might be a botched abbreviation for Bertone. That would imply either a very rare (especially in the U.S.) Fiat Dino Coupé or (more likely) a Fiat 850 Spider.
Draaaainage! 1:45PM (4/03/2008)
Fiat BTM = "Fix It Again Tony! Beaks Too Much"
letstakeawalk 3:40PM (4/03/2008)
Does it look like this Fiat Dino? I'd never seen one before, and I haven't seen once since...
http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/m13/roybrandon/FiatDino002-1.jpg
halogenrepublic 11:16AM (4/03/2008)
What's the deal with old cars and comedians? For Pete's sake, leave the classic cars in the garage.
Reply
Guenther 11:35AM (4/03/2008)
If you leave 'em in the garage, you might as well get rid of 'em. Cars are meant to be driven.
Derek 2:06PM (4/03/2008)
+1 Guenther.
A car that doesn't drive is dead. While I love seeing classics in a museum, it's like visiting a graveyard. The engineers spent too much time designing round tires to let a car sit.
Daniel 11:16AM (4/03/2008)
Ew, "Seinfeld" and "national treasure" should never even be in the same room, let alone the same sentence.
Reply
Icon149 12:07PM (4/03/2008)
I thought they were referring to the Classic Fiat...
Peter Rockwell 12:39PM (4/03/2008)
You just did.
Daniel 1:34PM (4/03/2008)
Well played, Peter Rockwell, well played
Mr. Oak 11:24AM (4/03/2008)
Err, Yeah right. I loved Seinfeld's stand up act. On the show "Seinfeld" he was quite a bore. The cast was excellent and carried him for the most part.
Yes, I might consider the show that bears his name national "Pop-Culture" treasure. He however is not.
Reply
John R 11:35AM (4/03/2008)
um, you know he and larry david did create and write that show?
Mr. Oak 11:49AM (4/03/2008)
Doesn't change the fact that he was a bore. How many offers (acting roles) has he landed since? Yeah I know, he doesn't need the money, he doesn't have to work.
Still like he stand up act though. Most stand up-commedians are horrible actors. Especially the ones that are hell bent on incorporating their stand up routine into every role that they play.