Autoblog

We knew the new 500 was maneuverable, but Fiat's local marketing schemes have enabled the car to go up in the air and down under ground, too. Following the British unveiling of the car on the London Eye, the German debut of the 500 takes it around Berlin's subway on flatbed railway cars.

The subway cars also carry the slogan "Happy New Car of the Year Everybody", highlighting the proverbial feather in the 500's cap of awards, the 2008 European Car of the Year citation. The 500 was only the second A-segment (read: really small) car to win the award, following the 2004 citation for the Fiat Panda, on whose platform the 500 is based. Since the award was inaugurated in 1964, Fiats have won the award nine times, with another three going to vehicles from sister companies Lancia and Alfa Romeo.

We're not sure if we'd be entertained or annoyed to see a promotional subway train carrying the 500s roll past while waiting for our train, but if you're in Berlin between now and the end of the month, head down into a U-Bahn station and see for yourself.

[Source: Italiaspeed]

We've covered all manner of Ferrari products that have little to nothing to do with the firm's actual road cars or even its championship-winning formula racing program. These include laptop computers, PDAs, stereo systems, cell phones... you name it. Those are just the electronics, and just a few of them at that. But this... this is just too much. Ferrari, in its unquenchable thirst for more licensing opportunities, has teamed up with Segway to offer this special-edition scarlet scooter.

Okay, we'll concede that Ferrari employees actually use Segways to get around the ever-growing factory in Maranello, and heaven forbid they should use anything that isn't emblazoned with the Prancing Horse emblem. So while they were at it, the two companies at polar opposite ends of the wheeled transportation spectrum evidently decided to offer these Italian hybrids to the public.

And so the Segway PT i2 Ferrari Limited Edition was born, complete with Rosso paintwork and leather handlebars. Otherwise it's completely stock, so don't expect to be out-running anything with, you know... an actual engine, or other Segways for that matter. Like the standard Segway, it's designed to fit into the trunk of a car (maybe of a Scaglietti) and turns as instinctively as Kimi Raikkonen on the apex at this past weekend's Brazilian Grand Prix.

Don't think this makes the geek's alternative to walking actually cool or anything, and it's no faster in any way than an ordinary Segway. But if you're filthy rich and you've wisely invested your wealth in a massive collection of Ferraris old and new, it may (and we'll stress may) make for a nice way to get around the garage. (We'll walk, thanks.)

Thanks to James for the tip.

[Source: Sybarites]