MICHIKO SETS THE TONE

A funky special edition version of Fiat Auto's Seicento city car, called Seicento 2Tone, featuring fashion connections, metallic paint combinations and matching colour co-ordinated interiors, has just gone on sale throughout the company's UK dealer network.

Shown off here by leading international fashion designer, Michiko Koshino, outside her new flagship store in London's trendy Broadwick Street, the new Seicento 2Tone has its own microsite (www.fiat.co.uk/2Tone) with mutual links to Michiko's fashion house (Michikokoshino.com). The car itself is expected to become a familiar sight around Soho, as Michiko's fashion house will be using one to negotiate the narrow streets which abound in the area.

Visitors to Soho can also expect to find attractive postcards in clubs and bars, promoting the new association, and later this year Fiat Auto (UK) is planning to use some of Michiko's designs as part of a stylish new merchandising range.

Based on the S version, 2Tone offers attractive additional features, including a Sony RDS stereo radio/CD player, electric front windows, metallic paint, body colour co-ordinated bumpers, door mirrors and side rubbing strips, special interior trim, unique wheel trims and special 2Tone badging.

The arrival of Seicento 2Tone, which includes a driver's airbag, electronic power steering and an engine immobiliser as part of its standard equipment, provides an affordable, fun package for the younger driver.

Seicento 2Tone is available in the following colour and trim combinations:

The special edition Seicento 2Tone also benefits from Fiat Auto's consumer offer of 0% finance over 3 years with a 30% deposit.

Pricing:

From early 2002, all Seicento SX versions will be equipped as standard with a Sony stereo radio/CD player; and both the Seicento SX and Sporting will feature two extra speakers to make a total of four speakers as standard equipment. These significant audio enhancements are at no extra cost to customers, and underline the generous specification offered by Seicento.

All Fiat cars come with a comprehensive three-year warranty and roadside service package, made up of a two-year unlimited mileage manufacturer warranty, a third year dealer warranty with a mileage limit of 60,000 from the date of first registration, and three years' Fiat AA Assurance cover, consisting of Roadside assistance, Home Start, Relay, Relay Plus and European cover.

Note to editors:

London based Michiko Koshino has built up an impeccable reputation as a leading international designer by pioneering technology within fashion design.

She is internationally renowned for her innovative use of technological fabrics and unusual cutting techniques. Her experimental flair has produced the global use of inflatable clothing, which originally started as an economical travelling concept, but soon was destined to be one of the main fashions of the nineties. Other fabric innovations have been the use of reflective fabrics and bandages.

Her diffusion collections have included the legendary Motorking range, the indispensable clubwear of the early 90s now revered by collectors.

Alongside the mainline Michiko Koshino collection, other ranges include: Yen Jeans, a unique vintage jeans collection manufactured using only original Japanese denim, and 100s, authentic military-influenced limited edition clothing.

Inspired by the fusion of cultures in urban London and its distinctively varied nightlife, Michiko's following within the music and fashion industry remains strong. She has recently clothed All Saints, Placebo, Natalie Imbruglia, David Bowie and Courtney Love.

She stages many music/fashion events all over the world and is a household name in Japan, Korea and Hong Kong, as much for her lifestyle collections, which include cosmetics, underwear, sunglasses and watches, as for her contemporary cutting edge clothing collections.

In September 2000 Michiko Koshino opened her flagship store in the heart of London's Soho, situated on the corner of Broadwick Street.

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For further information please contact:

PETER NEWTON Public Relations Director

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