Inside Line reports that the North American variant of the Fiat 500 will be getting a different platform than the European one.

The North American 500 will ride on Fiat’s new-generation baby car A platform, but will look the same externally. This change will improve crash protection and reduce noise, vibration and harshness. It will also decrease the weight of the car. Europe will not receive the change, as the costs of implementing them will not be justified. However, with a new factory and new machinery being used for North America, the change makes sense.

Fiat is also considering changing the name of the 500 to the Italian version of the number, Cinquecento, for the North American market. They believe the Italian version will have some value in this market.

The North American 500 begins production in Mexico this December, and will go on sale a few months after that, so we’ll know the decision on the name by then.

Source: Inside Line