The Fiat 500L Is So Unloved Even One Used By Da Freakin’ Pope Isn’t Worth Much

Popes Fiat 500l Ts2
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An unfortunate truth for Italian cars in America is that unless equipped with prancing horse emblems, they’ll probably depreciate catastrophically. For instance, the Fiat 500L people mover isn’t known for its tremendous resale value. However, there are a few outside-the-box ways of potentially fixing that. Like, what if the Pope rode in it?

Yep, His Holiness Pope Francis rode in this car on American soil back in 2015, and it was kept by the Archdiocese of New York until 2016 when it was auctioned off for charity. Last weekend, it was auctioned off again as part of the “Dare to Dream” collection, amid all manner of stereotypical exotica.

In case you banished the 500L to the same memory hole normally reserved for incidents like walking in on your parents, allow me to give you a refresher. Think of this thing a bit like a Fiat 500 run through Rick Moranis’ growth ray. It’s actually based on the larger Compact Wide platform shared with the current Dodge Hornet, a DNA link that’s both weird and yet entirely on-brand. If there’s one automaker capable of re-using the same platform across multiple model cycles, it’s Stellantis.

Fiat 500L pope

Sold in America from model years 2014 through 2020, the 500L was widely mocked, albeit perhaps not entirely deservedly. Alright, so the available dry-clutch DCT wasn’t brilliant, but did Car And Driver have to call the 500L a “five-door mop bucket”? It’s at least a jelly mold, or the faceplate for one of those fancy-ass motion-sensing air fresheners.

Fiat 500L Pope

For what it’s worth, you could sidestep the DCT by choosing to row your own gears (this one, sadly, isn’t equipped with a manual) or by waiting a few months after launch for the Aisin six-speed torque converter automatic to show up, and then the 500L is a practical, capacious monobox with a cute squircle-themed interior. The squircle’s the spork of shapes, and just as endearing. Sure, the 160-horsepower 1.4-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine felt strained once you loaded the 500L up with family members and their things, but for urban transport, it hit the nail on the head.

Screenshot 2024 06 03 At 9.40.56 am

Anyway, refresher over, let’s talk a little bit more about this particular 500L. Not only was it auctioned off by R.M. Sotheby’s, it was even shown off with a replica Pope installed in the rear seat. Think of the things you could do with a replica Pope! No, not like that. Or maybe. I don’t know, you do you. At the same time, with fewer than 800 miles on the clock, it’s basically new. Combined with the papal provenance, that was enough to fetch $28,000. That’s only a few thousand shy of beating inflation!

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The craziest part of all this? A nearly new Fiat 500L with papal provenance is only about $7,000 more expensive than a nice 2020 500L Trekking. Specifically, this 500L Trekking, listed on Autotrader for $20,895 with 56,475 miles on the clock. How much of that value add is the replica Pope? How much is mileage? Who knows. Either way, that’s still substantially cheaper than a new Fiat 500e, and that one hasn’t been on “Pope or No Pope” yet. I think.

Fiat 500L Pope

While celebrity provenance can add value to collector cars, this sort of provenance on this sort of car clearly yields limited results. It is what it is, but who knows? Maybe this 500L will be mega-collectable someday.

(Photo credits: RM Sotheby’s)

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27 thoughts on “The Fiat 500L Is So Unloved Even One Used By Da Freakin’ Pope Isn’t Worth Much”

  2. I see a lot fo these in Europe because of their combo or practicaly and economy.

    My wife and I rented a manual turbodiesel in Italy and we loved it! It was cavernous inside, extremely comfortable, stable on the autostrada and felt very sturdy. Also, the 1.3 TD delivered low 50s MPG on the freeway. The base models look like they’re on roller skate wheels, but always liked the Trekking models, especially in cool colors. Kinda reminds me of an old VW bus.

  3. I see a lot fo these in Europe because of their combo or practicaly and economy.

    My wife and I rented a manual turbodiesel in Italy and we loved it! It was cavernous inside, extremely comfortable, stable on the autostrada and felt very sturdy. Also, the 1.3 TD delivered low 50s MPG on the freeway. The base models look like they’re on roller skate wheels, but always liked the Trekking models, especially in cool colors. Kinda reminds me of an old VW bus.

  10. I always liked the 500L, but probably because it’s bizarre, and sort of awful. But those traits go a long way in my book.

    Give me an interesting color and some sort of warranty coverage and I won’t complain.

  11. I always liked the 500L, but probably because it’s bizarre, and sort of awful. But those traits go a long way in my book.

    Give me an interesting color and some sort of warranty coverage and I won’t complain.

  14. I still like these cars. Really practical. I drove one with a stick and it was totally fine. I also appreciate that it’s unabashedly nerdy. I would have rather had a real Panda, but we don’t get quirky European cars anymore, so I appreciate the 500L’s presence here.

  15. I still like these cars. Really practical. I drove one with a stick and it was totally fine. I also appreciate that it’s unabashedly nerdy. I would have rather had a real Panda, but we don’t get quirky European cars anymore, so I appreciate the 500L’s presence here.

  16. Technically, it’s a Serbian car with a historically Italian brand name on it, but those aren’t really known for retaining value, either

  17. Technically, it’s a Serbian car with a historically Italian brand name on it, but those aren’t really known for retaining value, either

  20. Holy driver

    The pope is the guy in the Holy See
    Oh what’s becomin’ of me
    Drive the Fiat
    Got a good Carfax and the inside’s clean
    Oh don’t you see what I mean?

    (apologies to RJD)

    How much of that value add is the replica Pope?

    Woohoo, HOV lane!

  21. Holy driver

    The pope is the guy in the Holy See
    Oh what’s becomin’ of me
    Drive the Fiat
    Got a good Carfax and the inside’s clean
    Oh don’t you see what I mean?

    (apologies to RJD)

    How much of that value add is the replica Pope?

    Woohoo, HOV lane!

  22. I realize a few weirdos might be drawn to the nameplate from nostalgia, but generally the idea of taking a car known for being small and cheap, then blowing it up to a larger size while keeping the styling and name seems insane to me.

    The same issue plagues the larger Minis.

    Imagine if you can the reaction of a normal person (not the small car lovers who dominate discourse here) to the idea of Chevy calling its small SUV Cavalier L or Spark Max, or of Nissan replacing the Kicks with the Versa XL. It’s non-sensical and goes against every rule of branding.

    No one in the US has fond memories of Fiat in any case, and especially not of a 500. Utterly baffling that a mistake like this was made. Whatever its actual merits, the 500L had no chance.

    1. Yeah, Fiat in North America got backed into the same corner as MINI with the same retro 1950s sausage/different lengths product planning strategy, they just reached the limitations of it much faster

      Naming everything 500something and trying to give it the same Nuova 500 styling was a huge mistake. As was, maybe, trying to sell Fiat in the US at all. The retro 500 should have just been the “Dodge Fiat 500” or “Fiat 500 Imported by Dodge” and sold through the existing sales channel with no separate divisional management structure

    2. I actually know someone who stated their dream car to be “a Pontiac Wave, but an SUV.”

      So they are shooting at the rare buyer indeed who likes small cars, but NOT for their fuel economy or driving dynamics. Misreading the Jasons of the world, perhaps.

  23. I realize a few weirdos might be drawn to the nameplate from nostalgia, but generally the idea of taking a car known for being small and cheap, then blowing it up to a larger size while keeping the styling and name seems insane to me.

    The same issue plagues the larger Minis.

    Imagine if you can the reaction of a normal person (not the small car lovers who dominate discourse here) to the idea of Chevy calling its small SUV Cavalier L or Spark Max, or of Nissan replacing the Kicks with the Versa XL. It’s non-sensical and goes against every rule of branding.

    No one in the US has fond memories of Fiat in any case, and especially not of a 500. Utterly baffling that a mistake like this was made. Whatever its actual merits, the 500L had no chance.

    1. Yeah, Fiat in North America got backed into the same corner as MINI with the same retro 1950s sausage/different lengths product planning strategy, they just reached the limitations of it much faster

      Naming everything 500something and trying to give it the same Nuova 500 styling was a huge mistake. As was, maybe, trying to sell Fiat in the US at all. The retro 500 should have just been the “Dodge Fiat 500” or “Fiat 500 Imported by Dodge” and sold through the existing sales channel with no separate divisional management structure

    2. I actually know someone who stated their dream car to be “a Pontiac Wave, but an SUV.”

      So they are shooting at the rare buyer indeed who likes small cars, but NOT for their fuel economy or driving dynamics. Misreading the Jasons of the world, perhaps.

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