accessory

Crossover, News

Fiat 500X gets new Mopar accessories

Fiat's accessory brand Mopar has unveiled a range of extras for the new Fiat 500X crossover.

Over 100 accessories have been designed specifically for the 500X crossover to enhance its functionality and allow customers to adapt the look of their vehicle to their particular personalities. Unique Mopar 18-inch alloy wheels are offered in a range of colours and aesthetic treatments, including machined silver with white recesses, red wheels with black recesses and all-black wheels, priced at £816 for a set of four.

Door mirror fairings are offered in nine colour options for £61 a pair, while door moulding inserts are available in five finishes from £214 a set and there are also a range of original decals for the roof, bonnet and upper and lower body sides in a variety of colours designed to coordinate with other accessories in the same colour.

There are six "Xtra Pack" kits available which combine a selection of options in single, great-value bundles. The kits - offered in white, red, bronze and beige - feature matching bonnet/roof stripes, mirror fairings and door moulding inserts and are priced at just £305. For those who prefer the classic look, the Chrome Xtra Pack (Pop, Pop Star and Lounge only) includes chrome-effect mirror fairings, door moulding inserts, fog light trims and a chrome bonnet moulding, while the Black Xtra Pack includes black bonnet and roof decals and black mirror caps but excludes door moulding inserts as the mouldings are already black.

Functionality is enhanced by a range of roof systems, from the 360-litre Freebox (£259) to sports equipment systems (from £112). The Winter Xtra Pack, for example, combines custom-fit roof bars with an adaptor capable of securely and safely carrying four skis or two snowboards as well as a moulded cargo bay protector for snow-covered boots and clothing. The Summer Xtra Pack consists of the same roof bars combined with a bike carrier and moulded cargo area tray and is currently available for £235, a saving of £78 compared to the price of buying the roof bars (£137), boot protector (£40) and bike carrier (£136) separately.

A detachable tow bar (£360) with wiring systems (from £168) and a towbar-mounted two-bike carrier system (£613) are also available, while a variety of key covers (£43 per twin pack) and carbon-look mirror fairings (in white or black from £120) round out the options currently available for the 500X.

The Mopar 500X accessory range is available to order at Fiat dealership throughout the UK.

The Fiat 500X range starts at £14,595 OTR for the entry-level 1.4 Pop.

News

Skoda reveals doggy seat belt

Skoda has developed a range of accessories designed to keep dogs safe and secure on the move.

The range, developed using Skoda's 'Simply Clever' philosophy, combines the latest in canine-cosy materials with high-tech structures to protect even the most boisterous of hounds. Available through Skoda retailers, the Dog Safety Belt offers the simplest solution for a hound that likes to go walkies on the move. With a simple clunk-click of this specially-developed belt (which also clicks into a lead for seamless car-to-walk manoeuvres) even the most unruly of mutts will be restrained for when the roads get twisty. The doggy seat belt comes in four sizes - from S to XL - meaning that everything from a Chihuahua to a Great Dane benefit. Prices start from £50 for the small version, with medium, large and XL costing £65, £75 and £85 respectively.

As millions of owners will testify, dogs are experts in embedding hair and mud in a car interior. Which is why Skoda has developed a Backseat Protector designed to minimise the impact of malting, muddy hounds. The Skoda Backseat Protector (£30) does exactly what the name suggests. By attaching to the front and rear headrests, the protector forms a cosy hammock area. The material is water-resistant and has a non-slip surface to further increase safety on the move.

For those who like to treat their dogs to their own private grounds at the back of their estate, the Skoda dog guard is available for Fabia, Octavia and Superb estate models, with the grille 'light and easy to install' says Skoda, and allows the driver a clear view of the road behind. Prices start at £105.50.

Other accessories designed to keep owners and hounds happy include a range of tailor-fitted protective mats and inserts. The rubber boot mat is moulded exactly to the shape of the boot-floor and fits snugly, while the accessories range also includes a robust Plastic Protective Liner for the boot.