Retro drive
Italian design icon the Fiat 500 strikes back, as Adrian Ion takes the most powerful version of this little car for a journey into history.
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The reinvention of car models which
have witnessed past success is a
trend that is on the increase. And
the recipe has proved to be sucessful for
popular designs such as the Mini and the
VW Beetle, the latest addition of which is
the Fiat 500.
The original Fiat 500, designed by
Dante Giacosa, was launched more than
50 years ago and soon became an iconic
car. Almost four million were produced
until 1975, but this wasn’t enough - so the
Italians relaunched the model last year.
The incarnation is better than everyone
hoped for and even the designers have
been caught by surprise by the immense
interest and response from the public. The
use of the Internet and inventive marketing
transformed the car into a must-have
even before its launch.
We took this little beauty for a spin, in
its most powerful version, the 100 horse
power Lounge. Seated in the car, the first
thing that strikes the driver is the retro
charm that spreads though the chequered
upholstery to the multi-layered speedometer
with counter/trip computer arrangement
that looks like a tuning dial from an
antique radio.
Below the comfort control panel, the
gear selector is placed in a high position
with the gearknob which is also designed
in a late 1950s style. A dualogic, automatic
and sequential shift is available as an
option on the petrol-engine versions,
The car is comfortable, drives decently
well on the motorway but in town
is amazingly nimble due to its size. The
safety specifi cations are plenty for the
500, which is fi tted as standard with ABS,
ASR, EBD or ESP for the 1.4 Euro model.
The NCAP tests awarded the little vehicle
with a maximum 5 star rating for safety.
Bluetooth connectivity, parking sensors,
AC and adjustable glass sun-roof are all
features available either as standard or
options depending on the trim level.
The Lounge version we tested has automatic
air-conditioning, 15-inch alloys,
chrome exterior trims, body-coloured
door mirrors, leather-covered steering
wheel with Blue&Me controls that offer
hands-free communication with voice
recognition, which also works with Bluetooth
mobile phones. The controls on the
steering wheel enable scrolling through
the mobile’s phone book or it can be
fully installed on the system and updated
whenever the mobile is detected. There
is also a dedicated USB port between the
front seats to allow the playback of music
files from a flash drive.
Small but mighty
The engine fi tted in the car we tested is
the 1.4 litre and 100 hp, which is the
most powerful choice. In my opinion
this suits the car best as it can offer a
decent performance for the cheeky 500.
Still, on the downside it’s not amazingly
economical, with a consumption of
around eight litres in city traffic. Its suspension
is very soft, perfect for rough
urban roads, but it does roll a bit.
All three engines are Euro 5 compliant
even though those emission
regulations don’t come into force until
next year. All Fiat 500s are fitted
with Dualdrive electric power steering
which makes driving even more easy
and pleasant in the city. By pressing
the ‘city’ button, it makes the steering
lighter for easier turning.
The boot space is easily accessible and has a capacity of 185 litres, which
is decent for this car size and, by folding
the rear seats, boot space can be
increased to 550-litres. For those who
like to make their car stand out from
the crowd, there is a list of optional extras,
including 100 items of accessories,
stickers and colour options.
A joy to drive and encounter in the miserable
city traffic, this is another success
story in the reinvention of a classic car.
Fiat 500: vital statistics
- There are three trim levels: Pop, Lounge and Sport.
- There are three engine options:
1.2 litre - 69 hp petrol
16v – 100 hp petrol
1.3 litre - 75 hp Turbodiesel - Prices without VAT start at 9,664
Euro and go up to 11,597 Euro
depending on engine choice and trim level
