T
here are some cars the whole world
waits for. Anything with a prancing
horse on the nose, a new BMW
M3 and anything that does more that
200mph usually has the motoring world
hopping around in childish anticipation.
However, one of the most eagerly
awaited cars of this year is this modest
supermini, whose history began in 1957.
Although it was only produced for 18
years, the Fiat 500 has enjoyed a 50-year cult
following in Europe. Like the original Mini,
it was a triumph of both design and style and
came to epitomise the mobilising of
working-class Italy like no other commodity.
Fiat ceased making the 500 in 1975, but
Europe's answer to the Mini is back.
In the last 10 years, we've seen a wealth
of vehicles trading on the former glories
of their predecessors. Nobody seemed to
mind that the new Mini was built by
BMW and was anything but mini, or that
the Volkswagen Beetle was re-worked
onto a Golf chassis in such a trite manner
that it instantly became the car of choice
for those who would happily dress in a
bin liner if Ralph Lauren designed it.
Both cars had longer waiting lists than
anything the NHS could muster, and yet
the retro theme always felt like more of a
marketing gimmick, and less like it was
actually the basis for the design.
There is no denying that the 500's
exterior styling is a brilliantly clever take
on the original. Look at it � it looks like a
pumped-up version
of the 1957 car,
with the same
proportions, the
same little clamshell
bonnet and the
same sloping rear.
Of course, the
original's rear design
was dictated chiefly by the fact that's
where the engine was, but Fiat has done
commendably well to move the engine
and still keep the basic proportions and
shape the same. Chrome accents dotted on
the grille and the door handles lend it a
classy look, and nine different options for
alloy wheels means you can give your 500
proper designer shoes. Don't want alloys?
That's ok � Fiat will sell you retro-look
hubcaps for your steel wheels.
So it's a pretty car, and you can expect
to see some wacky looking ones tooling
around. You see, Fiat has managed to
create an options list for the 500 that
has...wait for it... 549,936 potential
variations, meaning you can order a
genuinely unique car if you so wish � do
spare a thought
for the time you
might come to sell
it, though.
There are three
trim levels on
offer � Pop, Sport
and Lounge, but
the options list
allows you anything from Fiat's USB
interface, to a glass roof, to one of several
leather packs. You can even have
contrasting vinyl and fabric panels �
obviously you wouldn't, but the option is
there. It's a far cry from the days of the
original 500, in which the occupants
could only amuse themselves with a game
of `guess what's going to fall off next.'
The most immediately striking part of
The 500 is a genuinely
modern interpretation
of the original in
every respect
12
Fiat 500

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