 To build a good small car these days is
not an easy task. The requirements for safety and refinement always
contradict with small size and low price. Even more difficult is to
build a good small car that looks desirable. BMW's Mini is
unquestionably very successful in this area. However, it is no longer a
small car and its price is far from bargain. The same goes for the "new
people's car" – Volkswagen New Beetle. Both Mini and Beetle are modern
remake of classic icons. Unfortunately, both lost the spirit of the
original cars and became niches selling at premium prices. If you want
to buy a really affordable small car that offers modern performance,
comfort, safety and refinement yet feeling absolutely desirable, you
must look no further than Italy.  Fiat has a rich history of building the world's best small
cars – just a check with my classic car archives and you'll find famous
nameplates like 500 Topolino, 500 Nuova, 600 and Uno. The new 500 (or
"Cinquecento" in Italian) is the modern interpretation of the 500 Nuova
of 1957. From outside it has a strong visual link with the original
design, especially the egg-shape body shell, round headlights and flat
nose. Most important, it looks as cult as the old car and I'm sure
everybody will love it from first sight. Like BMW's Mini, which was
designed by the same man – Frank Stephenson, the new 500 uses a lot of
chromed decorations to deliver a premium feel. Its cabin is also full
of tasteful design and fine quality materials to lift it above ordinary
small cars. Apart from Mini, I'm afraid no other small cars could be so
visually attractive.However, what lift it above Mini is packaging. The 500 is very compact – some 153mm shorter and 56mm narrower than the Mini. It weighs considerably less, too – the 1.2-liter car and 1.4-liter car tip the scale at 865 kg and 930 kg respectively, some 195 kg and 130 kg lighter than the basic Mini One ! Its drag coefficient of 0.325 is also a little better than the Mini. These factors translate to better fuel economy, greener emission and lower running costs. It also means you can opt for a smaller engine to obtain the same performance.  You might think the compact size and lightweight must have
some drawbacks in cabin space and safety. Not really. The cabin of 500
is actually roomier than the Mini, especially for rear seats. It can
accommodate two 6-footers behind another two 6-footers. Boot volume is
also bigger, i.e. 185 liters versus 160 liters. This is a cleverly
packaged little car like the original Dante Giacosa design. As for
safety, Fiat used computer simulation to find a solution to achieve
5-star or even 6-star crash rating from a very short front overhang. It
also equips the 500 with the most extensive safety equipment in the
sub-mini class, such as 7 airbags, ESP stability control, ABS, EBD
electronic brake force distribution and ASR anti-slip control. To lower development and production costs, the new 500 is derived from the platform of Panda and built alongside it at the Tychy plant in Poland. It shares the same wheelbase but employs wider tracks and a lower roof to improve handling. The front overhang is shortened while the rear overhang is lengthened a little to resemble the rear-engined old car. Suspensions are basically the same as Panda, albeit with revised tuning. Steering is again electrically assisted and provides a City mode with lighter weighting for the ease of parking. 1.4-liter Sport model provides an additional Sport button to increase steering effort and sharpen throttle response.  Engines are similar to the Panda, too. Base engine is the
well proven 1.2 liter FIRE 8-valve with 69 horsepower. On paper, it
seems outdated and short of power. On the road, however, it feels
refined and potent, thanks to strong bottom and mid-range torque. It is
an excellent budget engine. In the middle of the range is the famous
75hp 1.3 Multijet 16V turbo diesel engine. At this price you can hardly
find a diesel engine as gusty and refined yet delivering 67.3 mpg and
emitting only 111 g/km of carbon-dioxide. On the top of the range is a
1.4-liter FIRE 16V engine, coming from Panda 100HP. 100 horsepower, a
sporty exhaust note and a close-ratio 6-speed gearbox give it a quite
exciting character and 0-60 mph in under 10 seconds. Nevertheless, it
has no intention to be a hot hatch, because Fiat reserves that place
for the forthcoming Abarth 500, which employs a 135hp / 150hp 1.4T-JET
turbo 16V engine. We can't wait for the Abarth model... On the road, the little 500 feels lively and nimble. Its
good engines, slick gearchange and light clutch contribute to an
enjoyable driving. The small size, tight turning circle and excellent
visibility make it so easy to drive in the city. Like Panda on which it
is based, it rides very well, too. Push it harder in corners, its
handling doesn't distort. It provides bags of grip and the chassis is
remarkably neutral yet predictable at the limit. Ultimately, it can't
match Mini in the eyes of keen drivers because it has more body roll
and the steering is neither as quick nor as weighty. However, both
cars' electrical power steering are not renowned for road feel. That said, the new 500 scores very high marks in driving, comfort, practicality and, most important, desirability. Moreover, it is also highly affordable, if not as cheap as Panda. This is the best sub-mini for years. It proves that Fiat is still the leader of small cars, even 50 years after the original 500. |
| The above report was last updated on 10 Jul 2007. All Rights Reserved. |
