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03/07/2008 12:28 PM - (SA) Fiat's new bambino! 04/07/08
FIVE decades ago project 110 changed the mode of transport for a large number of people, many were able to purchase a new car for the first time, the project succeeded in bringing a car to the people and become a legend, the Fiat 500! People were an important aspect in the design concept of the proposed new 500, Fiat's website attracted no less than six million visitors and resulted in 250 000 different designs. Fiat engineers and stylists took over at this point to develop a car that met the criteria of those designs. Fifty-one years later the icon is back on the world's roads but as a far more refined vehicle, the new Fiat 500 enters the battle in the ever growing retro car market. The new Fiat 500 has been available in Europe for the past twelve months and has challenged other manufacturer's offerings in the nostalgia genre, such as the Volkswagen Beetle and its main rival the Mini. In fact, the Fiat bambino already has a six month waiting list and has taken the European Car of the Year Award for 2007. Scheduled for release on July 5 in South Africa, I had the opportunity to drive the Cinquecento last week on the launch in Stellenbosch. Recapturing the past is never easy when it relates to styling, Volkswagen's Beetle just didn't capture the magic of the original, BMW certainly did with the Mini - that image of the swinging sixties and the new Fiat 500 very definitely has the essence of the fifties original! Body styling, although modern in design, echoes the lineage as does the interior. Even the seat height feels like the original! Retaining a simple dashboard layout with instrumentation mounted directly behind the steering wheel which displays speed, revs, fuel and temperature in a concentric circle configuration and digital information in the centre. A good quality sound system and air conditioning controls are centrally mounted along with the Sport Mode button. The South African market will get three models, the entry level Pop, and the higher specification Sport and Lounge at the top of the range. But add the list of possible options that allow you to personalize your car, such as wheels, colour, interior trim, decals and you have a possible 500 000 combinations. The entry level Pop is powered by a 1242cc 8 valve 51 kW engine with 102 Nm of torque at 3000 rpm, whereas the Sport and Lounge use a 1368cc 16 valve unit that produces 73.5 kW and 131 Nm of torque at 4250 rpm. Five speed transmission for the Pop and six for the rest of the range, all models have ABS and EBD but only the Sport and Lounge have ESP (Electronic Stability Program), ASR (Anti Slip Regulation) and HBA (Hydraulic Brake Assist - Hill Start). Safety is a major consideration in the new 500 and is well catered for with seven airbags and a five star NCAP rating. The only model available at the launch was the 1.4 litre Sport, strangely the smaller 1.2 litre was not available as one would assume that it would give a better account of itself at the coast than at altitude. On the road the immediate impression was of a very firm suspension which to give the chassis characteristics is inevitable. The engine and wind noise levels was surprisingly intrusive, particularly the engine at low speeds. But the 1.4 certainly gave a good account with good performance in both town and on the open road. The six speed gearbox was light, smooth and very positive and ratios well spaced. Utilising the Sport button did not seem to provide much of a change in either throttle response or steering as claimed, if there was a difference it was imperceptible, either on or off the assisted steering was a little vague. Seating was comfortable but I believe that the rear seats would offer little in the way of leg room with the front seat pushed back. The cabin is small as you would expect in a car that is only 3.55 metres long and if you suffer from claustrophobia I would suggest the option of at least the panoramic glass roof to give a more open feel. To sum up the new Fiat 500 is without a doubt a chip of the old block, well engineered and reflecting the heritage, but as far as bringing a car to the people is concerned, as with most retro offerings, the pricing is a concern. With the Pop starting at R149 000 and the Sport and Lounge at R179 000 it is going to be the diehard enthusiast or someone with a desire to be different that will shell out that sort of money. But with only 500 available this year my bet is they will all be gone within a short period of time. Pricing includes a 3yr/100 000 km warranty and a 5 year/90 000 km service plan.
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