Fiat’s lovable 500 city car is harder to resist in 500 C cabriolet form. Steve Walker reports.
New born kittens, baby seals, a panda licking a big lollipop, little kids dressed up as teddy bears with big fluffy ears and bow ties. At this point, some readers will be feeling their stomachs turn while others will have gone all gooey and weak at the knees just from the thought of all that cuteness bundled up together. The camp that you fall into will have a lot to do with whether or not you like Fiat’s 500 C. This car is cute made metal.
How much cute can you cram into one car? Well, even the Tichy manufacturing plant in Poland where Fiat builds this convertible version of its 500 city car has a cute name. It’s tempting to imagine the facility as a Willy Wonka style operation where the cars float on rivers of golden syrup down assembly lines run by a green-skinned chorus line of the vertically challenged. A factory of fun where the foreman is a talking spoon and there’s a gingerbread man in middle management. This probably isn’t the case, although Fiat has reported an upsurge in requests for factory visits since launching the 500 C.
The driving experience will be a virtual irrelevance to lots of Fiat 500 C buyers. They’ll have already fallen in love with the car in a brochure, on a TV ad or upon seeing one in the street. Nevertheless, the car promises to be fairly adept on the road with the same basic set-up as the hard-topped 500, a chassis that’s also shared with the Fiat Panda and Ford Ka. The engine range opens with a 69bhp 1.2-litre petrol but those seeking a little more thrust will step up to the 1.4 which has 100bhp. The 1.3-litre MultiJet engine is one of the leading small diesels on the market and packs more muscle than its 75bhp might suggest.
A choice of transmissions is available, with the 500 C getting a five-speed manual gearbox as standard while presenting customers with the option of upgrading to the Dualogic robotised gearbox. Fiat’s fuel saving Start&Stop technology is also available.
"Fiat could have sold its 500 city car in large quantities on its cute retro looks alone"
It’s hard not to appreciate the lovable looks of the standard 500 city car. Borrowing its retro design themes straight from the 1950s original, it’s undeniably a model with the rare capacity to bring a smile to your face. The convertible 500 C version cranks the cute factor up a couple of notches and it also has its roots in Fiat’s past as we’re told it pays homage to the original 500 cabriolet of 1957. It’s better to think of the roof arrangement as a huge canvas sunroof rather than a full folding canopy. At the touch of a button, the entire centre section of the roof retracts into a concertinaed bundle just above the boot. It’s not the most elegant piece of engineering but the sight of car with its roof retracted adds to the retro appeal and with the roof-up, it’s tough to tell a convertible 500 from a hard-top one. The roof itself features a glass rear window and is available in a choice of colours, so buyers can personalise their car.
The simple roof arrangement also means that there’s a decent amount of room in the rear seats of the 500 C. There are some convertible cars twice the size of the little Fiat that are stingier with the legroom they lay on for passengers in the back. Delicious design details drip from the 500’s interior. It’s like a tiny pearl, especially when the ivory finish is specified. There’s a very well-judged blend of retro chic and ruthlessly modern contemporary design inside, with circular head restraints and neat 500 C badging on the Panda-sourced dashboard. Chrome-ringed vents and a fascia that can be specified in the same colour as the body are other highlights.
The roof might be simple but the specification of the 500 C looks generous on Fiat’s part. The entry-level Pop models get the electrically-operated roof, air-conditioning, remote central locking, a CD stereo with MP3 compatibility, electric door mirrors and seven airbags. That’s a lot of kit for a £12,000 convertible.
The alternative trim level is the Lounge and these models add ESP stability control, front fog lights, Bluetooth connectivity, climate control and rear parking sensors to make manoeuvring in tight spaces even easier. The Lounge comes at a premium of £1,400, however, and so looks considerably less affordable than the entry-level cars. From launch, there’s a choice of 11 exterior colours and Fiat offers buyers a huge scope of optional extras to personalise their 500 C.
Predictably, the engines powering the diminutive 500 C turn in strong fuel economy and emissions figures. The diesel in particular will be a good choice for those looking to keep running costs under control. The Multijet diesel version will average over 65mpg, with the 1.2-litre petrol unit not far behind on around 50mpg.
Fiat has also taken further steps to boost the car’s environmental credentials with its Start&Stop technology and a clever system called eco:Drive. Bundled up with the Blue&Me Bluetooth telephone system on the Lounge models, eco:Drive is a computer that monitors your driving style and offers tips on how you can improve your fuel economy.
Fiat could have sold its 500 city car in large quantities on its cute retro looks alone and the 500 C cabriolet model is cuter still. It bodes well for a car that has unashamedly set out to become as much a trendy fashion accessory as a means of getting from A to B but that’s not the best part. Even beneath the curves and the chrome, Fiat looks to have a cracking little convertible on its hands.
