The Fiat 500 was produced by the Fiat company of Italy between 1957 and 1975. Launched as the Nuova 500, it was marked as a cheap and practical town car. Measuring less than 3 metres long, and originally powered by a tiny 479 cc two-cylinder, air-cooled engine, the 500 redefined the term ‘small car’ and is considered one of the first city cars.
To meet the demands of the post-war market which called for cars of very low cost, the Fiat 500 was rear-engined on the pattern of the Volkswagen Beetle. Several car makers followed this now nearly vanished pattern and were quite successful.
Despite its size, the 500 proved to be an enormously practical and popular vehicle throughout Europe. It was also available as the ‘Giardiniera’ or station wagon; this variant featured the standard engine laid on its side, the wheelbase lengthened by 10 cm which yielded a usable rear seat, a full-length sunroof, and also came with larger brakes from the Fiat 600.
Production of this 500 ended in 1975. The current model was launched in 2007. The design of the new 2007 Fiat 500 is based on a concept introduced at the 74th Geneva Motorshow in 2004. This car featured a distinctive retro-look, with Fiat hoping to emulate the success that the retro-styled Volkswagen New Beetle and BMW MINI have achieved in recent years, with the 500 being substantially cheaper than those cars. The simultaneous launch in 30 Italian cities coincided with the 50th anniversary of the original 500.
A couple of years ago my father finished renovating a Fiat 500 F, having purchased if from a lady who had had it since it was new and had driven just over 32,000 miles since 1967. He asked whether I would be interested in purchasing it from him. I said yes. The next challenge was getting it from Adelaide to Sydney. Eventually dad ended up driving from Adelaide to Canberra (another story in itself), where I met him, driving the rest of the way to Sydney – the whole trip without having to call roadside assist.
The Fiat 500 F was launched in March 1965. It was interesting to find out what made a model better than the previous one, from the 60s. Out went the suicide doors (due to safety). The silver trim on the bonnet and doors disappeared. The rear lights where more angled, larger front indicator lenses, a more powerful 499cc engine giving out a whopping 13 kW, enhanced drive-shafts, a better designed fuel tank and larger windscreens for improved visibility. The speedo and seats were modified, a central console was added plus a more practical glove compartment included. The car still retained rubber mats. In Australia in 1967 the 500 F sold for $1268.
The current Fiat 500 shares the same platform with the Ford Ka (not currently available in Australia). It is a far cry from the old model in many ways and gone are the rubber mats. It has done well to follow the designing cues of the previous model from 50 years ago. Comparing the two models, shows how far motor cars have come in 50 years. The original car having been produced to introduce motoring to Italian families, back when cars were a luxury and very few motorways where even built.
50 years on the new 500 has seven airbags in all models. There are also electric aids available such as ABS brakes, ESP (electronic stability program), ASR (anti-slip regulation), HBA (hydraulic brake assistance) and hill hold. The 500 was awarded with five stars by EuroNCAP, succeeding the BMW MINI as the shortest car to have a five-star rating. Fiat claims that the 500 was engineered so that it would have been able to achieve a six-star rating had EuroNCAP adopted this classification.
The hard top version is available in 2 petrol engines – a 1.2 litre and a 1.4 litre and a 1.2 litre diesel which out puts 55kW. A soft top version is now available, but only in the 1.4-litre engine. The clever roof features a clear glass rear window and folds away at the press of a button.
In keeping with the original 1957 fabric roof Fiat 500 design, the sides of the car remain intact so it is not a convertible. Fiat says this design is perfect for Australian summers as it provides open top driving while keeping the inside cool via the standard climate control air-conditioning.
But thanks to contemporary technology, the new 500C soft top is practical. With the roof open, clever parallelogram hinges enable access to the boot, while aerodynamic developments including a wind-stop fitted behind the rear seats, keeps turbulence to a minimum even when driving at speed.
Gone are the days of Fix It Again Tony, being the cry for Fiat owners. Fiat has got back to its stylish Italian roots – this time it comes with reliability and great build quality.
Andrew Koch
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