05/02: Giant Drives Classic Fiat 500 – Video
Our office giant drives an original Cinquecento the only way he can: with his head sticking out of the roof.
View the video here:
WHAT IS IT?
It’s a sort-of-convertible version of Fiat’s hot-selling and ever-so-cute small car. We say “sort of” because the cloth top electrically folds back between fixed roof rails, rather than forming the roof structure. It’s just like the fold-back sunroof on the original Cinquecento or a Citroën 2CV. In Europe, the 500C is sold with three engines: a 74-hp, 1.2-liter turbo-diesel; and 1.2- and 1.4-liter four-cylinder gasoline engines making 68 and 99 hp, respectively. Manual and automated manual transmissions are available, driving through the front wheels.
HOW DOES IT DRIVE?
Pretty nicely, if you’re not aiming to go anywhere in a hurry. We drove an upscale “Lounge” model fitted with the 1.4-liter engine, which is willing but not very powerful, as evidenced by a claimed 0-to-62-mph time of 11.0 seconds. At least the five-speed manual is slick, which is important because you’ll be using it a lot. We also liked the fruity exhaust rasp. If Fiat brings the car to the U.S., we’d advise that the 1.2 be left behind, because it must be about as fleet of foot as Homer Simpson.
WHERE CAN I GET ONE?
Currently, all over Western Europe, priced at the equivalent of about $20,000 when stripped of sales tax for the 1.4 Lounge. The more basic Pop model saves roughly $2000. Of course, one can option a 500C up to the nines, with items such as a full-leather interior, stability control, and an upscale stereo.
It’s very likely to end up on sale in the U.S. in a couple of years, delighting teenage girls (and their moms) everywhere.
-By Mark Gillies
Read the full article here:
View the video here:
WHAT IS IT?
It’s a sort-of-convertible version of Fiat’s hot-selling and ever-so-cute small car. We say “sort of” because the cloth top electrically folds back between fixed roof rails, rather than forming the roof structure. It’s just like the fold-back sunroof on the original Cinquecento or a Citroën 2CV. In Europe, the 500C is sold with three engines: a 74-hp, 1.2-liter turbo-diesel; and 1.2- and 1.4-liter four-cylinder gasoline engines making 68 and 99 hp, respectively. Manual and automated manual transmissions are available, driving through the front wheels.
HOW DOES IT DRIVE?
Pretty nicely, if you’re not aiming to go anywhere in a hurry. We drove an upscale “Lounge” model fitted with the 1.4-liter engine, which is willing but not very powerful, as evidenced by a claimed 0-to-62-mph time of 11.0 seconds. At least the five-speed manual is slick, which is important because you’ll be using it a lot. We also liked the fruity exhaust rasp. If Fiat brings the car to the U.S., we’d advise that the 1.2 be left behind, because it must be about as fleet of foot as Homer Simpson.
WHERE CAN I GET ONE?
Currently, all over Western Europe, priced at the equivalent of about $20,000 when stripped of sales tax for the 1.4 Lounge. The more basic Pop model saves roughly $2000. Of course, one can option a 500C up to the nines, with items such as a full-leather interior, stability control, and an upscale stereo.
It’s very likely to end up on sale in the U.S. in a couple of years, delighting teenage girls (and their moms) everywhere.
-By Mark Gillies
Read the full article here:
