Fridae

A red coloured Fiat Cinquecento (Italian for 500) with white racing decals on the local expressways was the target of three cars as they gave chase. These cars were exerting pressure on my driving skills as I was heading back to the Fridae office from the Fiat showroom. These three drivers were obviously mesmerised by the hottest fashion accessory of 2008.

'Cinquecento, Cinquecento!' must be on the minds of my high speed pursuers. The Fiat 500 is a modern iteration of the classic 500 that made Italy mobile back in 1957. The visual appeal of the Italian city car is instant; even tennis powerhouse Serena Williams will look sweet in a car as cute as this.

With Frank Stephenson; the man responsible for BMW's first Mini behind the lines of the Fiat 500, one can tell how each line is perfectly honed and completely chic the entire package is. Since its launch late last year, it has been the sensation in the automobile world, winning the Euro Car of the Year was merely an icing on its cake.

It wasn't that long ago when the Fiat Empire was in dire straits as it fought very hard for its survival. In 2005 General Motors, a 20% shareholder, bought itself out of a put option with Fiat for US$2 billion (�1.55 billion). The launch of the Fiat 500 felt like a battle cry of victory to the world as the most charismatic mass car manufacturer is back from hell and pink in health.

Based on a reworked Fiat Panda platform meant that there is no expensive independent rear suspension on the 500; a tell-tale sign of a car's ride and handling abilities nowadays. But it's not such a straight forward case here. The Fiat 500 bounces on all but the smoothest surfaces; the ride is never harsh as the rebound is done with finesse. Turn the 500 into corners and tight roads, and you will find the chassis resisting any form of body roll.

The 1.2L engine installed in the Fiat 500 makes me feel like a little fire engine as its town pace is surprisingly strong and coupled with its puny dimensions. The transmission on the Fiat 500 is not unlike the Selespeed from the Alfa Romeo Spider tested earlier (April 18, 2008). Glad to report that the folks had done some tweaking in this application and the gearbox suits the character of the car to a T.

A light kerb weight at 865 kg and an ultra-efficient 1.2L engine would get you a 700 km run on 30 liters of petrol, before the 35 liter tank starts urging the driver to re-fuel. The low carbon emission rate of 119g/km are is praiseworthy too. It's no wonder why Fiat has emerged the number one car maker in Europe in the green race. (Toyota is @ 6th position despite having the Prius.) Another first for the hot Italian car maker is the first city car to achieve a full 5-star Euro NCAP rating, not surprising as the Fiat 500 is armed with seven airbags!

Clearly inspired by the original, the Fiat 500 is not far from a miracle of packaging. Despite giving away precious three inches in length and two inches in height than BMW's new Mini, the 500 packs in more interior space for occupants and luggage room. With 500,000 colour and trim alternatives, you can drive the newly launched Fiat 500 out of the showroom with a high chance that it would be an entirely unique piece.

The driving position of the Fiat 500 is not a conventional one. You do have to "SIT ON" the car rather than "IN" it. Not that you would complain as you lay your hands on the beautifully thought-out interior. References to a quality kitchenware-like interior seem accurate. The air-con switches feel like a rotor on a toaster. And the bread awaits in the open glove compartment. Even the red metallic insert across the middle of the dash ressembles the iconic streamlined KitchenAid stand mixer in Empire Red! Just be careful on the roads as you just might get carried away looking at the dinner plate sized single pod dash as the actual speedo chases the rev-counter.

Not only does it look absolutely irresistible, it has the engineering depth to back its cutsey persona. This is an honest car as it stayed true to its origins and intentions - usable space, fun and affordable. Just do not get entangled in a fistfight with your other half while deciding on the colour scheme and options list.

	Fiat 500
Engine	1242cc 4 cylinder, SOHC
Transmission	5-Speed Automated Manual
Max. Power	69 HP @ 5500rpm
Max. Torque	102 NM @ 3000rpm
Acceleration 0-100 km/h	12.9 secs
Top speed	160 km/h
Fuel consumption (combined)	6.4 (Urban) / 4.3 (Extra-Urban) / 5.1 (Combined)
CO2 emissions	119 g/km
Dimensions (L x W x H) /Weight	3,546x1,627x1,488 / 865kg
Price with COE*	$82,000

*Prices quoted are indicative of prices in Singapore. Please contact your local distributor for prices in your country.

*Autocar, a reputable UK car magazine, has claimed that they weighed the Fiat 500 with this particular engine and found that its kerb weight is 930 kg. Regardless, this car's weight is low enough to justify it's excellent fuel economy!