Way back in the mists of time when I was an impoverished student I used to share a lift into college in Birmingham each day day with a mate from Walsall, Alex Lester, who was the proud owner of a battered old Fiat 500.
It was tiny but did us well in rain and snow - although it was a bit hairy going down Birmingham Expressway in one particularly bad storm - and also got us to and from parties.
Then I managed to buy myself a dark green mini van (a bargain at £100 and I sold it 12 months later for £90!) and was quite sad when I parted company with Flossie - as the 500 was called.
Ah, happy days and very happy memories.
So it was with some nostalgia that I got into the incarnation of the iconic 500, brought back after 50 years.
It follows other trends to bring back iconic oldies - think of the MINI and the Beetle. But for me the 500 is the most successful - and it has won a clutch of top awards
First of all it is larger than the old, as with so many cars they inevitably get bigger, and the inside even on the entry level model is sheer luxury and quality.
The finish is superb and I just love the fabric used to cover the seats and the slightly retro-looking dashboard.
It has a much bigger boot than the old, which I recall as practically non-existent, and a good capacity for the size of car. Exterior looks are quirky and certainly attract attention.
And then there’s the price. First of all, it’s cheap without being tacky. The base, 1.2 litre model is £7,900 - almost £4,000 cheaper than the entry level Mini.
After all this waxing lyrical there are criticisms to be made. Biggest for me was the ride quality which thanks to the short wheelbase is very bouncy and on the country roads to and from work was at times not pleasant at all. But then this is not a car made for rural life.
It is a car for town and city life with short trips the order of the day and the ability park in the tiniest of spaces - I actually drove past a number when out shopping completely forgetting how easy it is to drive thanks to its size and manoeuvrabilty.
It is available with a choice of three frugal, ultra-low emissions, Euro 5-ready engines: 69 bhp 1.2-litre and 100 bhp 1.4-litre petrol, or 75 bhp 1.3-litre MultiJet turbodiesel. The new Fiat 500 can be ordered in three different trim levels - Pop, Sport and Lounge.
Standard equipment in the entry-level Pop includes ABS anti-lock brakes with EBD, driver, passenger, side and driver’s knee airbags, radio/CD/MP3 player, power steering, electric mirrors, colour coded bumpers and chrome-plated door handles.
The options list includes ESP, glass sunroof, metallic paint and parking sensors.
Sport and Lounge versions start at £9,300, while specifying a larger engine in any trim level adds £1,400. Standard equipment on both Sport and Lounge versions includes the Blue & MeTM hands-free media system, air conditioning and 15” alloy wheels.
Sport specification includes a rear roof spoiler, fog lights, sports interior and dark tinted rear windows, while Lounge trim includes a split, folding rear seat and fixed glass roof.
The simple pricing structure means that any combination of car is possible - customers simply start with a 1.2 Pop and add £1,400 for a more powerful engine, £1,400 for a higher trim level, or £2,800 for any combination of both.
A huge list of style options - created specifically to offer customers wide-ranging opportunities for personalising the interior and exterior of their vehicles - is also available.
This is a practical city car that is stylish, well priced and with that certain Italian flair.
By Sharon Walters
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