Car Review: 2011 Fiat 500
Daytona. Indy. Fiat? In America, when the number 500 comes up in an automotive context, it usually has something to do with racing. But Fiat, which hasn't sold a single car in the U.S. market for 27 years, is making more of a fashion statement with their new 500, or “Cinquecento.” Inspired by the Cinquecento of 1957, the new model recalls the cheekiness of the original, which was also super-small and belted out charisma like a pint-sized Pavarotti.
Though the modern 500 mimics the original, it’s mechanically far afield from 1957. The original’s rear-mounted two cylinders driving the rear wheels have moved frontward and multiplied into a four-cylinder with either a five-speed manual or six-speed automatic transmission driving the front wheels. Small-car safety concerns? The 500 earned a 5-star safety rating in Europe and, just for good measure, engineers reworked the U.S. edition’s front crash structure with additional load paths and components. Air bag count totals seven.
The Cinquecento oozes charm. Retro touches, like the chrome strip across the snout and a round instrument pod and a body-colored dashboard, echo the original. Overall interior quality is very good. There’s ample legroom and decent headroom, but with an average-size front occupant, the rear is best left for children, pets, or luggage.
In pursuing fuel economy and low emissions, the 500’s engine uses MultiAir, which replaces the intake camshaft with oil-fed solenoids. While MultiAir is significant, it does not increase the fun factor. The engine doesn’t feel as powerful as 101 hp and 98 ft-lbs of torque suggest. Part of the historic charm of a small Fiat, even when modestly powered, is that you can rev the engine until the valves are ready to pop through the hood like bullets while it sings a Puccini aria. This engine mutters more dirge than surge, even with hooves full of throttle. If you strapped 101 actual horses in front of this 500, I can’t help but think it’d be faster, or at least more exciting.
Thankfully, horsepower isn't everything. Handling matters too, and the 500 handles twisty roads well, with lots of tire grip and minimal body roll. Remarkably, highway ride quality doesn’t suffer for this agility. The 500’s brakes drop anchor with superb confidence and provide plenty of pedal feedback. The shifter and clutch, however, are letdowns; the former rubbery, and the latter plagued by feather-light weighting.
Fiat will offer three different iterations of the 500, starting with the basic Pop version at $16,000 (including destination fees), which is a $4,000 price advantage over the equivalent Mini Cooper. The $18,000 Sport model (pictured) is for the slot-car set, and the $20,000 Lounge edition is the high fashion model of the group. In the spirit of fun and fashion, Fiat will offer myriad paint jobs, trim and roughly 100 accessories.
Overall, the 500 marks a promising start for Fiat’s re-entry to the U.S. market. Los Angeles, Miami, New York, San Francisco, and Washington, D.C. -- towns with enough hipsters to support a latte society -- will claim most Cinquecento sales. Fiat's banking on the U.S. and North America being open to the idea of a wee tot for wheels, and a stylish one at that.
