The only constant in life is change. Without change, it isn't easy to move forward. Take the Fiat 500 – it remained more or less the same tiny car from 1957. But every dog has its day and by 1975 the rear-engined Fiat had spent long enough in the limelight. It was time to hang up its tyres.
Like many superstars, the Fiat refused to stay on hiatus forever and in 2007 the city car made a comeback. The retirement years had been kind to the model – so kind, that it somehow looked younger than ever. The most significant difference was the engine that was now housed in the front to keep it in tune with the times.
The transformation worked with the reinterpretation of the original car going on to huge success. Since then, more than two million Fiat 500s have rolled off the production line.
Design-conscious urban fashionistas particularly admire the cute and cheeky retro-styled car and the ageless 500’s popularity doesn’t look like it’ll wane any time soon. Well, maybe that’s only partly true: the little Italian hatch has just been discontinued in the States. Mind you, Americans have always been suckers for big vehicles and their insatiable appetite for large lumps of metal means Fiat 500 sales have fallen off a cliff.
Everywhere else, like its famous predecessor, the 21st-century’s 500 remains a funky solution for anyone wanting a city car with character. Its light steering and petite dimensions make it a breeze to drive around built-up areas. Sure, you can go further afield in the Fiat, but take some earplugs and a cushion along for the ride; the car is noisy and bumpy at speed, no matter the output of the engine propelling it.
Talking of under the bonnet bits, a “cleaner” powerplant has joined the 500 range. Yes, I know, it seems everyone’s “going green”, but eco-friendly living is popular right now. I mean there is this issue called global warming after all. Oh, and relentless legislative kicks up manufacturers’ backsides to make their cars less polluting have helped move things on a tad.
Anyway, mild-hybrid technology can now be found in the 500. In layman’s terms, the model’s latest 999cc petrol engine has been hooked up to an electric motor and a battery. Long story short, the motor gathers energy during deceleration and braking, then deposits it in the battery. This energy goes on to be used to restart the 500’s engine after it temporarily switches off at, say, traffic lights, and to support it during acceleration. And that's pretty much it.
Compared with the Fiat 500’s outgoing 1.2-litre 69bhp unit, the mild-hybrid system boosts efficiency and can reduce CO2 emissions by 30 per cent to 88g/km. Fortunately, performance isn’t impacted much, with the 500 Hybrid Launch Edition, as tested here, capable of 0-62mph in 13.8 seconds. That sounds slow, but it feels more than perky enough, especially when thrashing through the six-speed gearbox in narrow streets. Fuel economy is claimed to be around 53mpg, although I saw 10mpg less than that on my test run.
Inside, the Fiat 500 Hybrid is the same – but it isn’t. Eh? Have I lost the plot here? No, what I mean is there’s the usual room for four (at a squeeze) and everything still looks fashionably on point. The major difference is the Launch Edition’s seats are partly made from sea waste. Don’t worry, you won’t be sitting on recycled sewage from the Mediterranean – the upholstery is derived from harvested plastic debris.
Clearly, Fiat is doing what it can to convince the world it’s serious about decreasing its impact on Mother Earth. However, the 500 Hybrid is just a bit of dreary stepping stone in its green journey because the all-electric zero-emission Fiat 500e is arriving later this year.
Fiat 500 Mild Hybrid Launch Edition
Engine: 999cc petrol and 12V electric motor, 70bhp
Performance: 0-62mph, 13.8 seconds; top speed, 104mph
Price: £16,795
Contact: fiat.co.uk
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