A classic reimagined, the Fiat 500C makes good looks and fun affordable. Andrew Frankel takes a spin
Fiat 500C 1.2 Pop
This model from £12,960
You can spend a huge amount of money on a convertible that’ll suck up the stares off every street corner, or you can spend a modest sum and do just as well with a Fiat 500C. If style per pound was a measurable ratio, the 500C would be the best value car on sale.
Some say the 500C isn’t a proper convertible, but a 500 with the world’s largest sunroof? That’s clever design for you. Having a roof that rolls back rather than folds up means the cute shape is unaffected, structural rigidity is maintained, barely any weight is added and prices can be kept low. There’s also less wind rush at speed and you can open or close the roof at speeds up to 37mph.
Keeping the budget under £15,000 provides either the basic 1.2-litre engine or the smaller but turbocharged and more expensive two cylinder TwinAir unit. But while the TwinAir sounds great and offers decent performance, these cars are not about going fast and, for the money, the 1.2 is unbeatable.
Performance
- Engine: 1242cc, 69bhp
- Top speed: 99mph
- 0-60mph acceleration: 12.9sec
Costs
- Claimed economy: 59.8mpg
- Insurance Group: 9 (1=low, 50=high)
