Fire up the... Abarth 500C Essesse

NEVER, so the old saying goes, judge a book by its cover. Especially not if the book in question is in fact Fiat's 500.

The 500's stylish retro shape is surely the Courtney Cox of the car world - in automotive terms it's getting on a bit, but it seems to have defied the ageing process and doesn't look a day older than it did five years ago. Cutesy it might be, but dated it definitely isn't.

Stranger still is that Fiat have somehow managed to create entirely different cars underneath those pretty curves, because while the Abarth 500C looks strikingly similar to its small car sisters, it couldn't feel more different. While the TwinAir 500 came across as a nostalgic nod to the original 1957 Fiat 500 and a generation of Italian scooters thanks to its natty engine noise, the Abarth feels as though Fiat's tried to sqeeze an entire Ferrari underneath the 500's skin!

This is immediately obvious when you start it up, because - unlike the TwinAir - the Abarth's blessed with one of motoring's great engine notes, a rally car warble at low revs which builds up to a Pavarotti-esque bellow when you put your foot down. It's a note that comes courtesy of an engine very similar to the one Life On Cars tested in the Abarth Punto last year, only in the smaller 500 you can really make the most of its 160bhp.

The particular Abarth I tried also came fitted with the company's Essesse kit, which is a must because it provides not only more in the way of straight-line punch but also upgrades in the ride and handling department, which transform the 500 from being a slightly soft city slicker to something which really inspires your confidence. You can also opt for some very Italian colour schemes to finish it all off, but it's hardly the last word in subtlety and if it were my money I'd go for the metallic grey of the particular car I tested.

Is it worth the £16,000 asking price? That depends on how much space you want with your pace, because the likes of Citroen's DS3 will offer you a similarly fun drive but with plenty more room for your luggage and rear seat passengers. If, however, you want something with an endlessly engaging personality and sense of style than the Abarth will prove a characterful companion.

It might be completely different from the last Fiat 500 you tried, but it's still a great book behind its appealing cover.

Fire up the... Fiat 500C

FUNKY, full of Fifties charm and favoured by everyone from driving schools to Ferrari fans, it isn't hard to see why Fiat's 500 has proven a hit.

The smallest car the Italian company makes has been a big seller in Britain ever since it was launched here three years ago but since then its seen a whole crop of new competitors come into its premium hatchback patch, including Audi's upcoming A1 and Citroen's delightfully driveable DS3. So unless you're absolutely smitten with its retro styling it's going to have fight harder than ever to catch your eye.

It's a fun little thing to hurtle about in, with more than enough get-up-and go from its 1.2 litre engine to keep you happy, although something about its tall stance and the driving position makes you feel as though you're sitting on the driver's seat rather than in it. Nor is it the roomiest hatchback you're likely to encounter - for that you'll need Fiat's similarly-priced Panda - but that's the price you pay for the ease you'll have parking it and those priceless looks.

If you're tempted by the very Italian vibe the little 500 gives off you might also want to try the soft-top 500C version I tested, which mimics its illustrious ancestor in having a simple canvas roof which gives you instant wind-in-the-hair fun without ruining the car's instantly recognisable profile. Starting at a little over £11,000, it's always one of the cheapest ways to get a brand new cabriolet.

What isn't so impressive is the interior, which the car's creators have clearly worked hard on to make as individual as possible. It's not that a white dashboard and creme steering wheel aren't to my own taste - you can customise the colour scheme to pretty much however you want it, so don't worry - but something about the materials they've chosen somehow feels cheap.

The 500 is like pizza, another Italian institution, in that only some of you are going to love it as it comes out of the box. But there's no reason why you can't dig out the endless options list and add a few of your own toppings.

As published in The Champion on October 13, 2010

Twice the price of what you need

FIAT'S 500 range has been boosted by two new arrivals this week - but one costs more than twice the price of the other!

Dedicated fans of the Italian icon will be delighted to know they can now pay tribute to the Ferrari F1 team with the Abarth 695 Tributo Ferrari, above, which boosts not only 180bhp, lots of luxuries and a limited production run of just 152 cars, but an eyewatering pricetag of £29,600. That's £5,000 more than the bigger and faster Golf GTi, though it's also the cheapest new car you can buy with a Ferrari badge on it.

Alternatively you can spend less than half that to get a limited edition 500, with the Fiat 500 Black, below, costing a rather more reasonable £12,165 for the 1.2 version. This sequel to the Fiat 500 Pink introduced earlier this year won't be as fast or as exclusive as the Tributo Ferrari, but you will at least stand out from the crowd.

And with the £17,435 you'll have saved by going for the cheaper car, you could always buy another.