Sunshine for Fiat 500

Because small cars are increasingly becoming fashion trinkets - thanks in no small part to the Fiat 500 itself - no self-respecting one would be without a convertible version. So here's the 500C, a city car with a very big sunroof.

What's all the fuss about?

Fiat has gone against the grain and followed in the footsteps of its past by not making a conventional convertible version of the cheeky little 500. Instead, it has opted for a sliding roof that sits on top of the boot opening like a pram roof. That means it keeps its roof pillars (so it stays safe and rigid), but owners can have all the fresh air or rain they'll ever need.

What makes it so green?

It's powered by the same three engines as the standard hatchback: 1.2- and 1.4-litre petrol units and a 1.3-litre turbodiesel - and like the hatch it also gets Fiat's newly introduced Start&Stop technology, which stops the engine when it's idling at traffic lights and things. That means it's cleaner than the average supermini - especially in traffic jams.

When can I buy one?

It goes on sale in spring, so quite soon, and you can bet that if you take your fashionable self to a Fiat dealership and try to place a deposit right now you won't be turned away. There is likely to be a reasonable price hike over an equivalent hatch. Buyers can also specify one of two unique shades of red or grey.

Mark Nichol