Fiat 500 C 1.2 : SAVING ON THE OPEN C

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Is the cheapest Fiat 500 C also the best? Steve Walker reports.

Looks are vital to the car buying decisions that people arrive at and with a car like the Fiat 500 C, they're even more so. Fiat's endearing convertible city car is all about style and desirability, so shouldn't it follow that the model to go for is the one that delivers those qualities at the lowest possible price? The Italian manufacturer would prefer that everyone specified their 500 C models to the nines and opted for the tastiest engine option but could the unassuming 1.2-litre petrol unit with a basic spec be a smarter move?

How much cute can you cram into one car? Well, even the Tichy manufacturing plant in Poland where Fiat builds this convertible version of its 500 city car has a cute name. It's tempting to imagine the facility as a Willy Wonka style operation where the cars float on rivers of golden syrup down assembly lines run by a green-skinned chorus line of the vertically challenged. A factory of fun where the foreman is a talking spoon and there's a gingerbread man in middle management. This probably isn't the case, although Fiat has reported an upsurge in requests for factory visits since launching its lovable 500C. Sitting at the bottom of the 500 C engine line-up, the 1.2-litre unit is nothing to get overly excited about. It's a 1,242cc 8-valve 4-cylinder engine that produces a maximum of 69bhp at 5,500rpm and only 102Nm of torque. At least the 500 C is both lightweight and used primarily for short journeys in urban areas. This means that the engine isn't asked to work too hard and should be exposed to the open road, where its lack of punch might be more evident, only infrequently. The 0-60mph sprint time is nothing to be ashamed of at 12.9s and is less than half a second down on the range-topping diesel engine. With a top speed of 99mph, occasional motorway jaunts are far from out of the question. A choice of transmissions is available, with the 500 C getting a five-speed manual gearbox as standard while presenting customers with the option of upgrading to the Dualogic robotised semi-automatic gearbox.

"The 1.2-litre Pop model is probably the pick of the range"

It's hard not to appreciate the lovable looks of the standard 500 city car. Borrowing its retro design themes straight from the 1950s original, it's undeniably a model with the rare capacity to bring a smile to your face. The convertible 500 C version cranks the cute factor up a couple of notches and it also has its roots in Fiat's past as we're told it pays homage to the original 500 cabriolet of 1957. It's better to think of the roof arrangement as a huge canvas sunroof rather than a full folding canopy. At the touch of a button, the entire centre section of the roof retracts into a concertinaed bundle just above the boot. It's not the most elegant piece of engineering but the sight of car with its roof retracted adds to the retro appeal and with the roof-up, it's tough to tell a convertible 500 from a hard-top one. The roof itself features a glass rear window and is available in a choice of colours, so buyers can personalise their car. The simple roof arrangement also means that there's a decent amount of room in the rear seats of the 500 C. There are some convertible cars twice the size of the little Fiat that are stingier with the legroom they lay on for passengers in the back. Delicious design details drip from the 500's interior. It's like a tiny pearl, especially when the ivory finish is specified. There's a very well-judged blend of retro chic and ruthlessly modern contemporary design inside, with circular head restraints and neat 500 C badging on the Panda-sourced dashboard. Chrome-ringed vents and a fascia that can be specified in the same colour as the body are other highlights. The premium required to step up from this 1.2-litre model to the 1.4 is £1,200 - a lot of money on an £11,000 car. There are two trim levels available and even the basic Pop models comes with electrically-operated roof, air-conditioning, remote central locking, a CD stereo with MP3 compatibility, electric door mirrors and seven airbags. The alternative trim level is the Lounge and these models add ESP stability control, front fog lights, Bluetooth connectivity, climate control and rear parking sensors to make manoeuvring in tight spaces even easier. The Lounge comes at a premium of £1,400, however, and so looks considerably less affordable than the entry-level cars. There aren't a whole lot of convertible cars based on city car platforms on the market at the moment and particularly in 1.2-litre guise, the 500 C is one of the most affordable ways to get a taste of open-top motoring. The alternatives tend to be based on larger superminis and packing complicated folding hard-top roofs which pump up the expense and increase the weight, which then impacts on economy. Predictably, the engines powering the diminutive 500 C turn in strong fuel economy and emissions figures. The diesel in particular will be a good choice for those looking to keep running costs under control but the 1.2-litre doesn't disgrace itself. The combined cycle economy is 50mpg and emissions are measured at 119g/km. Fiat has also taken further steps to boost the car's environmental credentials with its StartandStop technology and a clever system called eco:Drive. Bundled up with the BlueandMe Bluetooth telephone system on the Lounge models, eco:Drive is a computer that monitors your driving style and offers tips on how you can improve your fuel economy. We're used to the idea of paying through the nose for items deemed to be on the cutting edge of fashion but Fiat's 500 C provides a welcome break from all that. The little convertible is one of the trendiest small cars on the road at the moment and it's just as liable to turn heads whether you've plumped for the entry-level 1.2-litre car of shelled out for a range-topper. For that reason, provided you can live with a slight lack of straight line speed, the 1.2-litre Pop model is probably the pick of the range.

Facts At A Glance
CAR: Fiat 500 C 1.2
PRICES: £11,300-£12,700 - on the road
INSURANCE GROUP: 3
CO2 EMISSIONS: 119g/km
PERFORMANCE: 0-62mph 12.9s / Max Speed 99mph
FUEL CONSUMPTION: (urban) 44.1mpg / (extra urban) 65.7mpg / (combined) 55.4mpg
STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: Seven airbags, ABS
WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE?: Length/Width/Heightmm 3546/1627/1488mm