Reclaiming A Classic: Does The 500 Have What It Takes?

Follow-ups, re-launches, call them what you will but usually the re-introduction of a new version of an old favourite in motoring terms tends to point to one of two things - that the manufacturer is out of ideas and desperate to rekindle some of the original's magic in terms of sales and appeal and, unfortunately, the relative failure of the new addition.

It's a cynical approach, sure, but there is history to look back on and say "see!" Take the attempts to reintroduce two sixties favourites: the Mini and the Beetle. Neither really had anything to do with the original aside from the name and a scant, passing resemblance. The new Mini, for example, is hardly mini and the Beetle is hardly the low-budget funky little thing it once was.

So, the, what of the latest of re-launches, the rebirth of Fiat's 500? It ran from 1957-75 placing the majority of its tenure on the tarmac in the sixties. It certainly has all the style and attitude of a sixties classic. It was compact - some could happily say "dinky" - had the daintiest of engines and pretty much ran on air.

Nothing Fiat threw into the motoring world since has had the same appeal, inspired as much adoration or proved as popular as the 500 so if any car from their stable was to be re-launched, rather the 500 than the Panda, right?

While obviously not identical to its name sake, the new 500 does share more than a passing similarity and retains all the quirkiness that made its historical counterpart the hit it became. It's also priced comparatively low and, something that's bound to prove popular with the equivalent generation to those that bought the original 500, kicks out precious little emissions and gives back plenty of miles for petrol intakes.

There's plenty to like in the new 500. It really doesn't look like anything else out there and, in an age where most modern cars resemble electric razors and are only separated by badge, this is a big plus. For a small car, the 500 is a sturdy little motor and there's no chance of feeling endangered by overtaking lorries, stiff breezes or sneezing mice as if often the case with other small cars.

Fiat have also taken a few steps to widen the appeal of their 'new' little car. They've covered the petrol head fan base by handing the keys to Abarth and saying - one can assume - "go nuts." Then, to go for the a different appeal altogether, got together with a toll manufacturer and tin of pink paint to create a special edition of the 500 in line with the anniversary of Barbie, giving the car a new colour scheme inside and some crystal-hubcaps. Because, presumably, they can.

At this year's Geneva motor show, as the car-buying public clamoured for more fuel efficient cars that didn't hold back on looks, Fiat grabbed headlines with their perfectly-timed launch of the new 500 Convertible. Already possessing the car that the motoring public wanted all they had to do was take the roof off for this funky little runner to get more interest.

As Fiat take out all the stops to make sure their 'new' classic hits as broad an appeal as the original at what is, in economy terms, the perfect time, all the signs are in place for this one to achieve the same, if not greater, success and out-do the original 500.

Seed Newsvine

Bookmark this article in your preferred program

Comments

Add Comment

Popular Articles in this cathegory

This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 License.