The current Fiat 500 is a small car. Except for the two-seat Smart and the 3+ seat Scion/Toyota iQ, it is the smallest car available in North America, and one of the smallest cars sold in Europe. But compared to its stylistic inspiration, it’s big.
The FIAT 500 Nuova, launched in 1957, was truly a small car. At 117 in, it was three inches shorter than a BMC Mini; its wheelbase was eight inches shorter and it was three inches narrower. It was powered by a rear mounted air cooled, 479cc twin cylinder engine, producing all of 13 bhp. Conceptually, it was all rather VW Beetle, except for its size.
The biggest factor in flagging the difference in size between these cars is the weight – at up to 2000 lb the 2014 car weighs exactly twice the 1957 car.
The yellow example shown in a 1971 FIAT 500; there was also the 500L , a nominally more “luxurious” version with a revised interior and all of 17 bhp.
So which do you want to take home? I know my choice!
I’ll take two of the originals.
One for each foot, with room for socks.
Either would be fine by me! In all seriosness, my next new car is almost certain to be one of the New 500’s. The hard part is picking from all the color and trim choices! Nero exterior with the red cloth interior and chromed mirror caps seems to catch my eye the most 🙂
Puts me mind of the relationship between the old and the new “Mini”!! 🙂
Another example of a retro-mobile that isn’t all that retro when compared side-by-side with the original. Another is the MINI, but the worst has to be the Dodge Challenger. That last one nearly brings a tear to the eye when you see how good the old one looks compared with the bloated new.
Interestingly, I can’t recall seeing a side-by-side of the new VW Beetle with an old one.
.I think the new Challenger is a nice looker and would love one but I’m one of the few Edsel and 70 Dodge Coronet/Superbee fans so I have strange taste in cars.Now the new Camaro is a nasty shock compared to the beautiful 67.
Have to disagree about the new Challenger – I love the way it looks.
It might be just the Millennial talking, but I think the current Challenger is the best example of how to apply retro styling to a new car, while still meeting all modern safety requirements. Almost strange that it came from Chrysler.
I disagree. The new Chally is easily one of the best looking cars on the road these days. Only thing that rivals it is the Audi RS-5. I like how the new Chally doesn’t have tucked under wheels and restrained front overhang, although I wish it was a true 2 door h/t and didn’t need such huge wheels.
The NEW new Beetle is definitely a much improved version. It actually looks like its meant for guys instead of 16 year old girls or 65 year old flower children.
Around here, the Challenger’s look is generally spoiled with some sort of police livery.
You’re thinking of the Charger. I’ve never seen a Challenger police car, old or new!
I seem to recall making a choice about a year ago 🙂
If you don’t mind my asking, what kind of fuel economy do you get with yours (I’ll be getting a manual myself) ?
40 highway, 35 city w fairly gentle driving
Thanks for sharing Jana, encouraging to hear it doesn’t have inflated EPA estimates.
I keep toying with the idea of a (new generation) 500 Cabriolet to bomb around town in…..but I sit quietly until the notion goes away….then there is the Beetle ragtop, not as sickenly cute as the earlier “new beetle” with it plastic bud vase, and the controls work the same as my Jetta.
Shows how regulations force design compromise. .
Paul’s Pulitzer-winning (in my mind, anyway) 2011 article on the influence of the Corvair, and the changeover from the ‘pontoon’ style to lowered, widely-set headlights circa 1960, is always with me.
https://www.curbsideclassic.com/automotive-histories/automotive-history-how-the-1960-corvair-started-a-global-design-revolution/
So looking at the front end of this 1957 Fiat I’m thinking ‘early influencer’ – and possibly on the Corvair itself. It’s not hard to imagine GM looking at how other rear-engined cars had handled the front end, and deciding that the Fiat approach made a lot of sense.
Good point; I hadn’t really ever fully appreciated the 500’s front end as a possible influence on the Corvair, but it may very likely have been, to one degree or another.
The 500’s styling was an evolution of the 600, which came out in 1955. The 600’s front end still shows the “classic” face (minus a grille), with vestigial front fenders and lights mounted at their peak.
The 500’s face (and rest of the design), was a pragmatic evolution, and by lowering the headlights, it allowed a larger front hood. It’s clearly in that transition between “classic” and modern, with more of the latter.
I’m kind of partial to the smaller yellow Fiat.
bff of my mother had a pale blue 500 in the day, brand new, she was a bigger femme, with she and myself sitting in it (virtually in each other’s laps) there was no way the little car was going to make it up Ayr Street, even in first gear, so i had to get out and walk and get back in at the top..
If you haven’t yet done so, take a 500 Abarth out for a drive… go “sport” mode and turn the electronic stability control off… you’ll be glad you did!
I’m all for the original 500 although I’d prefer an Abarth or 126 powered restomod for not quite so slow performance. Although my favorite Fiats of the era are the 600 Multipla microvan and the later 850 camper that looks like a 3/4 scale VW Westfalia.
Great contrast photo.
Whether one loves or loathes the new 500, Fiat deserves all kinds of props for actually offering buyers real choice in colour, inside and out!
+1. I don’t know how it impacts Fiat’s bottom line, but the wide array of color combinations, both interior and exterior, alone, is serious praise in this era of maybe two interior color choices (grey or beige, at most) and about a half dozen exterior colors (black, white, red, silver, dark grey, blue).
I can’t wrap my head around the concept of driving something that small, surrounded by land-yacht SUVs. I read something last summer, to the effect that 17% of Fiat’s US dealers didn’t sell a single new car during the previous month….that’s a little spooky. I like the look of the new one, especially in the light sherbet green, but it is just too small.
size is all relative they say…
I just bought a 2007 Mini and everyone comments on how small it is. Yet the other day I parked next to a 80’s model 2 door Honda Civic hatchback, same basic shape as the Mini, and the Mini looked HUGE. I don’t recall anyone commenting on how tiny the Civic was back in the day. It was just an average small car.
Another thought….I’ve never parked them side by side, but the hood on today’s Ford Taurus looks to be about the same height as the hood of a late 80’s pickup truck. Cars (and trucks) are just getting ridiculously big and tall.
“Cars (and trucks) are just getting ridiculously big and tall.”
Especially pickups, which seem to be in an arms race to see who can build the most intimidating-looking truck.
Last weekend I saw a nicely restored 63 Impala 4 dr hardtop, and noticed how demure it looked compared with everything around it. I get the same reaction to lots of early 60s cars (Continentals, T-birds, etc). They all look so petite.
I like them both but not much use to an Amazon who often puts her barnet up
There’s also a canvas top version of the new one, Gem.
The are both cool cars in their own respects.
The Mini, the 500, the New Beetle are all big parked next to their predecessors. But, there is sometimes a hurry to call new cars bloated.
Even the new cars really aren’t going to seat four six footers in comfort, and there is no hope of getting all of their golf clubs on board.
Keep in mind the old cars were post war inventions to provide rudimentary autos to a population that was impoverished by American standards. Those cars were barely more than golf carts with better enclosure from the weather. If you don’t believe me, check out these numbers from the Textron EZGO Shuttle 2+2……….
Overall Length 106 in in (269 cm)
Overall Width 47.0 in (119 cm)
Overall Height
(no canopy) 46.5 in (118 cm) (top of steering wheel)
Overall Height
(with canopy) 77.0 in (196 cm) (top of sun canopy)
Wheel Base 66.0 in (168 cm)
Front Wheel Track 34.0 in (86 cm)
Rear Wheel Track 38.5 in (98 cm)
Ground Clearance
(at differential) 4.5 in (11 cm)
http://www.ezgo.com/personal/personal_golf_cars/shuttle_2_2.html
Yes, the original 500 was 11 inches longer, but they didn’t expect your knees to double as the back bumper.
I’ll even wager that the average American buyer today is taller than the average European buyer in 1960. We know the average buyer is bigger around.
The modern cars reflect a more realistic package for a more affluent society that expects vehicles to offer much more in the way of vehicle safety.
I wish I would have caught a picture. Across an intersection last night a 1970 Malibu sedan was waiting at the light. Something was sort of towering over it from behind. I was suspicious as to what that big car might be, so I watched carefully as we all passed through the intersection.
That big car was a Prius!
Since I have the numbers handy, here are dimensions for the Beetle over the years:
2013 Beetle
168.4″ long
71.2″ wide
58.5″ tall
2000 New Beetle
161.1″ long
67.9″ wide
59.5″ tall
1978 Super Beetle
160.5″ long
62.5″ wide
59.75″ tall
1963 Type I Sedan
160″ long
60.6″ wide
59″ tall
The biggest change is in width (nearly a foot wider).
at 117″ in 1957 it was 117″ longer than a Mini; after the Mini’s launch it dropped back 3″
Not really a fan of either though there is an early Abarth that competes in the Targa each year I could cope with
People have gotten fatter or obese over time *hell, I’m one and admit it* To answer the question. I like the new one better.
This is one instance where I prefer the modern retro-style car over the original. The old 500 isn’t really a car by modern standards; it’s more or less a motorcycle with a two-wheeled sidecar. If you’re on the freeway surrounded by people who are themselves surrounded by airbags and who drive accordingly… It’s nice to have ABS and airbags of your own.
117″, The 1970-73 Mitsubishi Minica 3 Door Hatchback which was also sold as a Chrysler Minica in The Philippines also held that claim of fame of being the smallest automobile ever produced in the world. I don’t know about the Fiat 127, but it does looked like the Minica as well.
Now the Fiat 127
My friend Willy had one. He always had a car in the winter time. He is a tough guy but Winter and motorcycles don’t go together very well. At the same time his brother had an Autobianchi which is a FIAT 500 station wagon. They both were on their last legs and we didn’t care as long as they made it though March. The 500 was white and had holes in the rag top. The nickname was salt shaker. One Sunday afternoon we were driving this thing with 4 occupants. Willy was very careful around corners. Later he gave me the wheel and I thought the tire pressure was too low. The gas station had a portable air tank and I filled the tires with it. It must have taken 5 minutes to fill that tank again.
This thing was handling great with the air in the tires. Willy screamed at me at every corner!
Meh. Im not a fan of either one. The new 500–especially in white or beige–reminds me a LOT of the brain bug from Starship Troopers.
Overall the 500 isn’t my thing. Im into musclecars, pickups, or short wheelbase open top 4x4s. Not that I dislike zippy little runabouts. But give me something that still says ‘A guy drives this’ like the new new beetle, tuned Mini Cooper S, PT cruiser GT, VW GTI, Audi TT, etc. Even the all black Abarths I see come off….girly.
Today, the wife, dog and I were walking around the neighbourhood and in front of our home were parked a 2014 Mazda 3 and the normal 3 cm behind it a 2000 Buick Century. The Mazda is a “subcompact” and the Buick was sold as a mid-sizer. The Mazda looked bigger than the Buick. I haven’t directly compared the specs but it was pretty easy to see cars have really grown some.
We need to look at this seriously. Any number of people could drive around any number of old cars. The problem is that the number of drivers who want to put up with old cars is minuscule. Anybody can buy one but few do. Driving an old Fiat like this in Vancouver would be suicidal. The ease of new cars just makes them so attractive to 99% of the motoring public.
The new Fiat 500, for sure. First time I saw one was at the Detroit Auto Show a couple years ago. They actually had about a half dozen in different colors and trim. Considering how most people rarely have passengers in their daily driver, get to work and back car, it should work fine for a lot of people. As a matter of fact, a male co-worker (approaching retirement age) bought a Smart car in the past six months. And he claims he’s happy with it.
As for the old 500, can anybody think of any street, road or highway where you could drive one safely? Just suggesting that even a parking lot fender bender, caused by a gigantic pickup truck, SUV or (not so mini) minivan could likely total out the old car. And, hate to have to say it but you should definitely have your will drawn up along with burial plans should you drive the old 500 anywhere speeds are above, say, 15 mph. And, I do see people frequently driving aggressively and recklessly in parking lots as well as on city streets. Oh, and lets not forget about all the distracted drivers messing around with their cell phones. And, will also mention I know someone who lost a brother who was on a motorcycle, stopped at a traffic light in rush hour. A driver slammed into him at speed without ever hitting his brakes. I passed by the multicar accident, complexly unaware someone on a motorcycle was also involved. Anyway, while I don’t personally feel the need for an extra large vehicle, I could consider a 500 as I like them and know they get great fuel economy, but wouldn’t likely get anything smaller. But, would be more inclined to get a compact sedan for only slightly more money and with a bit more room for those times I transport people or other things.
I rented a 500 Pop on holiday a few years back – and was stunned to get 63 mpg, even though the gears were on the wrong side for me, and I was out of practice with manual too – car always with 3 passengers inc driver. And hilarious to drive. The UK car magazines always reserve criticism for the chassis but I feel journalists are often blinded or biased… though a fair few UK journos admit to owning one of these (or a Panda)
I think they’re wonderful. And since they are far and away the most popular Fiat in ages in the UK, there’ll be a plentiful supply of cheap ones in the future. And they’re reliable too – so there’ll be a plentiful supply (stop there)