60 years young

Fiat has created a special-edition 500 in honour of the car’s 60th birthday. tests it

This year marks the 60th anniversary of the original Fiat 500. The compact forebear to the modern 500 was immensely popular, offering low-cost, affordable motoring to the masses.

The new car took on the cute styling of the classic 500, bringing it into the modern age with better practicality and a lot more safety. To celebrate the car’s birthday, Fiat has released this, the 60th.

It gets a range of retro touches ideal for anyone looking to stand out from the crowd.

Looks and image

There are retro Fiat badges dotted throughout the interior, as well as on the exterior of the car.

A unique “dolcevita” twotone paintwork has been applied to the body, giving it all of the retro looks of There haven’t been any mechanical changes made to the 60th, meaning that the 500 is just as compact as the standard car. There’s still a good amount of room for those in the front, while those in the back struggle for both leg and headroom. The 60th comes with a folding cloth roof, and to facilitate this system Fiat has fitted it with a clamshell-style boot. It’s not as practical as the standard car, therefore, which is worth remembering if you’re planning on using the 60th as an everyday vehicle.

Behind the wheel

The familiar 1.2-litre turbocharged engine is under the bonnet, linked to a fivespeed manual gearbox. Our test route took in the narrow, cobbled streets of Turin, the 500’s home territory.

Its swift and nimble handling makes darting in and out of traffic a breeze, while the peppy engine suits the car’s frenetic, eager character.

Value for money

As mentioned earlier, the biggest benefit to the 500’s interior is the all-new, larger infotainment display.

It’s simple to navigate, and has decent enough sensitivity. Elsewhere, everything feels of a relatively good quality.

However, the red finish applied to the 60th Anniversary Edition’s dash feels scratchy and hard, something that you’d think would have been avoided in a commemorative car.

The retro Fiat badges do make the car feel special however, while most people will no doubt be attracted by the car’s uber-retro styling touches.

It’s also fitted with a commemorative plaque, signifying the car’s limitededition status.