After 17 years in production, it was announced last month that the Fiat 500 has been withdrawn from the UK (along with the sporty Abarth 595) pending the arrival of hybrid-powered model in 2025. That will essentially be the current EV version but with a mild-hybrid driveline, but none of that matters right now because we need to consider the 500’s potential as a future classic. As far as I’m concerned, that’s already guaranteed.
Like many Britons I’m a fan of small cars in general. Affordable to buy, cheap to run and perfect for our congested roads and car parks, there’s a lot to like about taking the compact route and the cheeky Fiat couldn’t be a more perfect choice.
One of the most famous small cars of all was the original Mini, but it had been beaten to market by a diddy Italian; the original 500 launched in 1957 was nothing short of a smash hit. So when the trendy new upper-case MINI was launched by BMW at the beginning of the century Fiat decided it wanted a slice of the retro-inspired action – and it had the perfect car to reinvent.
It had to be larger, obviously, but the model that appeared in 2007 was a brilliant reinterpretation of the original and one that exuded fun and character from every welded seam. Indeed, it had that same classless appeal as that original Brit, looking as good on a shopping run as it did outside a swanky hotel.
There wasn’t quite the same level of personalisation options offered on the new MINI, but the Fiat’s funky interior and bright paint colours were more than enough for most buyers. And while it wasn’t as “sporty” to drive as BMW’s effort, that didn’t really matter either. That it’s still going strong is testament to the rightness of the idea.
The “retro” tag has deservedly come in for criticism, but the reinterpretation of the Fiat avoids pastiche – and when a car is as charming as this, who really cares? Certainly not Fiat, as it couldn’t build the 500 fast enough – the millionth rolled off the Polish production line in 2012, with the two millionth following five years later. A sales success? You could say that…
The company certainly wasn’t slow to capitalise on its appeal, adding a rorty Abarth version to the line-up in 2008 and the Convertible a year after. And although the latter wasn’t actually a full convertible it didn’t stop buyers clamouring for the chance to enjoy the cute Italian with added fresh air.
The huge variety of special editions over the years were a fillip to steady sales, even if the 500 Pink of 2010 to celebrate 50 years of Barbie was quite, erm, loud in the colour department. But it showed that Fiat knew how to add an extra fun-factor to a car that was already brimming with the stuff, which feels like a bit of a rare commodity when so many car manufacturers seem to take themselves a bit too seriously.
All that said, there was no ignoring the competition provided by the style-conscious MINI, which was also more entertaining to drive; sportier handling and punchier engines made it a more attractive proposition for enthusiasts. But it did come with the baggage of the innovative Issigonis original and plenty of people (even now) could never forgive the new one for not being more like the old.
That’s not something the 500 has to deal with. Comparison with the original of so many years ago doesn’t seem to matter somehow, which will stand it in good stead in the decades to come. Who knows what the car world will look like then, but I’m certain we will still regard this car with a great deal of affection.
That’s precisely why it’s a future classic in my book. Whether you grab an early one for less than £1,000 or one of the very latest (Fiat reckons it currently has sufficient stock to last into 2025) I’d be very tempted to hang on to it. It’s guaranteed to make people smile come 2050…
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