General Top Gear review the 500 - Sun 9th Dec

[ensonricky]

Schwenck, you've obviouisly got hold of the script. As i've said before Hammond likes the car so I hope he's not carried away by the negative vibe May is likely to create.

 

[Schwenck]

As i've said before Hammond likes the car so I hope he's not carried away by the negative vibe May is likely to create.

I reckon the negative vibe will be more from Clarkson; James May does at least 'get' small cars.

 

[ensonricky]

The problem is with May as a Panda owner he is the most likely one to advance the argument you proported earlier.

 

[Schwenck]

The problem is with May as a Panda owner he is the most likely one to advance the argument you proported earlier.

I would hope he would be he'll be more subjective than that; it would be childish - not mention unprofessional - to dismiss the 500 just because he has a Panda.

His column in The Telegraph doesn't really seem to express dislike beyond the fact it came with a Multijet under the bonnet (and please, let's not get into that argument ). I just hope in Budapest he got the 1.2 8v he craved so he could be subjective about the rest of the car.

In the end, he may well say he prefers his Panda, but we have to accept that might just be an honest opinion. One man’s meat is another man’s poison, isn't it?

Or it might just be the usual flippant Top Gear rubbish, with FIAT's great hope dismissed with some 'witty banter'.

 

[isuk]

Pretty good review overall and Clarkson obviously likes it. Evidently there weren't many Panda fans in the studio audience

 

[Mark Elvin]

Rubbish road test, although the car looks great, I just can't wait to get mine now.

Although having seen one (or six in fact) in the flesh, it looks better in the flesh trust me.

 

[T14086]

usual high quality review about 2 blokes on bikes..........oh and a few words on the car of the year

 

[fiat500-J]

Yeh it looked great, better than in the press pics I say! Lets hope it wins something in 2 weeks time at Top Gear's Awards Show!

 

[ensonricky]

I wouldn't hold my breath I would imagine the Top Gear awards will contain the usual frivolous rubbish centering on the luxury and supercar market.

Will someone define the useless phrase 'Fun to drive' for me. Since most car drivers spend there time on straight roads or in traffic fun to drive for me would refer to my driving environment. Not how fast I could accelerate or go round corners like these pathetic motoring jounalists.

 

[N500SHP]

Aw c'mon, dont say you now want Top Gear to review a car technically, its never been what the show is about. It was a bit of fun with the 500.

If you want a technical and dull write up about the 1.3 M-Jet I will do you one now I have had it for 2000 miles, if so I will do so on
www. nuova500.co.uk

 

[JFL]

thing is, with a 500 you can thrash it and it will be fun, whilst also still being easy to drive

try taking a ferrari or any recently launched lambo through a city or macdonalds drive through and then see what you think - meant towards top gear

i think the 500 is ace and catches a the flair of the original, and looks cool i would rather own one then a mini

 

[Ant1974]

Far better review here

 

[richardwp]

you obviously didnt get out much just after the Stilo was launched, I remember seeing them broken down everywhere IMO one of Fiats worst efforts. Interestingly an AA man once told me that the Mk1 and 2 Puntos were pretty good, this of course was when he was attending a neighbours broken Punto!!!

Thing is, there are thousands of VW/Audis on the roads of the UK so youre very likely to see them broken. To be fair they are fairly reliable cars, I seem to always see Mk3 Fiestas and various Vauxhalls broken down.

In all honesty, Fiat are a pretty reliable car to own, providing you keep up with maintainance and fix the little problems before they get you. Its my 11th year of owning them and have never been stranded in a Fiat, they always get you home

I had a MK 1 Golf L brand new in 1974 and it was always breaking down, throughout my 10 years' ownership, despite regular dealer servicing; and I only bought it because I thought VWs were reliable. Great when it was running, but clutch and throttle cables snapped so regularly I always carried spares of each and fuel starvation led to so many breakdowns the dealer eventually suggested vacuum build-up and to drill a hole in the petrol filler cap! I had it from new, paid for additional Ziebart (remember them?) rust-proofing, but it still rusted badly. Also had fan belts snap twice and once a wiring loom burnt out completely - nearly fried us all if I hadn't stopped quick, got the wife and kids out the back and disconnected the battery. Got rid of it after that. All this time my Dad had been running a circa 1973 Fiat 127 that, apart from horrendous rust, was entirely reliable, and I ran it as a second car after he died until it finally rusted away around 1987. Though I had 2 Renault 18s and a Toyota Carina after that as main cars (all reliable), I also ran a Seat Marbella with the Fiat 903cc engine same as the 127, and 2 Pandas, one with the good old 903 engine and the second with the 'Fire' engine (also all reliable) before getting the current 2001 Marea Weekend JTD as sole car. The Marea has been good too in recent years, after some early teething probs with a faulty emergency fuel cut-out switch, since replaced, and minor electrical eccentricities.

You did see Stilos broken down when they were newly on the road, but rarely now. I did acknowledge the point about there being many more VAGs on the road so proportionately you're likely to see more fallen by the wayside, but I seem to see less Fords and Vauxhalls and there must be more of them and, I still maintain, proportionately even fewer Fiats. But, as you say, regular servicing is definitely the key to Fiats and probably most other marques.

 

[Schwenck]

Well done Top Gear; neither entertaining nor informative... Still, the 500 looked good.

 

[serin]

Black and red? Its Mr. Ts city car

 

[gib1970]

the most salient piece of information was that the panda is more fun to drive than the 500 - that means more to me than having a mini wannabe in exchange for a deeper hole in the pocket.

 

[Nuova500]

Fiat always get criticised for their handling and steering feedback, personally I dont find it a problem, Ive only ever not enjoyed driving one Fiat and that was a Mk2 Punto. But, the press always find it a problem, so why dont Fiat actually do something about it, surely they could? Im willing to bet when the new Ford Ka (500) first gets tested every single review will rave about the fact that Ford have transformed the way the car drives, and how they have improved upon Fiats chassis. So, why cant Fiat do it now?

The big thing for me is this, the real 500 was made as a low cost car for people who couldnt afford one otherwise, and it turned out to be an absolute hoot to drive. This one is expensive and doesnt apparently drive that well... thats a problem I think.

If the 500 drives like a new Panda but not as much fun then I really think that will be a major concern. The new Panda is fun to an extent, but I wouldnt want one to be less fun. Surely it should be more fun, why isnt it then? Its no use saying testers dont get the car, Fiat advertise the fact its a fun car, that you can personalise.... but they unanimously say its not that great to drive.

 

[isuk]

The whole handling/fun thing has been overcooked by the motoring mags to the point where they now say the new M3 is not much fun which is ridiculous if you have had the chance to actually drive one. The 500 is not designed to be the best handling car on the road, it simply doesn't have to be as it's target audience will not really care. If you want the ultimate handling on this car then you need to wait for the Abarth version.

The original small Fiat models of the 60's, 70's and early 80's felt fun because they were light and underpowered and you had to ring their neck to make progress but because of their lightness, lack of soundproofing, no power assisted steering or brakes and small size you FELT like you were driving the wheels off them at only 70 MPH. In modern cars which are engineered for safety and comfort there is much less sensation of speed because they are so quiet and solid yet they will easily out handle the old models.

Tom Ford seemed to find it fun to drive in his review on 5th Gear so I shall reserve judgement for now.

 

[T14086]

Fiat always get criticised for their handling and steering feedback, the press always find it a problem, so why dont Fiat actually do something about it, surely they could? /QUOTE]

They did,they lowered the bravo,strengthened the shocks & front suspension..... now press moan the ride is too hard,cant win!

I like the taught handling of the bravo,leaves the focus/astra/stilo rolling around in its wake

 

[salvo's yellow punto]

hmmmm i was wel chuffed when the 500 came on top gear last nite. but they didnt like it .i thought they would love it.