News Source: topspeed.com

The Fiat 500  first saw life back in 1957 as the Fiat Nuova 500 and was an inexpensive little city car that became extremely popular throughout Italy. Its small, two-cylinder engine displaced roughly 500cc — hence the name — and produced a modest 13 brake horsepower. It enjoyed a ragtop roof that slid rearward and a pair of suicide doors. In comparison to today’s cars, the original Fiat 500 was a toy, only standing chest height to the average person. Production ended in 1975 and the 500 name laid dormant until 2007 when the current version became available in Europe.

The Fiat 500 swam the pond in 2010, marking the first time Fiat sold vehicles in the U.S. since 1984. The return happened, thanks to Fiat’s purchase of Chrysler  and the two automakers’ global alliances. The car has remained unchanged for the most part, except the additional Abarth  trim level new for 2012. That sporty trim added a ton of go-fast, have-fun goodies to Fiat’s spunky little run-about.

I recently spend a week getting to know the Fiat 500c Abarth. You’ll notice the ‘c’ in the 500’s name, well that signifies it carries a ragtop roof, just like the original Fiat 500 did. This 500, however, has 147 more horsepower than the original, a sweet exhaust note, and a superb five-speed manual gearbox. This thing is like the Mazda Miata  of Italy — the tossable plaything that begs to be driven hard.

Looking at the 500c is something of a whimsical experience. Its small packaging and diminished size makes onlookers wonder how many clowns are stuffed inside. The two door 2+2 cabriolet is longer than a Smart car, but only by a few feet. It fits rather comfortably inside a standard parking space with loads of room on either side. That does help make opening the 500’s long doors easier in a crowded parking lot.

While it might be sized like a clown car, the Abarth package means the only funny business happens when the turbo spools and the clutch is dropped. The extra wide and sticky Pirelli tires are wrapped around attractive 17-inch wheels. A larger front fascia, rocker panel valance, and rear bumper denote the Abarth’s sporty intentions.

Of course, the larger wheels, numerous Abarth Scorpions, and racing stripe down the side help folks figure out this isn’t a regular 500. The chrome-tipped dual exhausts spouting angry noises are a clear indicator as well.

Adding to the fun is the ragtop. It has three open positions for tailoring your experience. The first is a small opening like a conventional sunroof, the second is open nearly to the C-pillar and the third is folded all the way back. The top does obstruct rear visibility, but hearing the exhaust and having wind in your face is well worth the cost. Plus, the side mirror is large enough for seeing what’s behind.

Fiat did an amazing job designing the new 500’s interior to hark back to the olden days of 1957. The round gauge cluster is a predominate feature that carries the heritage over. Like the original, the interior space is tight, but not overly. The front two occupants have all the room anyone would need. The sport seats have folding center armrests and the door panel armrests are well placed. The driver is welcomed with well-placed controls in an ergonomic environment.

The same cannot be said for the lower center console where Fiat has attempted to place three cup holders. They are simply too low and small for the John S. American to use on a normal basis. Perhaps that’s Italy saying to stop commuting and start driving.

While small, the rear seats aren’t really that bad. In fact, I fit comfortably behind myself with leg, shoulder, head, and hip room to spare. It wouldn’t be ideal for longer stints, but it works just fine for shorter trips. And yes, a child seat does fit back there, though it forces the front passenger to scoot forward a bit.

Ergonomics in the driving department are all good. The shifter is just forward of my arm’s natural fall, making shifting a simple task. The pedals are well placed and are easy to operate. The clutch has a distinct bite point that’s easy to feel. The brakes are linear and don’t exhibit any sponginess. The steering wheel feels great in-hand and the gauge cluster was easy to read after some getting used to.

HVAC and radio controls were easy to operate, though I found myself listing to the turbocharged 1.4-liter soundtrack more than the SiriusXM radio.