Bags of character

The iconic Fiat 500 gets greener with a new ground-breaking two-cylinder engine for lower emissions and better fuel economy

With today’s trend for down-sizing thanks to high fuel prices, the Fiat 500 TwinAir has come at a good time. It’s 875cc two cylinder engine delivers 68.9 mpg and its impressive CO2 level of 95g/km makes it the lowest ever emitting quantity production petrol engine.   

These figures make the Fiat 500 TwinAir excellent value for money in terms of owning and running costs. For example, there is no vehicle excise duty (VED) to pay and businesses benefit from 100 per cent capital allowances.   

In addition, the car is exempt from the London congestion car, thanks to the Transport for London’s recent decision to remove the penalty for sub-100g/km CO2 cars.

PERFORMANCE
The two-cylinder engine was chosen because of the benefits in reduced weight and lower fuel consumption.        

But how does a two cylinder car drive? When idling it makes a sounds similar to a diesel but with less vibration and at hard acceleration, it hums away like a small motorbike. That said, it is not an unpleasant sound and does not impede on comfort or enjoyment.   

Performance is not impacted by the smaller engine. In fact, compared to Fiat’s 1.2-litre 4-cylinder petrol engine, the TwinAir boasts 23 per cent more power, and 15 per cent lower emissions.    It delivers 0-62 in 11 seconds and has a maximum speed of 108mph.    

It’s light-weight body of just 85kg makes the car agile and fun to drive and it cruised comfortably at motorway speeds, even with four passengers. The cabin was also surprisingly spacious, even for the backseat passengers.

GREEN GADGETS
The 500 comes with a raft of green technologies. The Start&Stop function cuts out the engine when at a standstill and starts it up again the instant you step on the clutch to get moving again, preventing wasted fuel and emissions.    

The gear shift indicator discretely flashes up on the dashboard, advising drivers of the optimal time to change up or down a gear to achieve more fuel-efficient driving. What’s more, when the eco button is pushed for city driving, fuel efficiency is improved further by limiting torque to 100Nm.   

Safety is also paramount with an extensive list of standard equipment including ABS anti-lock brakes, Electronic Brakeforce Distribution, ASR Anti-Slip Regulation and seven airbags – giving it a five-star EuroNCAP safety rating.   

With its low CO2 level and running costs, the Fiat 500 deserves serious consideration from fleets or company car drivers who want a green car that has bags of character and fun to drive.

AT A GLANCE

Engine: 875cc
MPG: 68.9
CO2g/km: 95
RFL: Band A
0-62mph: 11 seconds
Model price range: from £10,665

FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Web: www.fiat.co.uk/500twinair