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Time to party like its 1957. The Fiat 500C is heading to Geneva next month, and it’s more exciting than, er, the resignation of Anthony Eden as Prime Minister.
Designed with just a little help from our Foreman, Paul Horrell, the cabriolet 500 remains true to the original convertible Cinq, as it features a ‘sardine tin’ roof - fixed side rails with a sliding soft-top.
This is good news for boot space – which remains at 185 litres – and rigidty, which should mean that the convertible handles with much of the pizzazz of the hard-top.
Unlike the original, though, the 500C’s roof is electrically operated, and slides back into a neat ruffle of fabric atop the glass rear window.
Yes, the whole package is about as masculine as a Sex and the City box set, but you can’t deny it’s a deeply cute cabrio. If anyone mentions the words ‘Citroen’ and ‘Pluriel’ now, we can’t be held responsible for our actions.
The 500C will launch with the option of the same three engines as the hard-top: a 1.3-litre turbodiesel and two 1.2-litre petrol engines in 69bhp and 100bhp flavours. Fiat’s recently announced Start&Stop system will be standard issue.
Expect to pay a £1500 premium over the hard-top 500 when the cabrio goes on sale in the UK this spring. In 1957 currency, that’s 19 groats, three bushels and, er…
Open Car Bar
What do you think?
Want to comment on this?
AshHorne commented on this article
at 11:05 am on 17 February 2009
Citroen. Pluriel. There, I said it. The 500 was 'cutesy' enough for our liking. This just makes me sick. And that roof? How long before you see it flying across a motorway thanks to good ol' italian build quality?
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Ben27 commented on this article
at 11:09 am on 17 February 2009
Ok, it's a bit girly, but so was the old MX-5, it didn't stop people raving about it did it. Style's what this car's all about, so let it be.
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thetastingnote commented on this article
at 12:38 pm on 17 February 2009
This is a car for people without trouser vegetables, that is certain, but if you are one of said ladies, the question you have to now ask is "why would you buy a hard top 500?". This has all of the benefits of a hard top 500, yet on the 3.7 days a year when we do get nice weather, you can have a open top motoring. My concern is this though. If this car has stop start tech as standard, it is saving the planet, and to make full use of the soft top, surely you would want the planet to heat up and get more sunny days so this fancy engine is preventing you from enjoying open top motoring more often.
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Obelix commented on this article
at 12:54 pm on 17 February 2009
I hope they design some 'roof' to cover that soft-top roof. Because if it stays like that, it: a) looks random b) will fly away c) you can see through it
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Obelix commented on this article
at 05:44 pm on 17 February 2009
c) you can'T see...
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