Makes and Models
Pocket Rocket Fun: Fiat 500
1957 was a watershed year; it saw the launch of Sputnik and thereby frightening the pants off the Americans, the unleashing of the raw talent of “The King” with Jailhouse Rock and Italy proved beyond doubt that small things DO come in small packages with the release of Fiat’s Nuova 500 (the new 500) but lovingly known as the Bambino. Rereleased in 2007, the Fiat 500 has a heartfelt following, primarily because of its endearing looks. I have spent time with the entry level, $14K driveaway, Fiat 500 Pop and found that none of the fun factor has gone away.
The Clothing
Normally I’d start with the engine however the sheetmetal is part of the attraction the 500 has. 
It’s a rarity in that it is almost identical to the original; with the quad light front and driving lights pushed out to the bottom corners through to the rear window line and hatchback, it’s an eyecatcher. For some “odd” reason the most common comment is “Oh wow it’s so cute” and, unsurprisingly, it’s from members of the fairer sex and those of an vintage to remember the original. It’s smooth, rounded, with a similarly upright nose as the original running into a more angled front line for the window. At the rear the main noticeable change
is the deletion of the airvents….otherwise, apart from growing in every dimension the design is a faithful homage to the original. Cute, that is.
The Driven Heart
Under that tiny bonnet beats a tiny heart. It’s just 1200cc, a touch small than the bottle of aerated flavoured drink in your fridge. There’s a tiny 51 kilowatts (5500rpm) and a commensurately small amount of torques, just 102 of them from 3000 revs. Matched up to a five speed manual (gasp, horror from the gallery) shifted by a short throw lever mounted high up on the dash, on paper the numbers state boredom. However, with a body weighing less than three soggy feathers, give a take a bird or two (865kg really….), the numbers metamorphose into a three letter word: FUN. Sure, it needs to be revved to extract the best but it’s FUN watching the tacho zing around the dial. The clutch has a natural and smooth movement, allowing just enough slippage to get away without a bunnyhop or stall. The engine note is coarse but clears its throat and becomes rorty as the revs climb over 3000. Once under way it’ll ratchet through the five gears, but the revs die away quickly as does what torque there is. The ride is choppy, thanks to an overall length of just 3.5 metres and a wheelbase of 2.3, which has the 500 tucking the nose in for a touch of understeer whilst the rear steps out in oversteer when thrown into a series of tight, slalom like curves. Sadly, the fun factor is diminished by an overbearing road roar from the 14 inch diameter steel wheels and rubber. Over the 
rubber speedhumps that infest certain roads the suspension doesn’t deal nicely with them, crashing harshly and being thrown off line. The narrow track and short wheelbase also combine to make the 500 somewhat unstable with a cross breeze, however, on a dry road, with no wind, it’s easy to throw around and have fun with it.
Officespace
It’s the interior that brings the circles of life to the Fiat 500 Pop; naturally there’s 
the tiller however there’s the speaker frames, the dash design and the rubber foam headrests. It’s a smart mix of classic retro and modern, a colour scheme that looks straight out of the late sixties (black and cream) highlighted by the subtle integration of LCD and technology. The radio controls on the dash have their own circles, flanking the CD slot and rise over the circles of dials for the aircon controls. It’s a cohesive, enjoyable look and ergonomically well laid out. Unfortunately down below it’s not quite as easy to deal with as the clutch and brake pedal are just that little too close, leading to a clutch foot overlaying the stop pedal on too many occasions. The steering has two settings, Normal and City, which takes away just about any weight the wheel would normally have, replacing it with a lightness of spin, swirlable with just a finger. The wheel itself is in the same shade of cream 
as the rest of the trim and is backlit with a soft red at night, as is 
the main dash display. Bluetooth, under the quirky name of Blue&Me, paired easily although the radio had an odd habit of going to a different station than the one that was on when the ignition (an old fashioned and still worthwhile key) was turned off. Roomwise, it’s ostensibly a four seater…..nup. Even with my 178cm frame in a comfy enough position the rear leg room…. wasn’t. The seats themselves were sat on, not in, with slabs of foam rubber being used and there’s barely any give in that stuff anyway. Seat adjustment too is akin to pulling the teeth of a goldfish with pliers, it’s just too tight to have any real flexibility.
The Wrap
When, in a former life, I sold cars, I was fortunate enough to be at a place that sold these. Cute yes, but cute is nothing without spirit, without soul. The 500 has that in bucketloads. Although understandably lacking in torque, giving the 1.2 a rev and matching it with the manual ‘box lends itself to fun driving. Tossing it through corners, with its sub-tonne weight and feeling the tail slide out, listening to the rorty engine note, looking at the simple circle design theme and the surprisingly well integrated colour scheme and once in the right driving position, the 500 exudes an old fashioned and increasingly rare part of driving and for $14K it’s a cost efficient form of that missing element in life and on the road: fun.
The History of Holden – Infographic
Holden are in uncertain times in Australia, but there’s no doubting that their history is as varied and interesting as it comes. It is widely recognised as being ingrained into Oz culture – this infographic takes a look at the history of Holden as a car manufacturer, with images of many of their marques over the years.
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Ford's High Tech Revamp While Holden Workers Back Change
It’s tough times in the Australian automotive manufacturing field; Ford is looking to go out with a bang locally and Holden workers confirm a pay freeze to try and help extend the Adelaide based operations lifespan.
Ford released details (13 August 2013) about its revamped range of vehicles as it looks to provide Australian buyers some sort of joy before wrapping local building operations in 2016. Chief amongst this is confirmation the iconic Mustang name will spearhead the Ford range however the midsized Mondeo is slated to become the main seller, due to the continuing dropoff in large car sales. The new Fiesta range is also due before years end as is a new form of driver safety. Ford calls it “MyKey” and is intended to give parents more control over the driving habits of their children plus, should the worst happen (a crash) contact emergency services automatically. “MyKey is an industry-first technology that allows parents to program a key that limits top speed, reduces maximum radio volume, disables the radio until the seatbelts are fastened and prevents deactivation of driver assistance and safety technologies.”
Staying with the tech theme, the 2014 arrival of Mondeo sees inflatable
seatbelts for rear passengers; on impact the belts inflate and cover five times more surface area on a body than conventional seatbelts, reducing physical trauma. Ford also continues with the Mondeo station wagon, a criminally underrated segment in Australia with the seemingly almost unstoppable surge towards SUVs, with a redesign offering better interior packaging plus a reintroduction of the hatchback, with a slim and aerodynamic look. Ford’s commercial 
buyers will also be looked after with an update to the venerable 
Transit range also on stream. With seven million sold since 1965 it remains one of Ford’s most successful commercially oriented vehicles and for 2014 the range cops a substantial reskinning with two distinct looks, the Cargo and Custom, being set to roll into businesses next year. The Cargo will come with a variety of body shapes and will also a 12 seater bus variant.
In regards to Ford Australia’s oldest nameplate, the Falcon, that will be retired when Ford Oz ceases local building and full details of what the big car will feature and look like are yet to be confirmed.
For the red lion brand, it’s confirmed now that workers at the Elizabeth, South Australia, plant have backed a wage freeze and will help contribute a saving of $15 million, adding to the struggling makers push to stay local past 2020. Holden has been in talks with both the current Federal government and the Opposition in order to source more funding, which in some circles has been decried as a blatant exercise in corporate hostage taking. What’s overlooked is the knock on effect, already felt in third and fourth party supply circles after Ford’s announcement, with other manufacturing streams largely reliant on the auto industry. Australian Manufacturing Workers Union state secretary John Camillo said Holden’s Adelaide workforce had voted to help save not only Holden but the wider car component sector.”It was a tough choice, but they made the right decision,” an emotional Mr Camillo told reporters. He said the onus was now on the federal government and the opposition to declare their support for the company to ensure Holden pushes ahead with a $1 billion investment to build two new cars in Australia from 2016. Holden will now delay its decision on local manufacturing until the September 7 Federal election is concluded and will restart talks with whomever becomes the government.
Baby Cayenne to launch at LA Autoshow
Spy shots of Porsche’s latest model, the Macan have hit the Internet, wetting the appetite of those in the market for a Mid-sized luxury SUV.
The baby brother of the ever popular Cayenne is set to take on the likes of the Audi Q5, BMW X3 and Range Rover’s Evoque.
Landing in Australia in the third quarter of 2014 the Official launch of the Macan is slated for this year’s LA Autoshow. While specs and pricing are still yet to be confirmed, the general consensus is that the range will consist of a base model, a mid range – in both petrol and diesel and a top spec Macan Turbo.
The Porsche Macan, available in showrooms, 2014
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