With around 500 miles on the clock, here's my quick review of my newly leased hot shopping trolley.

The spec, for those that don't know, is basically a blown-over Fiat 500 with 160bhp delivered from a 1.4 turbo motor. The Turismo comes with leather seats, alloys and some sporty-looking bits. I have it for a year at £199/month.

Much of the car isn't too different from the 500S 1.2 69bhp I hired recently. It has the same electronic dash which I don't much like because it's not particularly ergonomic. This is made worse by the fact that in "sport" mode on the 595, the screen morphs and reloads in sport version complete with G-meter (which is such a gimmick because it's instantaneous and you're unlikely to be looking at the dash when pulling max Gs). Like other 500s, the seats are quite squidgy and chair-like. Like Alfas of old, you get used to this. The pedals, with their bling ali covers, are a bit too close together when I'm wearing wide boots - not an issue I've had on the standard car.

It's a fun car to drive. With only 209 miles on the clock, I took it to an AROC track day at Blyton where it quite impressed my passengers. There's the inevitable understeer of a FWD shopping car - especially in tighter corners but, where it really impressed, was the fast sweeps of Port Froid (I think I scared my passengers first time through there). The brakes (drilled, vented) aren't up to much and were pretty much gone after one lap of racing-style braking (even without invoking ABS). I reverted to much lazier braking which still invoked the flashing hazards. It was still reasonably quick - overhauling an Alfa GT (chipped diesel) being driven by an ARDS instructor (well, when he finally lifted down a straight).

I can't say it's very economical. By the time I left Blyton, with 300 miles on the clock, it was averaging 20mphg from new. Even now, at 500 miles and much more careful driving, it's below 24mpg. It takes a very gentle right foot to get into the 40-50mpg instantaneous.

I've also experienced a bit of Fiat 500 prejudice - people seeing the car and not realising how quick it is (60 in 7.4).

Overall, I'm very happy with it. Blue & Me is a rubbish connectivity system and the turning circle is shocking, but they're the only big issues. For shuttling around the Cotswolds, I think it will serve me very well.

Fantastic! I'm looking forward to seeing it disappear in front of the Cooper S! I assume you took the special track-day lease package...?

Glad you are impressed with it.

What, is the turning circle worse than a 20VT?

I have shared the drive in a mate's 500 Essesse (the 595 Turisimo's predecessor) on several road trips of over 1000km each way, and yes, it is enjoyable on the open road.

We even had to dodge some emus on the last trip! They would certainly make a mess of the 500 (and us) if we had hit one, especially if it had come through the screen.

Whats the ride like in the sportier 500's? My mum has a boggo original one (auto) and its a pretty harsh ride at the best of times. She bought it from new - so nothing wrong suspension wise.

I quite like the idea of a 500 Abarth, but having seen some pretty quick Audi S1s go round Castle combe at the weekend it'd be hard to justify. Then again the RS3's were awesome too!

The turning circle on the abarth feels much worse than any coupé I have had, its stupid for such a small car!
Have had ours a few years now and apart from the normal fiat crap its done us very well and has been very good to live with.

We took the mito and the abarth to santapod and had a giggle, if she hadnt have fudged the change I think it would have been close, not so close on the second attempt though

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tKYLHZfKwsE

Meh dont complain to me about turning circles.... the GTAs is a complete joke.

I think the ride is OK - but then I think the ride on the two 500 Lounges that we've had/have is fine too.

The turning circle is probably one of the worst I've ever known. After the Alfa 33, the Coupe seemed fine but the Abarth is up there with the 33.

Generally, though, I'm pleased with it when I think of it as a shopping car. It doesn't come within a mile of my Giulia GTJ but then I wouldn't expect it to.

not sure about the 33 but a Coupes about 10.2m I think and an Abarth is 10.8 so not hugely different.

For the size of the car it is!

Yes - that's the point. It's a short little car.

True but its all relative..... try a 12.1m turning circle on a car shorter than the coupe. I could put my car on the back of a tow truck and get a better turning circle!

It seems the Alfa 33 had an 11.4m turning circle (and no power steering...)

that must be fun....

I have been mulling over one of these or Brera S as a possible Coupe replacement going in to 2016........ Did not realise how good they sounded until I saw one the other week pulling out of a junction. My eldest has started playing County Rugby and someone else in the club has a 695 Tributo Ferrari which they use daily. Look terrific though not sure I'd pay the extra for one of those! Blue & Me is a bit naff across the range.......Forever losing the connection on our Delta.

My Triumph Herald had a turning circle of 7.6m

I think that you could probably turn a herald around in the inside circle of my GTA!

My Spitfire was the same (almost literally!). You could turn it inside the boot of a decent estate car... It did look as though the wheels were coming off, mind you.

I took my driving test in my Herald. When it came to the 3 point turn, the examiner said he knew I could complete the turn without using reverse gear, but to pass I would have to use both forward and reverse gears

Sorry to go off topic, but I do love a nice Herald! Wish I could persuade my kids/stepkids to get one...

I wish I'd kept mine.....

It was a 13/60, TKV152J in Sunburst Orange......



Sorry to go off topic Rich....

I was the same, although the examiner didn't say that he knew it. I thought it best to do the three point turn expected!

The Herald I used is still in my Mum's garage, my younger brother claims it is his, but I think that can only be on the basis he was the last to use it. I have a plan.....

no worries - nostalgia-fest

I had 2 Spitfires, the first, an early Spitfire 4 was our wedding car - 45 years ago now.

At 12,000 feet, at full throttle, the minimum turn radius on a Spitfire is 696 feet... oh, wait...

I know someone who bought a Spitfire earlier in the year
...for £19k

A Triumph for £19k..... Yikes!

Wow.

As it is written :- "Moses came forth (fourth) in (his) Triumph."