GreenBkk Auto | Fiat 500 0.9 Twin Air

Fiat 500 0.9 Twin Air

Credit: Autocar (www.autocar.co.uk)

Price as tested £12,000

For Smooth, eager engine, characterful sound, style and finish, low CO2 figure

Against Poor economy, gearing limits tractability, ride sometimes choppy, price

Background

Fiat has promised a significant new version of the 500 every year since this characterful modernisation of the 1957 Cinquecento appeared in 2007, and has duly delivered it with the Abarth-branded 500s, the convertible 500C and now this radical two-cylinder model called the TwinAir.

That it's powered by an engine with the same piston count as the '57 500 is a coincidence, although a happy one.

Fiat's aim was to develop an engine producing the lowest possible CO2 emissions, and determined that a turbocharged, downsized, 875cc vertical twin was the solution. And indeed, this all-new engine scores the lowest CO2 and fuel consumption numbers of any petrol car currently on sale, according to the official EU measurements. And it meets the ultra-stringent 2014 EU6 standards for pollutants, too.

Fiat is pitching the TwinAir above the 1.2-litre, four-cylinder model, prices starting at £10,665 for the Pop and rising to the £16,065 of the 500C TwinAir by Diesel (the fashion brand). Tested here is the closed-roof, £12,065 TwinAir Lounge.

Design

Consider the 84bhp, 107lb ft of torque and 95g/km CO2 of this new 500 engine and you might think that it’s a small diesel. That peak torque arrives at just 1900rpm, and its CO2 emissions figure is among the few that slip beneath 100g/km. The TwinAir’s outputs are remarkably close to those of the 500 Multijet diesel’s 74bhp, 107lb ft at 1500rpm and 104g/km; the difference is that all this is achieved with half the number of cylinders, and with petrol rather than diesel. That’s some achievement; the last time Fiat made a twin-cylinder engine it produced just 30 normally aspirated horsepower in the 1980 Panda.

The downsized, twin-cylinder, turbocharged configuration of this engine was arrived at with low CO2 emissions as an absolute priority, although it also meets the Euro 6 standard for pollutants that will not be enforced until 2014. But performance was also a goal, as these outputs suggest; two cylinders or not, Fiat is claiming an 11-second sprint to 62mph for the 500 when fitted with this engine. And that's brisk performance, especially when the claimed combined fuel consumption figure of 68.9mpg is factored in.

Helping you get closer to that number is Fiat's start-stop system, a gearshift indicator and a dash-mounted Eco button that restricts the TwinAir's torque output to 74lb ft rather than 107lb ft. This is intended for low-speed urban use where acceleration is less important. Steering effort is also reduced in this mode.

The TwinAir is configured with its cylinders arranged vertically so that it can be transversely mounted, and it comes with either a five-speed manual or a five-speed Dualogic automated manual, which shaves another 3g/km off its CO2 emissions.

In other respects the 500 is pretty much as it appears when equipped with a four-cylinder engine; the relatively modest 10 per cent weight saving over the four-cylinder 1.2 is insufficient to warrant fitting lighter driveshafts and brakes. The TwinAir engine is available with both the fixed-head and convertible versions of the 500, and with five trim variations, including today's limited editions.

On The Road

Two cylinders and 875cc may suggest relaxed performance, but the TwinAir is swift and will hit 108mph. More than that, its strong torque and willingness to rev produce enough go to entertain, especially as there's an intriguingly pleasing soundtrack to go with it. A distant, swirling throb is mostly what you hear, its pitch rising slightly as you close in on the 6000rpm redline (there's little point in stretching the twin past 5500rpm) to provide a soundtrack that's very different from that of conventional superminis. It's modelled directly on the engine of the 1957 500, although it's quieter and you don't get the body-quivering vibration. Some may find the 2010 car's note a little gruff, and the low-frequency throb that you can just make out at a cruise – and more easily when the engine's lugging up hills – could prove slightly tiring. At speed, the rustle around the B-pillars is usually more evident, however. Overall, this is a civilised power unit, and a characterful one, too.

It also delivers solid slug of torque, so effectively that it's easy to forget that it's turbocharged, lag being hard to detect. But it's surprising to discover that slotting into fourth at 30mph produces a slightly unhappy throb, even though the engine is running at its peak torque of 1900rpm at this point. The upshot is that you often find yourself in third instead, a rangey gear that's good for 80mph. The TwinAir pulls quite tall fourth and fifth gears, and with fair conviction until you're baulked on the motorway, in which case you’ll be changing down to recover your momentum.

The difference in urge when you select a gear that the engine likes is often very noticeable. It's a slick shift, thanks to the high-mounted lever. Give-and-take conditions also require a fair bit of gearchanging if you're to maintain the brisk pace that the engine encourages, which must be one reason why our test TwinAir recorded a rather disappointing 35.7mpg overall. That's a long way adrift of the 68.9mpg official combined figure, and though it's well known that the official tests are unrealistic, this Fiat falls too far short. The Multijet diesel 500 returns superior real-world figures.

The 500's chassis used to be its weakest link, a choppy ride and rather ordinary handling a disappointing contrast to the polished appeal of the rest of the car. But with the debut of the 500C in July last year came some suspension changes, mostly affecting the rear axle, which have done much to civilise this baby Fiat. The sudden, occasionally bouncing progress – particularly acute aboard the Sport – has mostly been banished, and small bumps are absorbed without much turbulence reaching the cabin. You sometimes feel the 500’s short wheelbase as it pitches over crests and into troughs, but the effect is far less disturbing than it used to be, and even the bigger 16in wheels fitted to our test car don't agitate the ride too much. The suspension is also quiet, there being less crash-through and road noise than you find in some cars of this class, all of which makes the 500 easier to live with than before.

Also improved is the Fiat's electric power steering. It's still not much of a communicator, but at least its artificial resistance feels more real, and without too much of the straight-ahead deadness that EPAS systems often suffer. Switch to City mode and the steering feels only semi-connected, but the effort required is certainly low.

The 500 handles better now, too. It feels far more settled with the reduced bounce, and that encourages you to corner harder, as does the crisper steering. Push it even further and you'll even discover that your line can be trimmed with the throttle, although the lack of side support from the seats, and the feeling that you sit on them rather than in them, tends to subtly discourage such pursuits. So does ESP if it's fitted. The Fiat's brake progression is well judged, and it stops well in an emergency.

Living

The 500's cabin is unchanged for the TwinAir, and though this is an economy car, it doesn't feel that way because of its entertainingly retro style and a standard of finish that's higher than you'll find in most city cars. The high-gloss, body-coloured dash and single contrasting instrument binnacle are the highlights, together with a particularly stylish steering wheel. You can adjust the wheel for rake, and the steplessly variable backrest angle of the seat lessens the inconvenience of a lack of reach adjustment. The driver's seat is height adjustable, but long-distance comfort is compromised by a shortage of lumbar support.

You wouldn't call the cabin spacious, especially widthways, but it's adequate up front. Any adults banished to the rear seats will find their heads brushing the roof and their knees pressed into the front backrests, while discovering that the elbow cut-outs in the side panels are not there for show. But for short trips, it's okay.

In-cabin storage includes a shelf ahead of the passenger, a little pop-out cubby on the driver’s side of the centre console and adequate door bins and cupholders. Some may never discover the storage box lurking beneath the forward-tipping passenger seat cushion. The boot is bigger than the laughably small parcel shelf suggests, and the 50/50 split rear backrests drop to provide a truly useful load bay.

The 500 is well equipped, no fewer than seven airbags scoring the full NCAP five stars. The Lounge trim (the same price as the Sport, and a rung up from the base Pop) comes with electric front windows, a fixed part-glass roof, air conditioning, a leather-rimmed wheel with controls for the stereo and a voice-activated Bluetooth system.

The TwinAir is not especially cheap but it holds its value well, provided you don't get mesmerised by the options list and bump the price up too far. It also dodges road tax with its 95g/km of CO2 and is exempt from the London congestion charge. Insurance groups are competitive, and although a three-year warranty is average now, the 500 is a well assembled car with a good reliability record. But the fuel consumption we achieved is very disappointing, even if its performance is strong. If your annual mileage is low, that will matter less. If it's higher, consider the Multijet diesel instead.

Verdict

The 500 has always appealed as a finely wrought, thoroughly practical evocation of the original 500, and backed that with a good finish and tempting customisation options. Now it appeals with advanced engineering as well, its twin-cylinder engine putting out the power and torque of a diesel, but with more refinement. It makes an intriguing noise that will stir memories among those who remember old 500s. But in reality, this engine fails to get near the official consumption figures. These tests may be contrived, but it would appear that the TwinAir also contrives to do well in them, too. Regard this 500 as a perky and aurally quirky device rather than an extreme economy model and you'll be less disappointed, especially as it's a better car, now, than it was at launch. And its appeal in other directions, not least style, remains undimmed.

Deta

How much ?

Price as tested £12,000

Price as tested £12,065

How fast

0-30mph 3.8 sec

0-60mph 11.7 sec

0-100mph no data

0-150mph no data

0-200mph no data

30-70mph no data

0-400m no data

0-1000m no data

30-50mph in 3rd/4th 5.9 / 8.6

40-60mph in 4th/5th 9 / 13.2 sec

50-70mph in 5th 15.3 sec

60-0mph no data

Top speed no data

Noise at 70mph 71 dbA

How thirsty?

Test average no data

Test best/worst no data / no data

Government figures

Combined/urban 68.9 / 57.6 mpg

CO2 emissions 95 g/km

How big?

Length 3546 mm

Width 1627 mm

Height 1488 mm

Wheelbase no data

Weight 1030 kg

Fuel tank 35.0 litres

Engine

Layout 2 cyls Transverse , 875 cc

Max power 84 bhp at 6000 rpm

Max torque 74 ft at 2000 rpm

Specific output 96bhp per litre bhp per litre

Power to weight 93bhp per litre bhp per tonne

Installation F Transverse

Bore/stoke 80.5x86 mm

Compression ratio 10.0:1

Valve gear 4 per cyl4 per cyl

Ignition and fuel no data, Unleaded

Gearbox

Type 5-speed Manual

1st no data

2nd no data

3rd no data

4th no data

5th no data

6th no data

Final drive no data

Suspension

Front Independent MacPherson set-up with lower wishbones anchored to a subsidiary cross-member, anti-roll bar connected to shck absorbers

Rear Torsion beam axle

Steering

Type Rack and pinion with Dualdrive electric power steering

Lock to lock no data

Brakes

Front 240mm discs

Rear 180mm Drums

Wheel & tyres

Size front no data

Size rear no data

Made of no data

Tyres front no data

Tyres rear no data

Credit: Autocar (www.autocar.co.uk)