Old Top Gear 1992 - Fiat Cinquecento

Chris Goffey takes a look at the new entry level car to Fiat's range- the Cinquecento. Taken from season 15, episode 2.

[GruszkuEntertainment]

"Designed as a city car for the year 2000" - discontinued in 1997.

[AgtX]

Weird knowing those cars were brand new when they made the video but i looks like hes reviewing a couple of old bangers now lol

[emilykrajewska]

My parents bought a brand new cinquecento in 1997, it is the embodiment of my childhood. Sold it around 2010. Laughed my ass off when one of those overtook me on a highway few days ago. Smol boi 💜

[RSAhokejfan]

Cinquecento 700 was 1st car at my parents house. Brand new, 1996. We kept it by 2005.
Then, after another 15 years (2020), i bought Cinquecento sporting (original) and i am bringing the car to perfect shape. It will be my 2nd hobby car after FSO POLONEZ:]

[Nooziterp]

Ah, the old Top Gear. A normal test of a normal car. As opposed to taking a supercar that nobody can afford to a race track and squealing the tires.

[DLFTW]

I'd laugh if he drove slowly past a bus stop and shouted "BUS WANKERS!" lmao

[deepmelody]

I dig it. Switch the seats (but keeping that sweet design pattern!) and add some tasteful wheels and tires and it'll be sweeter.

Unlike the current 500, this one wasn't meant to be an overpriced (cheaper than Beetle and Mini, but still!) retro throwback or a fashion-chic statement on wheels. It continued the 'philosophy' of a small city car for the masses.

[mattiothegreat]

Anyone who mocks the Cinq' is a class-A fool. Granted the standard car was a little dry, but still a good city car. The "sporting", however, is a great little motor, my first car (I wanted a 16v mk2 Golf GTI, 205 GTI or even a Puma 1.7 but being 17 at the time and living in south London meant insurance was a joke). OK- it looks a bit like a rollerskate and the clutch and rear shoes perished fortnightly... BUT with a couple of simple mods (plugs, leads, decent induction kit and SS exhaust, you could squeeze 70-75bhp out of the 1108cc motor- sounds pathetic but bearing in mind it weighed 750kg- as long as you were alone and not massively obese, it went ok (would do a tonne if you were willing to wait a while!) Once up to speed, it cornered like on rails- the wheels being right out on the corners, decent tyres and no power-steering meant it handled/felt beautiful in the bends. I've owned and driven many cars since that are undoubtedly quicker, better built and better looking, but I swear none have ever made me smile like my Cinquecento "Sporting" did. RustInPieces old friend.

[indiana]

Didn't like the car much at the time, but watching this now makes me wish I had bought one back in the day. There's something marvelously utilitarian about it, but incredibly cute at the same time.

[julianfranck]

Wife has one bought it 5 years ago 25K on the clock £600. Cracking little car suprisingly roomy. Drop rear seats great flat storage area. Body work doesn't rust. Starts every time and never let us down. Cheap cheerful and fun to drive. By the way have to drive up a very rutted track to get to my daughters farm house. Makes light work of any bumps and skips along at speed. My BMW 5 crashes along doing the same much more slowly.

[DanceToTheRhythmXD]

Made in Poland, of boy this car was almost everywhere in Poland back in a days.. It's little, very very simple, spacious, it barely breaks, consumes little amount of fuel and the best part is that the parts are very very, very cheap when it breaks. But it's a legend that Cinquecento ever broken down

[amapolishplummer]

"Cinquecento, that's 500 in English."

No that's 500 in Italian.

[oddities-whatnot]

I rented one of these to go camping in Whitby many years ago, blimey took me hours to get there, couldnt get more than 60 out of it against the wind, full of stuff. Needed a few pints to recover once I arrived!

[draconpost]

It's funny how most call it rubbish but there's still a shit ton of these cars still driving around with no problem nowadays after 25 years.

[soundseeker]

I cringe every time he says ChinkeyChento. Can't beleive they thought they were being futuristic... it looks like a 1983 Uno that been squashed inwards a bit. Consider that the mk1 Punto launched just over a year later, this looks prehistoric by comparison!

[easydrive]

Love watching these old clips and spotting all the older cars like Sierra's, montegos, cavaliers etc

[Patruck]

I drove the 2 cylinder version some 2 or 3 years ago. It was raining. I had one of the most horriffying travels since I got my license. "Lazy" windscreen wipers, at least some 20 degrees of "empty" steering before feeling like I was turning the wheels, and then that mystical gearbox whose manouverability was so terrible I repeatedly shouted (engine noise) to my friend - who owned the car  and was beside me - "Damn, try to put 5th because I can't", and it wasn't until three or four attempts he remembered - and I realised - that we only had four gears. 
The most characteristic trait of that car (but I have friends that confirm that it's not only from that particular example) is the built-in lateral-acceleration indicator: the fuel tank element goes up and down because of the gas moving left and right and as a result you see the indicator gauge going back and forth from Empty to Full. Depending on how much you have, you can happen to see the "Little fuel remaining" indicator blinking if you are so corageous to go past some 0, 3g making a corner.
Love that car,  

[Refereeuk]

My first car was a black 1995 cinquecento sporting, loved it dearly

[sycek]

OMG i didn't know that Cinquecento was build in Poland. Nieźle :D

[MrCaiolima]

I love the 500, i was so excited to get him as my first car, (i'm 17 and here in Brazil u only drive with 18) but it was too expensive for being a FIRST car. but as soon as i drive well, i'll get him. Just for curiosity, the new 500 in Brazil costs around R$40.000(reais).