How Does It Drive?

While the skins of rice puddings have little to fear from the air-cooled twin, and you can forget quoting zero to 60 times on the basis even that figure will likely be a distant dream, there’s no shortage of fun to be had at the wheel of a 500. Eager and torquey, the engine is tuned to work perfectly in the narrow, twisty streets of an Italian town and can get up to urban speeds reasonably quickly, the steering light and direct, the ride bouncy and the gearing short. You’ll need to be on your game with the double-declutching and the short-travel clutch if your chosen 500 has the original non-synchro ‘box but this is all part of the fun and the tiny footprint is as useful now as it ever was. A Mini or Beetle will cope better if your driving takes you beyond city limits but, in its urban comfort zone, the 500 is every bit as fun and charismatic as the image suggests.

What’s Good?

The 500 is one of those cars that proves there’s more to life than horsepower and speed, the charm of its looks, the incredible space efficiency of its design and the raucous way it deploys its modest performance all sure to put a smile on your face. At a squeeze you can even fit four people in it, the sociable vibe, the joy of rolling back the fabric roof to soak up the sun and sense of innocent fun all equally addictive. Bodywork aside it’s also a very simple car, with the bare minimum of electrics or other things to go wrong and have it sidelined on the driveway when you should be out having fun.

What’s Bad?

Best will in the world the 500’s very specific skillset limits it to slower road and shorter journeys, and taking it onto a motorway or fast-moving A-road is going to be frustrating and, in all likelihood, pretty scary as well. To the latter it goes without saying you’re not going to want to be involved in a crash with a modern vehicle either. The non-synchro gearbox may also be a bit ‘vintage’ for modern drivers. But a later engine swap can solve that and for for popping down to the village, nipping to the nearby beach or just puttering around town it’s still fun. Meanwhile the cheapness of its construction is reflected in the propensity to rust, with even cars who’ve lived their lives in dryer climates vulnerable and the cost of bringing one back from serious corrosion likely beyond what seems economically viable.

Which Model To Choose?

Early, pre-1965 N and D cars with the reverse-hinged doors are going to be pretty thin on the ground now so your main decision is going to be between the more conventional F and the slightly more luxurious Lusso versions from the mid-60s onwards. These still have all the charm you’d want out of a 500, the F’s metal dash and round speedo considered more attractive than the trimmed one of the L. Though, it’s worth pointing out, the latter does get such luxuries as a fuel gauge, rather than a simple warning light to warn you when you’re about to run out. Later R versions get the later 126 engine and, all things relative, a fraction more performance but many older cars have had these retrofitted at some point over the years. Short version? It’s probably best not to get too hung up on a particular model, and just pick the least rusty one you can find, or one with documented evidence of a proper restoration.

Specifications

499cc two-cylinder, petrol

18PS (24kW) @ 4,600rpm

30Nm (22lb ft) @ 3,000rpm

Four-speed manual, rear-wheel drive

520kg

N/A

60mph

1957-1975 (total production)