Igloo in a Blizzard
Posted: Thu Jan 26, 2012 10:01 pm
Flurries with a chance of fun in the Fiat 500
What happened next surprised me. I really enjoyed the 500. It was a blast using the joystick five-speed manual, and even with these tiny tires, it was reasonably sure-footed. A Jeep Wrangler would have been better for the mushy streets, but the 500 felt like slipping around in a little go-kart, sort of like a four-cylinder sled. I even popped the roof, letting in shocks of shiny white snow that had accumulated on the top of the car. It felt good. Cool but not cold, and invigorating.
The 500 handled well as I put it through its paces in the Labrador country that is Detroit's western suburbs, and dashing through the open roads was a riot. Driving for the sake of driving is always fun, especially when it's below freezing and your car has 101 hp.
I still think that the 500 is a novelty. And small for the sake of small isn't what most Americans want. But a weekend in the 500 was a hell of a lot of fun. It's smart to keep an open mind. You never know when something good will sneak up on you. Bring on the Abarth.
Read more: http://www.autoweek.com/article/2012012 ... z1kcV9nUYf
What happened next surprised me. I really enjoyed the 500. It was a blast using the joystick five-speed manual, and even with these tiny tires, it was reasonably sure-footed. A Jeep Wrangler would have been better for the mushy streets, but the 500 felt like slipping around in a little go-kart, sort of like a four-cylinder sled. I even popped the roof, letting in shocks of shiny white snow that had accumulated on the top of the car. It felt good. Cool but not cold, and invigorating.
The 500 handled well as I put it through its paces in the Labrador country that is Detroit's western suburbs, and dashing through the open roads was a riot. Driving for the sake of driving is always fun, especially when it's below freezing and your car has 101 hp.
I still think that the 500 is a novelty. And small for the sake of small isn't what most Americans want. But a weekend in the 500 was a hell of a lot of fun. It's smart to keep an open mind. You never know when something good will sneak up on you. Bring on the Abarth.
Read more: http://www.autoweek.com/article/2012012 ... z1kcV9nUYf