Fiat always has done things a little differently, and the North American–market 2016 Fiat 500 1957 Edition is a case in point. The original Fiat 500 was one of the world's first true "city cars", introduced in 1957 and continuing in production until 1975. Its stylish modern "Nuova 500" successor, which is based on the same platform as the Fiat Pand

Little tiny retro-styled cars are my weakness. Whether it’s a Mini or a Fiat if it’s a throwback to when Euro pocket-rockets first shocked the world, I’m in. Adorable, cute, tiny, funky: these are all adjectives that fit this program to a tee. “Oh! That’s what ESC does!” – I chuckled as I wrestled the little Fiat back under control. My

The original rear-engine Fiat 500, also known as the Cinquecento, was built from 1957–75 and racked up over four million sales. The word icon may be much overused in these times, but the Bambino surely deserves that status, rubbing shoulders with other diminutive mega-selling people movers like the BMC Mini, Citroen 2CV, and VW Beetle. The

Vehicle Type The 500 is fun to drive, fun to look at, fun to park, and fun to be seen in. You’ll make new friends wherever you roll up. Subcompact three-door hatchback History/Description Back in 2011, one of Italy’s hottest automotive exports to Canada wasn’t a 200-mile-per-hour Ferrari with pricing in the six figures, but rather

The mission was simple. Fiat-Chrysler’s Jeep division had a car we needed for a massive compact-crossover comparison test – the Jeep Cherokee. It was the only non-Trailhawk version in the fleet, and the only one that fit within our $35,000 price bracket. One catch: It was in Montreal. We are in Toronto. Never fear! I had a plan. I was already

Obscenities pour jovially from the bearded mouth of the Harley-shirt-wearer walking by. I’m taken aback briefly, but soon realize his torrent is appreciative. “That’s a really [redacted] nice-looking bike, eh?” he says again. This time more slowly. Here is a bike that Honda’s styling department took a winning risk on. “What is it? An 80

Small cars are enjoying quite the run these days, even in we-love-our-big-sedans-and-SUVs-North-American markets. Small cars are efficient, their styling often breaks free of the jellybean mold and, above all else, they’re inexpensive. I mean, when you can provide a brand new car for less than 10 grand, as Nissan does with the Micra (that’s Mi

Canadian company Argo is branching out in 2018. For the first time in the company’s 50-year history of building extreme terrain vehicles, Argo has unveiled a new line of recreation-focussed ATVs. Despite climbing several steep grades, with a mix of rock and mud, and forging through one ultra-deep mud bog that tested the XRT’s 295 mm ground cl

I must be getting old. It turns out that I don’t always want my rear-wheel drive, V8-powered coupe to be at maximum attack at all times. It turns out I want there to be a “medium” setting. “Holy cow, they actually built it!” Lexus, yes, Lexus has successfully produced a car that had me reaching for the volume knob – and turning it to

Lexus wowed the world with its insane LFA, which we first saw in production guise in late 2009. It was crazy expensive, sported a carbon-fibre-reinforced polymer body and other technology straight from the race circuit – and a nutty high-revving 552 hp V10. Lexus claimed that all cars produced were sold, but it is common knowledge that unsold sampl

Today, the IndyCar Series announced its pace car for the 2018 Indianapolis 500, the 102 nd running of the famed motor race. Like last season, it’s a Corvette but unlike last season, it’s a 755 horsepower ZR1 as opposed to a Grand Sport coupe. The race cars themselves make between 500-700 hp so that means that the pace car will actually have more p

Fiat has dropped prices on the 2017 500 hatchback in the US by a significant margin while adding the features of the outgoing middle trim to the base model. In Canada, however, the equipment level hasn't changed, but prices have increased. The big reversal makes the formerly premium-priced Fiat 500 Pop one of the lowest-priced small cars in the U

The Fiat 500 line is going all turbo all the time for 2018. Plus new performance brakes and suspension are standard on 500 Pop and Lounge. The 500L gets a facelift, and the 500L and 500X get infotainment system updates. All Fiat 500s are getting the brand's 1.4L MultiAir turbocharged engine as standard. That means a big jump in power for base mo

A new report says that when the next generation of the Fiat 500 city car arrives it will be all-electric all the time. "A new 500, totally renewed. A new object. Totally electric. It’s kind of an urban Tesla, with beautiful style. Italianess, dolce vita in an electric car," FCA marketing chief Olivier Francois told Auto Express. The electric

Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) has discontinued the Fiat 500 city car in North America. In 2012, the Fiat 500 marked the return of a mainstream Italian automaker to North America after a roughly 30-year hiatus. It set its sights on the Mercedes-built Smart Fortwo with its tidy dimensions, used its retro styling to target BMW's Mini Cooper, an