Former Stig recommends ‘Tardis-like’ used Fiat for | Tech News

A prime racing driver who performed the Stig on Top Gear has urged used car consumers seeking to get behind the wheel of an economical but entertaining metropolis car to think about one model. Ben Collins performed the Stig on the standard motoring programme between 2003 and 2010 and now runs the YouTube channel Ben Collins Drives, posting videos by which he exams a appreciable vary of automobiles.

In a current video, Ben will get behind the wheel of a quantity of standard used small automobiles, praising the Fiat 500 particularly for its roomy and well-built inside. He defined: “Now, this little car is a bit of a Tardis. From the outside, it looks quite small, cheeky, cute, and people are quite warmed by it. Getting inside, it’s got really good visibility because you sit quite high up and, with the level of visibility, you can see really well out of the rear window, which is good for reversing. What else can I tell you? There’s lots of chunky plastics, so you can crash in and out of this thing and you’re not going to rip the place up. Quite nice leather seats or faux-leather. They’re a little bit tight on the derriere – that might be because I’ve had too many pork pies, though.”

Produced from 2007 to 2024, the primary era of the revised Fiat 500 was a retro-themed throwback to the Nuova 500 of the Nineteen Fifties and 60s, which helped to make car possession attainable for many throughout Europe.

The model rapidly acquired a quantity of accolades, together with the European Car of the Year award for 2008 and the World’s Most Beautiful Automobile – a significantly uncommon achievement for any low-cost household car.

With early examples getting long within the tooth, Brits can buy a used Fiat 500 from round £1,000, with a £3,000 price range being enough for a pretty current instance with a decrease mileage.

Getting behind the wheel, Ben famous that the 1.2-litre engine usually discovered within the 500 provides enough energy to make the little Fiat really feel peppy enough, significantly with the newest software program.

He continued: “It’s got a 1.2-litre engine in this bad boy, pumping out 69bhp – now, that could rip the skin off a rice pudding! 0-60mph in 12.7 seconds. That’s faster than a Porsche, though admittedly a Porsche from 1959, but it’s not bad.

“Now, after I reviewed this car in 2014 for Watchdog, it was as a result of there have been hundreds of complaints concerning the software program replace to the ECU as a result of of EU emissions laws – they utterly choked the facility. But, I can inform immediately by driving this one which they’ve improved the tuning of the ECU, the software program is healthier, and I’d say that Fiat have just about overcome that downside.”

Alternatively, the former Stig suggested that drivers looking for a cheap city car take a look at a Citroen C1, also sold as the Toyota Aygo and Peugeot 108, highlighting that they offer slightly more interior space and responsiveness.

He added: “Jumping from the Fiat 500 to this, it feels good – I’ve obtained a little bit more response on the throttle; there’s a little bit more pep to it. It’s a bit snappier, and I really feel like I’m a bit more in control.

“Ergonomically, it’s also lovely. I feel like I’ve got bumblebee’s face looking back at me here on the centre console, and everything’s in really easy reach and feels a little bit more spacious in the cabin.”