Spending splendid time in a sumptuous R1.2 million BMW X3 diesel before transitioning into an itsy-bitsy teeny-weeny funky Fiat 500 Dolcevita cabriolet turned out more fun than one would have imagined.
After all the reputation of the Beemer’s’ transcends the brand. It epitomises the word premium. I fondly remember late great City Press motoring scribe and dear friend Steve Dlamini who used to speak with passion saying that the only car better than the BMW driven on a launch we attended was another BMW. That may be true for those who love this German brand.
Moving on swiftly to Italy’s finest, apart from Ferrari and pasta. Comparisons between the stunning BMW X3 diesel and modest yet stylish smallnyana Fiat 500 dolcevita is a tad unfair, it was a welcome coincidence to move from the big Beemer to the tiny Fiat cabriolet a day later.
Topless models and I have some good history. Before your mind skips to the wrong conclusion, this is only a reference to the four-wheeled variety. It’s no secret that I loved and once owned a Mazda MX5. If I could get her back, I would in a heartbeat. But this Fiat 500 dolcevita is a timeless classic. And they say never return because second time around is not as special. Of course, I don’t believe that narrative. Special is forever, my love.
Indeed, this Fiat 500 Dolcevita cabriolet has plenty to keep one entertained. Interior is plush. Gadget interface with a system called U-Connect, does the job. Eye-catching, too, it may be just 15 years young, however, its origins hark back to the 1950s in Italy. Reborn, this is a 21st century vehicle with plenty going for it. It is small, zippy enough, stylish in looks, and cost effective.
After the Beemer, it does feel a little claustaphobic. But I enjoyed driving it. The one litre engine packs decent power to get one around easily with minimum fuss. But sometimes that automatic gear shift seems a little slow to register. Get me this for my birthday, as an elderly fool, I won’t complain. Of course, I am a dreamer as my English teacher Rafiq Kader teacher once commented on a short poem about this beautiful place called Heaven.
There are few complaints on the Fiat. Heaven is not a place on earth contrary to the gospel of one-hit wonder Belinda Carlisle. Dolce vita, according to my indispensable friend Google, means a life of heedless pleasure and luxury. You will find enough, even though it may seem, and really is a bit cramped. We all need space, it seems.
Ryan Paris, an Italian musician, like Belinda, was another one hit wonder, who in 1983 sang about Dolce vita: “We made it down in the Dolce vita. Wipe all your fears away. We lived it like in a Dolce vita. A game of yesterday. I’m so alone in the Dolce vita. Oh baby, telephone. This magic’s gone in the Dolce vita. Nobody else than you.”
See love never dies. Only You! Wonderfully reborn, this Fiat 500 dolcevita is from the ugly duckling it was in the Fifties. Driving the automatic version was joy, though frustrating a little because of the gear shift that should join the transvision revamp party. But the manual driven on the launch, is fizzier. We rolled in a red one. This time it was white, which is a neutral colour insurance firms seems to prefer. But it hardly sets the world alight. Nobody cares, though, it is a fantastic car. Parking is a dream. There’s a Dolcevita badge on fender. It comes standard with plenty, including rain and dusk sensor, parking sensors, front fog lights etc.
With a 35-litre fuel tank, the real winner is its efficiency – and the price, a snip at R289 000. This is cheaper by around R40 000 than before the pandemic. Consider that its closest rival the Mini Cooper Cabriolet is going for R596 000, you would be scoring a good deal.
The Fiat 500 Dolcevita is a zippy, fun car, which is comfortable and pleasing to the eye. I am not going to delve into the acronyms around braking systems that many don’t understand, save to save it has the required features to keep one grounded. The German brand offers premium comfort and king-size ride, but the Italians promise fun. Above all, the freedom to go topless at the press of a button is priceless!
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