Review of the new Fiat 500 BlackJack

Next to the loud and vibrant paint colours that are available on modern cars in various shiny finishes, matt black sounds like a bit of a come down. You might be thinking that you could achieve a passable matt black effect for your car with a spare hour and a tin of Dulux but there's more to it than that. The latest matt paint finishes produce a high quality and highly distinctive look, one which also happens to be the height of current automotive fashion. Such luminaries as the Lamborghini Gallardo and the Ford Focus RS500 have recently wowed the public in matt black and now it's the turn of the somewhat more affordable Fiat 500 BlackJack.

The Fiat 500 has a growing catalogue of special edition versions to its name and like the limited run models that went before it, the BlackJack represents a good value way of getting into Fiat's irrepressibly chirpy little citycar. Time may be of the essence though as only 200 examples are set to make their way onto the UK's streets in fixed top and 500C convertible form.

Sitting at the bottom of the Fiat 500 engine line-up, the 1.2-litre unit is nothing to get overly excited about but it keeps costs down and the BlackJack is also offered with 1.4-litre power for those seeking more pace. The 1.2 is an 8-valve 4-cylinder engine that produces a maximum of 69bhp at 5,500rpm and only 102Nm of torque. At least the 500 is both lightweight and used primarily for short journeys in urban areas. This means that the engine isn't asked to work too hard and shouldn't be too often exposed to the open road, where its lack of punch might be more evident. The 1.4 has 98bhp and torque of 130Nm, enough to make the 500 a more adept all-rounder. A better choice than either though is probably the 85bhp TwinAir variant with its clever two cylinder engine.

The 0-60mph sprint time of the 1.2 car is nothing to be ashamed of at 12.9s but that's nearly two and a half seconds down on the 1.4-litre unit. With top speeds of 99mph and 113mph respectively, occasional motorway jaunts are far from out of the question with either engine installed but the 1.4 will feel more at home. In the TwinAir, sixty is 11.8s away on the way to 108mph.

"The limited run of 200 models should enhance the car's appeal."

The 500 is notably less cute than normal in BlackJack guise. The Matt black paintwork combined with the 16" matt black alloy wheels with red detailing give it a mean and moody look of the kind that isn't usually associated with Fiat's lovable tot. The cars with the 1.4-litre engine get red brake callipers as well while all models feature door handles, mirrors and body mouldings in a contrasting black metallic finish.

At 1.65m wide, 1.49m high and 3.55m long, the 500 doesn't take up a great deal of space. For reference, a MINI is 1.91m wide, 1.40m high and 3.68m long: in other words much wider, a little lower and a fair bit longer. Even Renault's second generation Twingo, at 3.60m, won't fit into some parking spaces the 500 will be able to squeeze into.

Despite these compact measurements, interior space is OK for a citycar. You can seat adults in the back, though they may not thank you for it, and there's no problem up front even if driver and passenger are somewhat big boned. The luggage capacity of 185-litres doesn't give owners too many options but if, like most citycar owners, your back seats are invariably unoccupied, they can cope with the boot's overspill. The design inside follows the cute, retro themes of the exterior and feels special - a difficult thing to achieve in a car at this price point. The black theme is carried over in the cabin and special floor mats are thrown in as part of the package.

It's the Sport trim level from the standard Fiat 500 range that forms the basis of the BlackJack special edition. That means the car features air-conditioning, remote central locking, a CD stereo and a trip computer. There are also styling enhancements like front fog lights, a rear spoiler and dark tinted windows. Fiat's innovative Blue&Me system is also thrown in with its Bluetooth phone connectivity and voice recognition. 1.4-litre models also include ESP stability control while all models have a fuel-saving Stop&Start system.

The point of the Stop&Start system in the BlackJack is to lower fuel consumption and emissions, so how well does it do? On the combined cycle, there's a 3.5mpg improvement over a standard 1.2-litre 500 taking the figure to 60.1mpg with emissions of CO2 at 110g/km. That's a useful amount multiplied out across a typical ownership period and the advantages are likely to be even more pronounced if you do most of your driving in congested urban areas where being stationary is par for the course. The 1.4-litre models make 50.4mpg with 130g/km emissions. Best of the lot is the TwinAir, managing 95g/km emissions and 69mpg on the combined cycle.

Matt black is the new black according to the automotive industry's trend setters and Fiat's 500 is full onboard the bandwagon. The BlackJack special edition models benefits from a slick and mysterious matt black paint finish that sets them apart from other citycar options. The limited run of 200 models should enhance the car's appeal and anyone wanting the cute Fiat city car with a little more attitude is likely to be persuaded.

The Fiat 500 has always operated at the trendy end of the city car market with its retro styling and endearing design features. The BlackJack models further its appeal in this direction but it's the fun, easy-driving feel of the car that will remain its trump card.

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