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JAMES MAY PRESENTA tutte le domeniche "Top Gear", uno dei programmi di punta di BBC2 e un'ottima trasmissione di motori. Sul Telegraph di qualche giorno fa, ci regala la sua idea di cosa sia la 500, l'auto italiana e in generale come il diese rientri nel più generale schema delle cose:

As I've always understood things, there is only one way to drive a small Fiat, and that is without mercy. Here's how to do it. Select first, lift the clutch abruptly, mash the throttle pedal to the floor and when, and only when, the valve gear bursts through the bonnet, select second. Repeat the process until all the gears are used up.

A small Fiat will thank you for this, because that's what it was designed for. The original Cinquecento, the 126, the 127, the first Panda, the Uno, the Tipo, the second Cinquecento and the Seicento - they all gave their best when they were giving their all. You might not actually have gone very fast, but that is the Italian way - noise, drama, quite a lot of arm-waving, but very little actually being achieved. It was endlessly entertaining and endearing, like a waiter's arithmetic in the lira era.

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In any case, the 500 is merely a Panda like mine under its shamelessly nostalgic skin, so at least it would be a hoot to drive. Imagine my dismay, horror, abject misery, self-doubt, spiritual paralysis and even downright disappointment when I turned the key and discovered that I'd been sent the diesel version.