Fiat 500C Spiaggina beachster comes to Oz

The Fiat 500 has made a motza out of special-editions designed to tug at the heart strings of nostalgic buyers and now a unique model has arrived in Australia – the Fiat 500 Spiaggina '58.

Priced from $25,990 for the five-speed manual and $27,490 for the five-speed auto, only 30 versions of the special-edition Fiat 500 Spiaggina '58 will be imported to Australia, out of a global run of 1958 models. See what Fiat did there?

Roughly translated, Spiaggina means 'beach-ette' and the car pays homage to the first special-edition Fiat 500 ever made, the 500 Jolly Spiaggina, of which a modern-day micro ute was created by Pinifarina in 2018.

Car nerds will spot a number of unique touches on this special-edition Fiat 500C, including retro-style 16-inch alloy wheel rims finished in white.

The fancy footwear combines with the car's Volare Blue exterior paint job and a white horizontal pinstripe to create a beachy vibe.

Other new bits for the tiny 3.57-metre long micro car (whose party trick is being able to park almost anywhere) include chrome work at the front, chrome mirror caps, a Spiaggina '58 badge on the back of the car and a beige soft-top.

Inside? The Bambino gets a colour-matched blue dashboard, ivory highlights, 500 logos and horizontal piping on the white seats, along with branded floor mats front and rear.

Standard equipment includes a 7.0-inch touch-screen infotainment system with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, electric windows, USB and Aux ports, rear parking sensors, automatic climate control and Bluetooth connectivity.

Available with five-speed auto or manual transmissions, the Fiat 500 is powered by a small 1.2-litre four-cylinder engine that generates a modest 51kW and 102Nm.

The car is not aimed at hot-rodders and V8 enthusiasts, instead at those who want a cheeky Italian runabout with that won't drink too much fuel.

Standard Fiat 500C drop-top models are priced from $21,990 and Fiat Australia says the Fiat 500 Spiaggina '58 adds $3000 worth of extra value with its fancy wheels, paint job and interior trimmings.

Since the Fiat 500 was born in 1957, more than six million vehicles have found owners. The original’s iconic status was recently set in stone after it became part of the permanent collection at the Museum of Modern Art, or Moma, in New York.

Despite its sales and cultural success globally, the latest Fiat 500 has been a slow mover in Australia, with 770 cumulative sales in 2018. In the first month of 2019 a total of 79 Fiat 500s were registered.

How much does the Fiat 500 Spiaggina '58 cost?
Fiat Fiat 500 Spiaggina '58 manual - $25,990
Fiat Fiat 500 Spiaggina '58 auto - $27,490
* Prices exclude on-road costs