[DNG.]

The missus needs replacement city car for her Smart Roadster as needs back seats. What would you go for out of the Fiat 500 Abarth (595) or Mini Cooper S (JCW) or she may just get a newer Cooper S without the JCW upgrades? I'm looking forward to test driving them both to be honest, I have driven a Mini Cooper before and was surprisingly impressed. No idea about the 500 Abarth but my ex wife had a Fiat Grande Punto and an ok car if very cheap feeling interior

 

[PR]

Due to my bias I would go for the Abarth. Try them both, see if one stands out.. then buy the Abarth :rotate:

 

[MalcQV]

Difficult choice. Been in Fiat Abarth (allbeit many years ago) and that was pretty good. Never been in any new Mini.
Drive and decide

 

[DNG.]

My love for the Italian cars makes me fairly bias too but I have been driving a Merc C200 Coupe for a few months now and appreciating it a fair bit, very solid, comfortable and gets lots of comments

 

[keithyboy]

Abarth purely on looks.

 

[Keithy]

Is your missus an estate agent?

 

[73GTVJim]

Abarth.

 

[DNG.]

She does own and flip property but nope just needs small car as has the worst car park entrance I have ever come across, I wouldn't even attempt to take my GT into it. The smart roadster is perfect size for the car park really but she needs back seats and a bigger boot. Audi S1 aside there are no decent small cars, the 500 and mini are the very best of a bad bunch of mainly French s**t. I did try to persuade her with the MiTo QV but she doesn't like it which is a shame.

 

[Razor1955]

I have had an Abarth and regularly drive Minis on delivery.

If your other half enjoys being slightly manic and arriving at work a little breathless but grinning, you buy the Abarth. If on the other hand, she enjoys a bit of pampering, still likes a bit of speed and agility, wants to arrive relaxed and on time - get a Mini - not the JCW though - too expensive.
The Mini is far more refined and you do get to avoid FIAT/Abarth dealerships. Also the FIAT 500 platform has a rather high and upright seating position which may feel a bit weird.

 

[Sterzo]

Depends partly what your wife needs the back seats for. If it's for transporting adults then maybe neither of the above. If a Mito would fit through the car park entrance then it opens the door (sorry) to a whole range of small hatches. For a combination of driving pleasure and practicality there's not a lot to beat the ubiquitous Fiesta.

 

[DNG.]

Back seats just for kids on very short journies. Ha i think she would like relaxing after the manic few months in the smart roadster. She is definitely leaning towards a black Mini Cooper S. If she isn't keen after a test drive I think I can persuade her to test drive a MiTo QV

 

[jparkin486]

Abarth 595 and the Monza exhaust! A friend got one for his wife and he loves it!! It hasn't quite replaced his 911 turbo but he is happy to drive the 595.

Julian

 

[symon]

All of the Mini's around here seem to be driven by complete tools.

Usually too fast an recklessly. It is almost like they are pretending to be Audi drivers.

 

[DNG.]

Closest thing they will get to a sports car is that Mini One

 

[Ralf S.]

Bits tend to fall off the Chubster. They'll fall even more quickly if you try to get that Mo-Fo into a parking space that is too tight even for a GT. They're actually bigger than a GT.

If it was my missus, I'd go for the Citroen C3 with the rubber-bump-air-bumps on the side instead of a BMINIW... but then she likes stuff that's a bit quirky and individual, rather than "same old... as all the neighbours".

I'd also look at some other "random" stuff like the Alfa MiTo. As soon as she's in a Fiesta, i20, 208... she's faded into the background... so those won't do. Your missus presumably doesn't drive a Smart because she likes "grey".


Ralf S.

 

[DNG.]

That's true hence why she wants a JCW so it is better than the rest haha

 

[Ber Tony GT]

I have had an Abarth and regularly drive Minis on delivery.

If your other half enjoys being slightly manic and arriving at work a little breathless but grinning, you buy the Abarth. If on the other hand, she enjoys a bit of pampering, still likes a bit of speed and agility, wants to arrive relaxed and on time - get a Mini - not the JCW though - too expensive.
The Mini is far more refined and you do get to avoid FIAT/Abarth dealerships. Also the FIAT 500 platform has a rather high and upright seating position which may feel a bit weird.

Yes, with the 500 its the feeling of sitting on the car rather than in it that slightly turns me away from these.
The Abarth must be a riot though, the standard 500 is alot of fun, i can imagine the scorpion having very addictive qualities..

 

[DNG.]

She has been to sit in a 595 (nearly new). She likes it lots in styling and comfort but the Fiat dealer didn't have any fuel in it for her to test drive it haha. Anyhow we've found a lovely 595 Competizione 10 miles away. 180bhp, Konis, Monza exhaust, Recaro seats. I am thinking it is a must view.

 

[Keithy]

...but the Fiat dealer didn't have any fuel in it for her to test drive it haha.

It's not like they would be expecting people to come to a car showroom and actually want to drive a car, is it now? :tut:

#Morons #Sack'emOff

 

[Car Improvments]

She has been to sit in a 595 (nearly new). She likes it lots in styling and comfort but the Fiat dealer didn't have any fuel in it for her to test drive it haha. Anyhow we've found a lovely 595 Competizione 10 miles away. 180bhp, Konis, Monza exhaust, Recaro seats. I am thinking it is a must view.

The fiat 500 is probably the best city car bar none. The bmw mini is a lot bigger. The cooper "S" is dread full on fuel and emissions, JCW even more so. All the ones i`ve driven can easily get down to under 20 MPG.