Its retro looks have split opinion, with some hailing the rebirth of an icon, while others claim it is nothing more than a marketing-led exercise.
Whatever you think of the new Fiat 500, the reincarnation of the classic city car, it has now been voted Car of the Year 2008.
An international jury, made up of 58 specialist journalists from 22 European countries, elected the Fiat 500 top with 385 votes, ahead of the Mazda 2 (325 votes) and the Ford Mondeo (202).
The Fiat Panda, a car the 500 shares much of its mechanicals with, won the same award in 2004.
In fact Fiat Group Automobiles has now won Car of the Year twelve times.
Not only did the 500 win the award but it obtained votes from most members of the jury: 57 out of 58 included it in their short-list, and 33 made it top in their personal rankings.
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