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THIS week I had the pleasure of meeting up with TV’s Mr Motorsport, Steve Rider. But as much as you can’t avoid talking about touring cars, rallying or Formula One with Steve, this time he was wearing a different hat –and one that he wears with pride – as President of the Fiat 500 Club. Steve and club secretary Paul Anderson gave up their time to come and explore the new Fiat 500, and brought their own 500s along. As with pretty much every other car in the UK – old and, surprisingly, new – there’s a thriving community among Fiat 500 owners with an astounding amount of knowledge and expertise. Plus friendship. Paul told me how club members would tour Europe together in their 500s – a bold move…

James_Brodie@dennis.co.uk @jimmybrods • Electric Fiat 500 combines classic lines with latest EV tech • Up to 199 miles of range and prices starting at less than £20k REINVENTING an icon can be tricky, but Fiat’s first attempt at reimagining the classic 500 for the 21st Century was a resounding success. Launched in 2007, the ‘new’ 500 has been a phenomenal hit in its 13-year reign as one of Europe’s favourite city cars. But it’s about to be superseded by this: the all-electric, third-generation 500. The underlying technology and platform are new, it’s 61mm longer and 29mm taller to accommodate the new powertrain, but the new 500 is still a familiar face. Small design tweaks aside, it’s unmistakably a 500, especially in profile. It will also still be offered in hatchback…

Steve_Fowler@dennis.co.uk @stevefowler ANY reboot of an iconic model is fraught with difficulty, not least the reaction from faithful fans of the original. So who better to give a view on the all-new, all-electric Fiat 500 than the owner of an original 1971 Fiat 500L and the President of the Fiat 500 Club UK, Steve Rider? You’ll know Steve better as the host of motorsport coverage across the BBC and ITV for many years, but his passion for 500s started at an early age. “The first car my family owned was a Fiat 500, which my brother bought,” Steve tells us, “So there’s always been an emotional attachment.” However it was the endorsement of one of the UK’s most famous car designers that persuaded Steve that he should own a 500.…

Luke_Wilkinson@dennis.co.uk @LT_Wilkinson • New entry-level SUV planned • Will share much with i20 HYUNDAI’S best-selling models are SUVs and crossovers, and now the Korean brand has revealed that it plans to add another to its line-up. The new model, called the Bayon, will arrive in the UK in the middle of 2021 as a new entry-point into Hyundai’s crossover range. Previewed in our exclusive images, the Bayon will be based on the same platform as the latest i20 supermini, so will sit below the Kona in Hyundai’s current line-up. Official specifications of the new car have yet to be confirmed, but the Bayon is expected to share its chassis and powertrain configuration with the i20. The supermini currently has a petrol-only line-up, consisting of an 83bhp 1.2-litre four-cylinder unit and…

Jonathan_Burn@dennis.co.uk @Jonathan_burn • JCW in line for electrification • GP3-based model due in 2021 MINI has announced that it will develop a fully electric John Cooper Works model – and released these official spy images as confirmation. It was only a few weeks ago that head of MINI Bernd Körber hinted to Auto Express that the company was investigating electric power for future JCW performance models – and we haven’t had to wait long to see what’s coming up. No technical information on the electric JCW has been issued, but these official images clearly show that an electric version of the recently-launched GP3 will be the first hot MINI to go electric. The roof-mounted wing, blistered wheelarches and aggressive bodykit have all been transferred directly from the GP3, but look…

TOYOTA has given the Camry an update for 2021, comprising a minor visual update and tech improvements inside. A new front bumper, a reshaped radiator grille and two new alloy wheel designs in either 17 or 18-inch diameters have been added to the saloon. Inside, a new nine-inch infotainment system replaces the old car’s seven-inch unit and adds support for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto for the first time. A range of new safety kit, such as lanekeeping assist, has also been added.…