Fiat 500 collects Car of the Year award

The Fiat 500 was awarded the coveted Car of the Year award last night at a lavish ceremony in Berlin.

The car was elected by 58 specialist journalists from 22 European countries - with some 33 members of the jury placing the car in first position.

Fiat has now won 12 of the world's most prestigious automobile award, with the previous crown being taken by the Fiat Panda back in 2004.

"We have gone a long way in a short space of time, and I am proud to be able to underline that Fiat was the fastest growing car brand in Europe last year," said Sergio Marchionne, chief executive of Fiat Group Automobiles, who received the award.

"The 500 is not a final target for the brand, but just the first stage in the ongoing development of the new Fiat, which is why we see the 500 as not just a car, but as a 'travelling agenda' of what we want to achieve."

At just 3.5 metres long the vehicle is one of the smallest to have been awarded a five-star Euro NCAP rating, and also includes seven airbags.

It is also the first car to be launched with an engine range (69 bhp 1.2, 75 bhp 1.3 multiJet with DPF and 100 bhp 1.4 16v) that already reaches Euro five emissions limits, more than two years before these become law.

More than 140,000 orders have already been taken by Fiat for the new model.