Meet the style enthusiast, thriving in a world where charisma rules and fashion is a way of life, even if it means harking back to yesteryear and paying more for a label. This is exactly where these three charming little cars pitch their tents and when trendsetters lay down wads of cash for them, they’re not doing so because the value for money proposition was too hard to ignore.

Though they’re not exactly direct competitors, these three retro renegades all fall roughly around the R200K mark, with the Fiat 500 at R180 000, the Mini Cooper at R194 000 and the VW Beetle 2.0 at R236 500. And they’re all retro-inspired cars that throw any rational buying arguments out the window in favour of nostalgic styling that pushes the emotional buttons to the point irrational overload.

Ironically enough, each one harks back to an iconic ‘people’s car’ that was a cheap, no-nonsense runabout in its day.

Fiat 500

With utterly amiable and dare I say ‘cute’ styling, the new 500 could end up commanding a cult following all on its own, despite the fact that the original 500 was hardly ever seen on our streets. It’s certainly pulled more than a few heartstrings in this office.

The original Cinquecento (pronounced ‘ching-kwe-chento’) as the 500 was lovingly dubbed by many Ites, captured many hearts when it first broke loose fifty years ago and now Fiat has resurrected it as a trendy and expensive city car. While appearing modern in all the right ways, the new 500 has successfully revived that cheeky look of the original and all the important details are there, like the petite round headlights, the ‘whiskers’ surrounding the front badge, the pert compact shape and even the ‘bicycle saddle’ rear handle.

Of course, you can option it up the ying yang, with both internal and external addenda. It goes much further than just choosing between 12 exterior colours and a wide range of 15- and 16-inch alloy wheels; if you’re prepared to spend the extra tong, there are up to 500 000 different personalization options in the 500, everything from side stickers to racing stripes and you can even have a chequered flag painted on the roof if you want. Of course, there are numerous interior options too.

Beneath the skin, the 500 is soundly engineered, but it’s not exactly cutting edge. Engine choices include a 51kW 1.2-litre 8-valve and like our test unit, a 74kW 1.4-litre 16-valve similar to that found in the Panda 100HP. Due to the car’s low kerb mass, the engine punches comfortably above its weight and against our clock, it reached 100km/h from standstill in just 10.5 seconds. The engine’s raspy tone penetrates the cabin quite profoundly when you’re shunting it, so while it might lose points for those seeking refinement, we feel it adds to the sporting character of the car. The engine’s mated to a six-speed gearbox, which helps achieve a good balance between sprinting ability and frugal highway cruising. But if you want real performance, wait for the Abarth version.

The 500 is fun to drive and with stiff suspension settings, it’s really nippy around corners, but despite having speed-sensitive power steering, the steering feels a little too light at high speeds. The ride quality is rather choppy but nothing you won’t be able to live with.

Despite the mass of hard plastics, the interior really imparts a sense of occasion, due to the retro design and liberal use of colours. It’s comfortable enough for front occupants, although the front seats don’t adjust low enough and the steering wheel has no reach adjustment. It’s also rather cramped in the back, though still has a bit more rear legroom than the Mini. Don’t expect to pack the kitchen sink in the boot though.

In essence, the 500 is a really lovable little car, but at R180K, it is very expensive for what you’re getting.

MINI Cooper

Arguably the most successful retro car to date, Mini is the car 500 is clearly out to get and now in its second incarnation, it still has tremendous appeal for the trendy set, even if the 500 is the flavour of this week.

Like the 500, the MINI’s styling manages to tread the fine line between cute and cheeky, and it’s still an instantly recognisable tribute to its predecessor, but interpreted in a far more modern and racy kind of way. And not only is the MINI the only car here that remains true to the mechanical layout of its ancestor, but it also mimics the sporty nature of the original Cooper and Cooper S Minis.

The first time I drove the original Mini, it felt much like a go-kart and all I wanted to do was find some tight corners to chuck it into. That was a natural by-product of slim weight and low stance. The new MINI still puts you low to the ground and has its wheels in the far corners, while BMW engineering makes it highly satisfying to drive. It has the most sophisticated underpinnings of this group and as a result it still handles like a kart and the ride is not bad either.

Of course, if real performance is on the wish list, you’d no doubt opt for the turbocharged MINI Cooper S, but if that’s not a priority or if you can’t stretch your budget past R200K, the naturally aspirated 1.6-litre Cooper, with variable valve control, performs more than adequately. Its 88kW and 160Nm are nothing to sniff at and it’s a very flexible engine too, with 140Nm of twist available from 2000rpm.