THESE are the first images of the new-look Fiat 500 which will be on sale later in the year taking the popular retro model into its second generation.

The new car will be priced from £10,890 - less than £500 more than the current version - and comes with a raft of changes inside and out.

Fiat says that it has made no less than 1,800 alterations to the car which has become a global icon with more than 1.5 million sold since its introduction in 2007.

The 500 is Fiat's answer to the likes of the MINI and can be customised to the hilt.

The new car will be available in a choice of 13 paint jobs - including seven pastel colours and five metallic - plus optional ‘Second Skin' finishes with a variety of patterns including black and yellow or black and red designs.

While the new car is the same size as before it features reworked front and rear ends with changes to the grille and light clusters which now include LED running lights on all models.

At the rear the fog lamp and reversing light have been repositioned to the end of the bumper while the chrome tailgate grab handle is retained above the number plate - a flashback to the original 500 from 1957.

Inside, there are significant changes with a Uconnect system fitted which on top specification versions includes a five-inch touchscreen with full smartphone connectivity.

A seven-inch TFT display is an option and so is Internet connectivity allowing access to the likes of Facebook and Twitter. The car can also be equipped with a TomTom Live sat nav service.

As before, the 500 will be available as a hatchback and a convertible and initially the new model will come with a choice of three engines - two versions of the 0.9-litre TwinAir engine developing either 85 or 105bhp and a 1.2-litre which produces 69bhp.

The lower powered TwinAir variant has a claimed fuel return of 74.3mpg with tax free emissions of 90g/km.

A 1.3-litre diesel with a CO2 figure of 89g/km is slated to arrive later in the year alongside an eco version of the 1.2-litre petrol engine.

Fiat is retaining the 500's three trim levels of Pop, Pop Star and Lounge with air conditioning, body coloured door mirrors and 15-inch alloys standard from the mid-grade model onwards.

Lounge grade includes a panoramic sunroof on the hatchback as well as rear parking sensors and a chrome grille.

The new 500 is due for release in September.