PRECIOUS metals have taken centre stage at Chrysler - with the Ypsilon supermini line up now boasting Silver, Gold and Platinum models.

The range opens up with the 69bhp 1.2-litre Silver petrol model sporting a price-tag of a shade under £10,000.

For that I discovered you get quite a lot of motor as Chrysler have been hard at work improving the interior and exterior styling giving the small car more personality and kerb appeal.

There is a revamped colour scheme - including three new colours - Marble Grey, Khaki Grey, and Sapphire Blue - as well as a selection of finishes to items like the hub cap centres, front grille, dashboard panel and door mirror covers which are available in either gloss black or matt dark grey.

The Ypsilon also features natty new seats and a choice of three Fiat-sourced petrol and diesel engines - a 1.3-litre MultiJet 95bhp diesel, a 0.9-litre 85bhp petrol and the 1.2-litre power unit under the bonnet of my motor.

While it is not going to set anyone's hair on fire with a 0-62mph time north of 13 seconds, I found this Ypsilon to be nippy around town with reasonable fuel economy and emissions figures keeping running costs down.

The Silver version has replaced the S model and is comparably equipped with remote keyless entry, electric front windows, spoiler and powered door mirrors. Safety is covered by four airbags and a side curtain to protect occupants.

Gold gets 15-inch alloy wheels, air conditioning, leather-wrapped steering wheel and power door mirrors plus the addition of Blue&Me as standard equipment allowing the driver to connect an external music device as well as Bluetooth technology for making telephone calls on the road.

The flagship 0.9 TwinAir Auto Platinum version - priced at £14,895 - is packed with goodies including 16-inch alloy wheels, automatic climate control, rear power windows, cruise control, part leather seats and Magic Parking, which helps you park in tight spaces.

However the most striking thing about the Ypsilon is its coupe-style looks which catch the eye thanks to a blizzard of curves, creases and straight lines.

Step inside and you find a decent driving position easy to achieve before you notice the pleasing high-set gearlever accessing the five-speed transmission.

There's a big central instrument pod which dominates proceedings - although I found it a bit irritating that the speedometer was closer to the front-seat passenger than the driver.

The car is a natural in the urban jungle thanks to light steering and the elevated driving position while also able to hold its own on the motorway.

The soft suspension set up means the ride is comfortable with only potholes and big bumps making their presence felt in the cabin.

As far as space is concerned the Ypsilon isn't the final frontier but it does offer a reasonable amount of room for a supermini with its 245-litre boot easily able to cope with a family's weekly supermarket shopping - although the golf clubs will have to go on rear seats which split 60:40 but don't fold flat leaving a step in the floor.

Rear passengers will find headroom a little tight due to the coupe-like roofline while the hidden rear door handles fool most into thinking this is a three rather than a five-door model.

Nobody will be tricked into thinking though that this supermini is anything other than a decent offering with an individuality Chrysler hope will allow it to hold its own in a congested marketplace.