TIME for a supermodel in Wheels this week and while some love to pose with a new car Jodie Kidd really is a motoring fan.

Although more usually found behind the wheel of a Maserati, Jodie – pictured – has now become the first person in the UK to take a Fiat ‘eco’ test drive in a new initiative designed to highlight the benefits of environmentally-friendly motoring. Jodie, 6ft 2in, used a new Fiat 500 city car to take her eco test at the start of the new programme. It’s currently being piloted at a limited number of Fiat dealerships – but if successful could be in the south soon. Under the initiative, every customer who visits a participating Fiat dealer will be offered the chance to take an eco test drive. It’s similar to a standard test drive of a new car, but it also measures drivers’ performance in terms of the environment.

The test uses eco:Drive, Fiat’s unique technology employing the widely acclaimed Blue&Me entertainment and communications system. Plugging a USB key into the Blue& Me port allows eco:Drive to record information about your driving style. Inserting the USB into a computer then shows how you performed and how you can become a more efficient driver.

The system analyses driving techniques and awards marks out of 100, providing a score on an eco:Index. This shows how efficiently you have driven based on acceleration, deceleration, gear changes, and speed. Step-by-step tutorials then help you improve the score, showing you how to perfect your driving.

“The Fiat 500 is a lovely car,” said Jodie Kidd. “And eco:Drive technology is absolutely right for the moment. People should be thinking more about their driving and the environment – it’s a great idea.”

Meanwhile, the Fiat Bravo is now eco:Drive enabled, giving the stylish family hatchback the same capability as the 500 and Grande Punto. During 2009 the system will be extended to all Fiat models which feature Blue&Me.