Say the name Fiat 500, and most Americans probably think of the compact sold in the US starting in 2012. However, that car is a tribute to the Fiat 500 introduced in 1957, which holds a place in Italian culture the way the original Mini - opens in new window or tab. does for Brits. Fiat briefly offered them in the US, but sales never took off.
Today, the originals are revered classics, and plenty—like this 1970 model recently offered on eBay—have made their way across the Atlantic.
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After World War II, governments worldwide installed “people’s car” programs to get their citizenry moving. Britain had the Mini, Japan had the Subaru 360 - opens in new window or tab., France had the Citroen 2CV - opens in new window or tab., and Germany’s Volkswagen literally translates to “people’s car.”
The New Little Mouse
Fiat had experience building a hugely successful city car. The 1957 Fiat 500 wasn’t even the original 500. The first Fiat 500 was produced from 1936 to 1955 and nicknamed “Topolino,” Italian for “little mouse.” The “classic” Fiat 500 we see today was called the Nuovo 500—“nuovo” is Italian for “new”—when it debuted.
The Fiat 500 wasn't fast, with barely 13 horsepower from its rear-mounted two-cylinder 479-cc engine. It was tiny, too, measuring less than 10 feet long, not quite half the length of a modern Chevy Suburban - opens in new window or tab.. But it was considered spacious for a car of its size and could seat four adults in a pinch. It was perfect for navigating Italy’s narrow, pre-industrial streets.
What the Fiat lacked in speed and space, it made up for in affordability. And cheap didn’t have to mean ugly. The Fiat 500 oozes charm, with a quizzical frog-looking face and a palette of bright pastel colors. Base models sported a canvas roof that could be rolled back for a convertible-like panoramic opening, though the real reason was to save money on steel.
A premium trim level called the Lusso covered the dash in black plastic, which was considered a luxury option. Most examples made do with painted metal dashboards color-coordinated with the exterior, a far more enchanting setup nowadays.
Later variants of the Fiat 500 gained power, up to 21 horsepower for a Sport trim. The Abarth-tuned version got a whopping 37 horsepower.
Enduring Charm
With cute styling and simplicity of design, it’s no wonder Fiat sought to revive the 500 with a modern remake. It even allowed the company a return to the US market in 2011. After almost a decade, the 500 was once again canceled - opens in new window or tab. after the 2019 model year due to poor sales in the face of ever-larger crossovers.
The classic Fiat 500, however, is experiencing something of a renaissance, having been featured in two summer blockbusters this year. A beautiful eggshell blue example appeared in Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny with Harrison Ford behind the wheel. In Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning, Tom Cruise takes a modified yellow 500 on a thrilling car chase, outrunning the polizia in a fleet of much more powerful Alfa Romeos - opens in new window or tab..
So even as the new new 500 fades from American shores, the Nuovo 500 is poised to become an even more popular collector’s item.
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