Fiat 500 makes "10 reliable cars that refuse to die" list

MSN posted an article on 10 cars that refuse to die. Number six on the list is the Fiat 500, made from 1957-1975. Readers of this blog already know the history of this legendary car, so it's not a surprise to us.

In the article they say "...the Italian maker cranked out 3.4 million between 1957 and 1975, many of which are still plying Italy's narrow streets today. It helps that the two-cylinder car is outrageously simple -- basically, a lawnmower with a roof."

Dante Giacosa

However, this statement doesn't do the Fiat 500 justice, because, although the 500 appears to be simple, it is an engineering and design masterpiece, created by two of the most legendary automotive designers/engineers of the 20th century; Dante Giacosa and Aurelio Lampredi.

You can read more about this iconic design here.

Fiat Nuova 500...The Abarths

1957 Fiat 500 Abarth

Abarth is an Italian manufacturer famous for creating record breaking racing cars and performance tuning car engines for regular road use and racing. It was founded by Karl (Carlo) Abarth who was an Austrian that lived in Turin, Italy.

At the 1957 Turin Motor Show, Carlo Abarth exhibited an Abarth version of the Fiat Nuova 500, just launched by Fiat, which boosted the standard horsepower of 13 bhp to 20 bhp, and the top speed from 85 km/h (53 mph) to 100 km/h (62 mph). He did this without altering the engine capacity but by increasing the compression ratio (from 6.55:1 to 8.7:1), and fitting a Weber 26 IMB carburettor and a special Abarth exhaust.

Fiat 500 Abarth at Monza Racetrack

On October 15, 1957, Abarth sent a number of Fiat 500 Abarth tuned cars to the Monza racing circuit for a demonstration of the performance potential of the Fiat 500 with the �Abarth treatment�. It was a spectacular demonstration but that was just the beginning.

In 1958, Abarth came out with an even hotter version of the Fiat Nuova 500. Abarth increased the compression ratio to 10.5:1, revised the intake and exhaust system and increased the power output to 26 bhp and top speed of 118 km/h (73 mph). That year a Fiat 500 Abarth performed a �marathon� test that broke 6 international world records. In seven days and seven nights it covered a distance of 18,186 kilometers (11,300 miles) at an average speed of 108 km/h (67 mph). The records shattered were:

In 4 days, 10,457 km (6,498 miles) at an average of 108.9 km/h (67.67 mph);
In 5 days, 12,933 km (8,034 miles) at an average of 108.2 km/h (67.23 mph);
15,000 km (9,321 miles) in 139 hr 16� 33� at an average of 107.6 km/h (66.86 mph);
In 6 days, 15,530 km (9,650 miles) at an average of 107.8 km/h (66.98 mph);

10,000 miles in 149 hr 09� 29� at an average of 107.8 km/h (66.98 mph);
In 7 days, 18,186 km (11,300 miles) at an average of 108.2 km/h (67.67 mph).

In 1963 Abarth came out with an upgraded version of the Fiat 500. Abarth called it the 595, and had a corresponding engine size increase from 499.5 cc to 595 cc with power going up to 27 bhp. The engine size increase, along with the adoption of a Solex C28 PBJ carburettor, enabled this Fiat 500 Abarth to pass the 120 km/h (75 mph) mark. It was an impressive performer and could be ordered as a ready assembled car or as a kit for an extra 145,000 lire.

But there was still more, with the seemingly unlimited potential of the Fiat 500, Abarth went on to develop the more powerful 595 ss with power eventually reaching 34 bhp and a top speed of over 130 km/h (81 mph).

Fiat Abarth 595SS and Abarth 695 SS

Several evolutions of the 595 appeared in 1964, the 595 SS convertible saloon, the 695, and the 695 SS in 1965 and 1966. Over the years, 500 Abarths became legendary and introduced the fashion of turning ones own car into a 500 Abarth. It became popular for people, unable to purchase an Abarth, to try to get hold of the styling accessories. As a result, there were a number of very normal 500 D on the road that resembled the 595, stylistically at least. This was popular in the 1960's and still continues today.

The many accomplishments of the legendary Fiat 500 Abarth, from world records, to numerous racing wins are an important part of the DNA that makes up the Fiat Nuova 500. This DNA is being called upon by Fiat in the New 500 that started being designed in 2004 for the launch on the 50th anniversary of the the 500 in 2007.

References: Fiat Group Auto and Fiat.com

Guide to the Fiat Nuova 500

Never had a chance to drive a Fiat Nuova 500? Are you curious? Well with this guide, you really get the feeling of what it's like to live with one of these gems.

Ignition

The operation was divided into three stages. First you had to insert the key into the switch at the center of the dashboard and turn it to the right. Then you had to lift the choke and carburettor lever on the left behind the gearshift between the two front seats, modulating the height on the basis of the outside temperature. It was a fine art. You learned it with practice, and it helped to avoid flooding the engine or causing it to malfunction. The third and last part was to pull the other lever up, which was connected to the starter motor. One turn, two turns, sometimes a small bang, the 500 gave a shudder� and that was it. The two-cylinder engine had started with its unmistakable sound. As the engine temperature increased you could lower the first lever. But if you did it too soon, the engine would hiccup and lose power� So you lifted the lever again slightly and the engine ran more smoothly, until it had warmed up and you could lower the lever altogether.

Battery

The technologies of the 1950s and even later, meant that the battery had to be treated with great care. And not only because the 500�s battery was tiny, stuck in the front boot next to the spare wheel. The manufacturer recommended �every 2,500 kilometers, when the battery is rested and cold, check the electrolyte in each cell�, adding distilled water if necessary, verifying the levels again in the Summer and checking the terminals every 10,000 kilometers. But in spite of all this, in those days batteries seemed to have a mind of their own. They decided when they were going to �go on strike�, and you never knew when, or why.

Keys

There were two, one that opened the doors and the other for the ignition. No duplicates were provided, and you had to note down the serial number immediately, so that you could obtain a copy from the Fiat network if one was lost or damaged. Anyone who has had a 500, of whatever series, will remember that the keys were made of very light metal, which deformed easily, but which could also be heated with a cigarette lighter in Winter if the locks froze in the cold weather, to open the doors.

Quarter lights

The two glass triangles were needed to regulate the quantity of outside air that entered the interior if you did not want to lower the two side windows to change the air. When it was wet, they helped to demist the interior of the windscreen. And because of the minute size of the ashtray on the 500, well-mannered smokers also used the quarter lights to tip their ash outside, while the less well-mannered, unfortunately, tipped out their fag ends. The quarter lights were also very useful to car thieves: by twisting one slightly (they were hinged precariously to the frame) and fiddling with the seal, the window would not be irreparably damaged but would open sufficiently for a hand to reach the lever and release the door.

Economy

�Bear in mind that a few minute�s advantage gained by covering a certain distance at excessive speed may mean considerable extra expense in terms of fuel, tires and maintenance. It is like throwing money out of the window, while common sense can save money�. This advice, which is pertinent today in spite of the rather old-fashioned tone, was contained in the 16th edition (1963) of the booklet �Advice for users�, a sort of collection of �guidelines for good motorists� that Fiat enclosed with every Owner�s Handbook on its cars. �Avoid useless acceleration�, the text went on, �and do not remain in lower speeds when the engine is over-revving, avoid sharp braking and slow down by exerting less pressure on the accelerator. Consider the vehicle as a living being that has its own needs and limits, like all organisms, beyond which it is best not to force it. Do not expect more than it is able to give, only use the whip in exceptional circumstances, give it hay and oats, store it carefully in the stable and if it has problems, have them looked into ��.

Fiat refrigerator

This does not seem to have much to do with the Fiat 500, but in a way, it does. The well-being of the 1950s and 1960s in Italy was due partly to the car and the increase in mass motorization, but also to the development of �white� home appliances, cookers, refrigerators and washing machines. In the Lingotto plant, Fiat also manufactured refrigerators and washing machines, which were extremely sturdy and efficient, as the many people who had one or saw one work can testify. The home appliance sector was not marginal for the company, and numerous reports by the Board to the Stockholders proudly refer to �the considerable developments of the electric home appliances that we (the company ed. note.) make at Lingotto� among the Complementary and accessory activities.

Grinding the gears

This is a rough term, even linguistically, which referred to the need to double clutch, i.e. touching the accelerator between one gear and the other with the clutch pedal depressed, which was typical of the 500 and �cinquecentisti�. The �masters� of the double clutch would do so when they changed down and up. For many people, if it was executed perfectly, double clutching improved the performance of the 500, it certainly made gear changes easier, and represented an action typical of the car and of the times for anyone who ever drove a 500 even for a few minutes.

Hot

The heating on the Fiat 500. It was decidedly rudimentary, regulated by a lever at the back of the tunnel on the right, behind the passenger seat, and therefore practically unreachable by the passenger without a great deal of arm-twisting. Only the driver could easily control the lever which, when it was turned to the right, directed hot air from the engine bay into the interior of the car, and through a pipe up to two slits on the facia. The small size of the 500 cabin, a sporting spirit and the younger age of most occupants, meant that the 500 was never considered a �cold� car. If anything, at times, it was almost too hot.

Switches

There were 3 on the Fiat 500: one to illuminate the instruments, one for the external lights and one for the windscreen wipers. They were all on the facia, each one a small flick switch surrounded by a knurled ring nut. One of the distinctive features of the 500, apart from the switches, was the legendary black rubber pump for the windscreen washer (to the right of the steering wheel under the edge of the facia, and it had to be held down, just the right amount of time, to prevent it from clogging). Then there was a manual accelerator, positioned under the document pocket below the facia on the latest series (from the F of 1965).

Lubrication:

The mass of lubricants required by the Fiat 500, and the short interval between oil top-ups or changes underline how cars have evolved, as in the case of the battery mentioned earlier. Today, when fluids only have to be changed after tens of thousands of kilometers, it is difficult to accept that on the 500 the engine oil level had to be checked every 500 km, and changed every 10,000 km or 6 months; when the engine was new, the running-in oil had to be replaced after 1,500 km and then again after 4-5000 km.

There were also three types of �grease� needed to lubricate other mechanical parts. The Fiat 500 was an extremely sturdy car, but roads, materials and technologies required activities and remedies that are unthinkable today. For example, every 20,000 km, Fiat asked that the door hinges be lubricated �using a brush dipped in engine oil�.

The precious 16th edition (1963) of the booklet �Advice to users� contained some advice about driving in traffic that is worth rereading. �Using the horn and flashing headlights is not an insurance policy against accidents. Misusing them will only earn you unflattering comments from other people�.

Or: �Avoid any nervous reactions when you are at the wheel; do not get angry with other road users and refrain from retaliating (sic) against drivers of other vehicles: the road is not a race track�. And finally, �remember that driving well is no more difficult than driving badly, and make sure that anyone you know will be able to praise your skill and prefer you to be at the wheel rather than other people�.

We must underline that the booklet was written 44 years ago.

Naphthalene

The �Advice to users� also recommended that �if the car is not used for some time, it is best to scatter naphthalene, camphor or similar products on the upholstery in order to prevent attacks from moths�. The interior of the 500 was upholstered with plastic fabrics, but Fiat decided it was better to be safe than sorry. As for the tires, the booklet recommended removing them, storing them in a safe place, and �dusting the insides of the tires and the inner tubes with talcum powder�.

The advantages of plastic

This material is considered cheap if it is used on a car today. But on the Fiat 500 L of 1969, where the L stands for Lusso or Luxury, Fiat underlined several times in the Owner�s Manual that the polished and black plastic materials used for certain components were not just aesthetic but �made of plastic�, a material which, 30 years ago, evidently represented a �plus�.

We should also mention the 500�s ashtray again. It was assembled in a single piece, with chrome plated metal for the surround and the opening tag, while all the rest was painted mat black; it had to be removed from the facia to be cleaned (considering that it held a maximum of two butts). The result was usually ash all over the interior, and an invitation not to smoke.

Control panel

The speedometer and mileage counter was round, under a light plastic dome with the numbers indicating the speed against a black background. Inside the pointer was red and the speeds were marked with small disks that indicated the maximum speeds as well as a numerical mileage counter, without decimals. At the bottom there were four telltales: a green one for the side lights, red for low generator or battery charge, red for the fuel reserve (not present on the first versions) which was illuminated when there were from 3 to 5 liters remaining in the tank, out of a total of 22, and another red one for low oil pressure. The 500 L, or Lusso, on the other hand, had a rectangular control panel, which looked enormous on the 500�s small facia, and was derived from the larger panels of bigger models.

And what about a radio

Fiat did not offer one, not even as an option. From the mid 1960s Autovox and Voxson radios began to appear, and some people fitted a German Blaupunkt which provided the best sound quality, even if it was more expensive. Because it was impossible to fit a radio into the facia, it had to be mounted on two slides attached under the facia, together with the single loudspeaker, which limited passenger legroom to a certain extent. The aerial emerged from the edge of the nose next to the bonnet and was anchored to the driver�s side drip channel.

Seats

The front seats moved on two metal runners and the position could be adjusted with a lever. To access the rear seat, the squab of the front seat was folded forward, lifting and inclining the entire seat (cushion and squab). To load luggage the rear seat could be removed and the squab folded. On request (standard on the L), from the late 1970s, the squab of the front seats could have 4 adjustments. And after the 4th position, the squab rested on the rear seat.

Sunroof

Always useful; to change the air inside, to make the 500 feel like a cabrio, to celebrate some sporting event (who does not remember the nights of the Mexico 70 World Cup when flags and celebrating fans emerged from the roof of the 500), but also to give a unique car a unique feature.

Tools

These were initially supplied in a canvas and then a plastic bag. Two spanners of various sizes, a punch, a double screwdriver, an Allen key for the spark plugs, the crank to fit the wheels to the hubs and the jack. It was actually an extensive assortment for a runabout, which reflects the period in which the 500 was built, a time when doing your own repairs was a point of pride. In addition to which, the simplicity of the 500 also made for fast emergency repairs.

Running in

For the first 700 km, Fiat advised motorists not to exceed 15 km/h in 1st and 60 in 4th, and from 700 to 1,500 (first maintenance between 1,500 and 2,000 km) 20 km/h in 1st and 75 in 4th. A second maintenance check was envisaged at 4,000 km at �the Service Stations that Fiat has established in Italy and abroad for better assistance to its customers.

Performance and maximum gradients negotiable in the various speeds by the 500 F (engine 499.5 cc, 18 bhp) as indicated in the User�s Manual: 23 km/h in 1st, 40 km/h in 2nd, 65 km in 3rd and approximately 95 km/h in 4th. Gradients: 26% in 1st, 13% in 2nd, 7% in 3rd and 3.5% in 4th.

Engine bay

This could be opened by a lever, but the lid could also be removed completely. This solution was very popular with mechanics when they had to carry out longer, more complicated operations entailing more than a simple check and top-up.

The guide to the Fiat 500 concludes with a pumpkin. In the story of Cinderella, the pumpkin is transformed into a carriage and allows her dream to come true because �dreams are desires�. The 500 was certainly no pumpkin, but it was transformed into a dream car in its 18 years of life, accompanying people�s dreams and making them come true. And it did so 3,893,294 times.

The above was courtesy of Fiat Group Auto Press.

Different models of the Fiat Nuova 500

As I've posted before, to find out the significance of the New Fiat 500 , it helps to find out where it came from and the legacy it inherited. Here's the continuation of the story of the Fiat Nuova 500. This covers the versions from 1957 to 1975.

The Nuova 500 (1957 - 1960)

Output: over 181,000 units
(including the �economica�: �normale and �Sport versions)
Launch price: 465,000 lire

The Fiat Nuova 500 made its debut in the Summer of 1957, with an excessively Spartan outfit, just two seats and a rear bench. The car could only accommodate two people, but could carry 70 kg (154 lbs) of luggage (very important at the time).

Fiat Nuova 500 (1957-1960)

The 500 was 2.97 meters (116.92 inches) long, 1.32 meters (51.97 inches) wide and 1.325 meters (52.17 inches) tall. It had a wheelbase of 1.84 meters (72.44 inches). Empty it weighed 470 kg (1036 lbs), and fully laden 680 kg(1499 lbs). The rounded, well-proportioned lines recalled an egg, and one distinctive feature was the canvas roof that opened right to the rear of the vehicle, like the one on the 500 Topolino. The roof incorporated the transparent plastic rear window. The design of the Nuova 500, by Dante Giacosa, won the designer the prestigious �Golden Compass� award for industrial design in 1959.

The engine of the 500 was a new petrol engine with 2 cylinders in line and air-cooled (it was Fiat�s first air-cooled engine) with a capacity of 479 cc, delivering 13 bhp. The gearbox had 4 speeds with rapid engagement on 2nd, 3rd and 4th. Braking was hydraulic on all four wheels. The transmission was of the oscillating axle shaft type and drive was obviously to the rear wheels, with the engine positioned at the rear of the car, the second time in Fiat history, after the 600 launched in 1955. Top speed was 85 km/h (53 mph) and average consumption was 4.5 liters /100 km (52.3 mpg).

Fiat Nuova 500 Cutaway

The front suspension was independent with upper cross links, a transverse lower leaf spring and telescopic dampers at the front, and independent, with cross links, large coil springs and telescopic dampers at the rear. Because there was no other space available, the 20-liter (5.3 gal) barrel-shaped fuel tank was located under the front bonnet.

One of the characteristic features of the Nuova 500 were the pressed metal wheels without hub caps that were painted a light color; the headlights were recessed flush with the body at the front, and oval at the rear. There were no direction indicators on the front, replaced by the large drop-shaped indicators on the sides. On the front was the Fiat logo, surrounded by a sort of grille with two chrome-plated whiskers. There was a chrome trim on the front bonnet, which had a purely stylistic role. The doors were hinged at the rear, opening with the wind.

The equipment and fittings were kept to a minimum; for example, the windscreen wiper did not have an automatic return, and the few tools provided, such as the jack, were kept in a canvas bag in the boot.

The Nuova 500 first series received its first alterations for the 1957 Turin Motor Show (i.e. just three months after its launch). It had not been a great success with the public. The client�le found it much too Spartan, and two seats were considered too few. In other words, the improvement over the scooter (and a costly one at that) was not yet perceived or perceivable by the client�le.

That was not all: the difference in price with respect to the basic 600 (launched in 1955) penalized the new Fiat. The 600 had a more powerful engine (633 cc, 21.5 bhp and a top speed of 95 km/h (59 mph)) and carried 4 passengers + 30 kg (132 lbs) of luggage. It also had better equipment, was more of a car, and cost 590,000 lire, just 125,000 lire more than the 500. So Fiat was quick to act, introducing two modified versions, which it called the 500 �Normale� and 500 �Economica�. Although their names seemed to indicate the opposite, they offered more equipment, could seat 4 thanks to a �real�, homologated rear seat that was also slightly padded, and had a more powerful engine, but cost 25,000 lire less than the first 500. The comparison with the 600 improved.

Fiat Nuova 500

The additions to the car included chrome-plated shields to the front headlights, descending side lights, deflectors, front quarter lights, lateral trims, improved facia controls, chrome-plated hubcaps, and a new rear model tag. The canvas roof stopped at the rear edge of the roof, and remained like that on subsequent versions of the car. The engine was also boosted by increasing the compression ratio, and adopting a new carburettor and camshaft. The power delivery increased from 13 to 15 bhp, and the top speed was 5 km/h higher at 90 km/h (56 mph).

The price was 490,000 lire, therefore more than the first 500, and just 100,000 lire less than the 600 with which it was compared.



The Nuova 500 Sport saloon and open roof (1958 - 1960)
Price: 560,000 lire (saloon) and 495,000 (open roof)

Fiat 500 Sport (1958-1960)

In the Summer of 1958 Fiat launched the Sport version to differentiate and further strengthen the 500 range. The car initially had a rigid roof and a red stripe below the roof, and in some cases, even a two-tone body. The engine was more powerful, and the capacity increased to 499.5 cc, delivering 21.5 bhp, for a top speed went up 10km/h to 105 km/h (65 mph). Consumption also increased, but only marginally, to 4.8 liters/100 km (48 mpg). But it returned to the 2-seat layout, with a rear bench that was not suitable for passengers. However the luggage capacity increased to 70 kg (154 lbs) once again.
In 1959 an open-roofed version of the Sport appeared, with a canvas roof that stopped just behind the front seats. The doors were still hinged at the rear and, where styling was concerned, the tires no longer had white walls (synonymous with elegance at the time) but were plain black, more gutsy but also less expensive, and the seats were made of plasticated, washable solid tone fabric (mainly red) with a red band at the top.




The 500 Giardiniera (1960 � 1977)
Output 458,000 units
(including the cars built by Autobianchi)
Launch price: 565,000 lire

Fiat 500 Giardiniera (1960-1977)

The Giardiniera, the station wagon version of the 500, was launched in May 1960. The car had a 499.5 cc engine delivering 17.5 bhp, which took this mini estate to 95 km/h (59mph), with fuel consumption of 5.2 liters/100 km (45.3 mpg). The most important element, technically, was the different architecture of the twin-cylinder engine which was laid on its side �like a sole�, as they said at Fiat, so that it could fit under the flat loading surface. This same engine also powered the 126 in the latter days of its life, on the Bis version of the late 1980s which had a rear opening tailgate, and even on the first Cinquecento in 1991, suitably modified and evolved.


To go back to the Fiat 500 Giardiniera, the engineers at Mirafiori increased the wheelbase by 10 centimeters (.39 inches) to boost the load capacity. This made the car 3.182 meters long (125.28 inches), 1.323 meters ( 52.09 inches) wide and 1.354 meters (53.31 inches) tall with a wheelbase of 1.940 meters (76.38 inches). Empty, the car weighed 555 kg (1223.57 lbs) and fully laden 875 kg (1929.04 lbs). In terms of engineering, the brakes were still hydraulic on all four wheels, the gearbox still had 4 speeds with rapid engagement on 2nd, 3rd and 4th, and the suspension architecture also remained the same.


The Giardiniera had a payload of 4 adults + 40 kg ( 88.18 lbs) of luggage, but the rear seat squab folded down to increase load capacity. With only the driver on board, the 500 Giardiniera could carry up to 200 kg ( 440.92 lbs) of luggage.

Fiat 500 Giardiniera

The styling was typical of a small station wagon of its day, with the rounded lines of the 500 saloon at the front and the addition of two round direction indicators, while those at the side were smaller, with two front doors (still rear-hinged), and a small rear tailgate that opened from right to left, being hinged on the left. The rear side windows slid open to improve ventilation and change the air. There was a long canvas sunroof. The Giardiniera was initially built at Mirafiori, on the same assembly lines as the saloon, but in 1966 it was transferred to Desio and built by Autobianchi (which had entered the Fiat orbit in the mid Fifties). A total of 327,000 Fiat 500 Giardiniera's were built (and at the end of its life, some appeared with only the Autobianchi name and without the Fiat logo on the front and rear).




The 500 D (1960 � 1965)
Output: over 642,000 units
Launch price: 450.000 lire

Fiat 500D (1960-1965)

The new 500 series D was launched in the Autumn of 1960. The engine capacity was increased to 499.5 cc, and this version inherited the engine of the Sport version, which was taken off the market. It had a power output of 17.5 bhp, a top speed of 95 km/h (59.03 mph) and average consumption of 4.8 liters/100 km (49 mpg). The car was homologated for 4 people with 40 kg (88.18 lbs) of luggage. The unladen weight also increased to 500 kg (1102.31 lbs) (the first 500 of 1957 weighed 470 (1036.17 lbs), and this reflected an important increase in content and stronger materials) and 820 kg (1807.79 lbs) fully laden.

Fiat 500D

The line obviously did not change, and the doors were still hinged at the rear but the design of the front and side direction indicators changed, adopting those on the Giardiniera, the rear light clusters changed and the canvas roof was now sturdier, easier to open and slightly smaller. The white walls returned on the tires.

Fiat 500D

The fuel tank on the 500 D lost its barrel shape but remained in the front; its new less bulky form took up a little less space in the boot although it increased in size from 20 liters (7.1 cubic feet) to 22 liters (7.8 cubic feet). A fold-down rear squab was adopted, after the success of the solution of the Giardinetta.



500 F (1965 � 1972)
Output: 2,272,000 (including the 500 L)
Launch price: 475,000 lire

Fiat 500F (1965-1972)

The 500 F made its debut in March 1965 (it was joined by the 500 �Lusso� in 1968), and it was the first version to feature front-hinged doors which were safer even in an accident, and made it possible to hide the ugly door hinges for the first time, 8 years after the first series of the 500. In terms of engineering, the transmission was made more robust, with a number of improvements to the clutch, drive axles and differentials.

The engine still had a capacity of 499.5 cc, but now delivered 18 bhp, taking the 500 F to a speed of 95 km/h (59 mph). Fuel consumption also increased compared to previous versions, to 5.5 liters/100 km (42.76 mpg). The weight rose to 520 kg (1146.4 lbs) empty and 840 km (1851.88 lbs) fully laden. The car maintained its 4-seat homologation definitively with a maximum 40 kg (88.18 lbs) of luggage. The gradient negotiable (ability to climb a steep incline) was now 26% compared to 23% on the first series.

Fiat 500F

Inside, there were a number of improvements and additional equipment and materials. With the 500 F, Fiat began to differentiate the range by price, styling and content. The engineers at Mirafiori designed a �basic� version, the 500 F and a better equipped version, the 500 �Lusso�, which was launched in 1968.




500 L � �Lusso� (1968 � 1972)
Output: 2,272,000 units (including the 500F)
Launch price: 525,000 lire

Fiat 500L (1968-1972)

This version, which appeared in September 1968, had a clear mission: to meet the demands of a client�le looking for a car that was more comprehensive, more customized and more �luxurious�. These motorists were prepared to spend as much as 525,000 lire, in other words, 100,000 lire more than the 500 F. Marketing, evolving tastes and changing lifestyles were leading the people at Mirafiori to develop a car that was a small status symbol for its day. The age of the Spartan car was already coming to an end, because the customer wanted more.



The 500 L did not change where the engineering and performance were concerned (engine capacity of 499.5 cc, 18 bhp, top speed of 95 km/h or 59 mph), but fuel consumption was down to 5.3 liters/100 km (44.37 mpg) from 5.5 liters/100 km (42.76 mpg) on the 500 F.



The interior and exterior styling of the 500 L was new. Chrome nudge bars on the front and rear bumpers increased the length to 3.025 meters (c119.09 inches) compared to 2.970 meters (116.93 inches) on the 500 F (the weight also increased by 10 kg (22.05 lbs) to 530 km (1168.45 lbs) empty). The front and rear light clusters changed radically, and the two round front headlights, the direction indicators and the rear lights were all larger.



The Fiat logo on the front also changed, becoming rectangular, whereas on the 500 F it was still surrounded by a grille, with two chrome-silver painted plastic whiskers. A chrome-plated trim appeared on the roof drip channels for the first time. At the rear, the model name in italics used on previous series was abandoned in favor of new rhomboid-shaped brand and model graphics with black upper case lettering, positioned horizontally and no longer transversely on the bonnet, surrounded by squares with a metallic Gray background which recalled the rhomboids of the Fiat trademark, that were used on all Fiat models from 1968.



There was plenty of chrome work, and not only in the seals, new hub trims and radial tires, an important novelty in safety terms. But it was inside that the 500 L lived up to its name as the �luxury� version. For example, the design of the steering wheel changed; it still had two spokes, but with a central recess that was no longer made of plastic but of metal painted matt black, the facia and a number of interior details were redesigned, and the seats were upholstered in leather cloth with vertical quilting, usually in a light hide color or red. The seats themselves were better padded with reclining squabs, and the number and size of the storage compartments increased (for example on the doors).



But the 500 L was a sort of swan song for the model. In 1972, when it was taken off the market, there was a new small Fiat, the 126, and from 1972 to 1975 only one version of the 500 was still in production, the last, and most Spartan version, the 500 R.

Fiat 500L

500 R (from 1972 to 1975)
Output: over 340,000 units
Launch price: 600,000 lire

Fiat 500 R (1972-1975)

Simultaneously, with the presentation of its �heir�, the 126, the last 500 was launched in 1972 at the Turin Motor Show. The car concluded the story begun 15 years earlier, in 1957, with a total of 3,893,294 units built at Mirafiori, at the Autobianchi plant in Desio and, finally, at the SicilFiat plant in Termini Imerese (Palermo), where the last 500 would come off the assembly line in the Summer of 1975.



In the last three years of its career, the 500 R (meaning �Rinnovata�, renewed) used the 594 cc engine of the 126, downgraded to 18 bhp from the 23 of the 126, but it kept the old 500 gearbox. The top speed was increased to 100 km/h (62.14 mph), and it fitted new pressed sheet metal rims with a light alloy effect, but the interiors had less equipment than the previous 500 L; black predominated, on the steering wheel, plastic once again, on the instrument surround and the telltale trims, as well as on the upholstery and some oddment compartments. The 500 R marked a step backwards from the 500 L in terms of equipment and content, which clearly indicated that the model�s life cycle had come to an end.

Fiat 500 R

Fiat�s goal at the time was clear: customers had to move to the square lines of the 126. The age of the rounded curves of the 500 was over, and Italy was no longer the same country that had motorized itself in 15 years (1957 - 1972), thanks in part to the small car designed by Dante Giacosa.

Fiat 126 (1972-1976)

Altogether, the output of the various versions of the 500 exceeded even the 600, another car created by Giacosa, which closed its career with a total of 2,677,313 in 15 years of life, from 1955 to 1970. The 500 Topolino, which was built in Lingotto from 1936 to 1955, reached little more than 509,000 units, partly because of the war. So for many years, until the Uno, Panda and Punto passed the one million mark the legendary 500 of 1957-1972 remained the biggest selling and most built Fiat car.

The Last Nuova Fiat 500 R of 1975

In our next installment of this series we'll explore the Abarth versions of the Nuova 500. Keep an eye out for it!

Design of the Fiat Nuova 500

Let's resume our look at the Fiat Nuova 500 of 1957. In this installment, with the help of Fiat Auto Group Press, we'll look at how the design of the Fiat Nuova 500 came to be.

The 1957 Fiat Nuova 500

The 110 prototype for the Nuova 500

To understand �how� and why the Nuova 500 was born, we have to think not of a mere substitute for the old Topolino (509,650 units between 1936-1955), or of a model that was able to compete with a scooter, in terms of costs and efficiency. Fiat obviously decided to do �something� better. The strategic planning of models had begun again, after the anguish and uncertainty of the war years. Giacosa wrote an interesting description of the �preparatory� stage before the arrival of the car. The most important Italian automotive engineer in the second half of the 20th century, and the true father of the Nuova 500, is the best witness to these events. �While the 600 was still at the experimental stage,� he said, �I had put people back to work on a minimalist car, even smaller and more economical. The Italians wanted cars, and they were willing to make do with even less space, provided it was on four wheels. No matter how small, a car would still be more comfortable than a scooter, particularly in Winter and in the rain. I had people sketch models of unconventional small cars that had to compete with the Vespa in particular.�

As far back as 1939, Fiat had already done some work on �minimalist� cars that had remained at the experimental stage because of the war, which is what happened to �the first type 100 with front-wheel drive and a 500 cc transverse engine, designed in 1947� which was never built. During the war, a prototype, known as the Gregoire, appeared in France attracting a great deal of attention, but again, nothing came of it. But at Mirafiori, the engineers knew that in Germany they were designing small cars like the BMW Isetta, which Giacosa called �half-way between a car and a motorcycle�, and attempts were being made to restart manufacture of the people�s car, the Volkswagen, in viable numbers.

The Deutsche Fiat company had a sort of technological antenna in Germany through its headquarters in Heilbronn and its assembly plant in Weinsberg. A technician called Hans Peter Bauhof worked there, whom Dante Giacosa defined as a man with a �fervid imagination, animated by a restless spirit of initiative�, adding, in what resembled a note to the personnel department, that he was �shy and modest, but ingenious, tenacious and hard-working�.

In 1953, the technician from Heilbronn submitted his proposal (which appears somewhat rustic from the pictures that still remain) for a small car with a single cylinder, 2-stroke engine derived from a motorcycle which, in Giacosa�s words, was �unsuitable for the car that Fiat wanted to build". But Bauhof�s �ideas for the construction of the bodywork� were appreciated in Turin. Bauhof also sent a prototype to Turin, which Giacosa found �interesting for its simplicity�, but the rest of the company considered it �too superficial and insufficient as a car�.

When Bauhof�s proposal to use a motorcycle engine had been discarded, Giacosa continued to work on the 500 project, with the goal of �reduced weight, wheels, suspension and steering�. Using his common sense, half-way between starting from scratch and borrowing something from the 600 which was at an advanced stage of development, in 1954 the engineer decided �that the engine had to be a 4-stroke, with two cylinders in line, which is the simplest, most economical engine, and that it should be air-cooled. It may be positioned transversely, it is simple and has a high mechanical efficiency�. He entrusted the actual design to the engineer Giovanni Torrazza, �the only graduate working for me who knew how to draw� and designed the bodywork himself, because �I was so worried about giving the car an attractive shape, a structure that was as light as possible but sturdy, and simple but economical to build�. Giacosa prepared 2 plaster models, one very similar to the 600 and the other entirely new. �I tried to make the sheet metal surface as small as possible�, he wrote in his book, �in order to limit the weight and the cost, much as I had done for the 600�.

Fiat Nuova 500 Cutaway

His description of the presentation of the two mock-ups of the 500 is involuntarily comic because, as Giacosa recalled, �when I presented the two mock-ups to the Professor (Vittorio Valletta, Fiat Chairman at the time) and to the small Executive Committee, they were silent and perplexed, although they gradually relaxed when they understood the various reasons for things. And because they had to take a decision, they decided to support me, and approved the new version�. In other words, in 1954, the sketch for the bodywork of the Nuova 500 now existed, and it was similar to the car we all know and not the rehashed 600 design.

1957 Fiat Nuova 500 Brochure

The start of development

Giacosa went on to say (after all, no one is better qualified to describe the events) that �once the bodywork was approved, the new model 110 (Fiat internal number-code name for the Nuova 500 project which adopted the �hundreds-based� numbering system for the various �types� and models) was discussed for the first time at the �New types meeting� of October 18, 1954, attended by Giacosa, Vittorio Valletta (Chairman and Managing Director of Fiat), Gaudenzio Bono (also Managing Director and General Manager), Luigi Gajal de la Chenaje (Vice Chairman and Commercial Manager) and other representatives of company management. And on that occasion, the new car shed its project number and was given its first name, or number, the �400�.

At the meeting it was decided that the new model would have a power delivery of 13 bhp, a capacity of 480 cc with overhead valves or �higher with lateral valves�, a top speed of 85 km/h, fuel consumption of 4.5 litres for 100 km, a weight of 370 kg and would carry 2 passengers. �The prototype was to be approved on June 30, 1955 so that production could start in mid 1956�. At the same time, a prototype with 4 seats instead of 2 was also approved, as well as another prototype �but with a different, more luxurious body� for Autobianchi (a company created out of the former Edoardo Bianchi company, set up in 1955 with capital from Fiat, Pirelli and Bianchi). Giacosa also states that the same meeting also approved: the 600 with sunroof, the 600 TV, the 600 Multipla and small van, the 1100 with a 1200-1300 engine and three new models, the 101 - 1400, the 105 - 1900 and the 112 - 2300 cc.

The meeting in the Park at Stupinigi

Nowadays, car makers try to hide their new models, keeping them even from the eyes of employees, or they organize ultra-secret clinic tests, and Dante Giacosa�s description of the presentation of the entire new range of Fiat models, including the 500, is another curious sign of the half century that has passed. It all took place not in a secluded spot, but in the park of the Royal Hunting Lodge at Stupinigi, just outside Turin. The park is open to the public and no manufacturer would use it today to present its entire range of future models to company managers, and also to its major stockholder, since �Avvocato� Gianni Agnelli, Vice Chairman of the company, was also present at the meeting of October 18, 1955.

�The new model meeting was held in the park at Stupinigi,� and Giacosa exhibited the Fiat and Autobianchi versions of the 400 (the 500), the 600 with sunroof, the 600 estate or Multipla, the 1100, the 1400 with 1.6 litre engine, and the 1900 Gran Luce. �The Fiat and Autobianchi (later the Bianchina) prototypes of the 400 were approved�, Giacosa noted without further comments. Another �New model meeting� was held in January 1956, and it was confirmed that production of the 400 (500) would start in the Spring of 1957, followed a few months later by the Autobianchi. �Someone expressed the fear that the public might find the Autobianchi more attractive and appealing than the Fiat, and prefer it�, said Giacosa in his book, �but we decided to set a higher price, closer to the 600, in order to limit demand to no more than 50 cars/day, since Desio (the Autobianchi plant) could not exceed that figure�. At the same meeting, a manager whose name is not known, even proposed giving the 500 to Autobianchi to produce, while Fiat built the Bianchina, but luckily for Fiat the proposal never got off the ground.

Fiat Lingotto Factory in Torino

An investment of 7 billion lire was earmarked for the project, with an output of 300 cars/day. �Valletta persuaded us to turn out 500 units/day of mechanical parts and bodies, but only 300 cars/day worth of other parts that were built in the subsidiary workshops in Lingotto�. The 200 per day not assembled but manufactured and available on hand were used to build up the parts stocks, and if necessary, would be assembled to create the so-called end-of-line �store�. The months leading up to the launch were intense, with road tests, particularly to reduce vibration and engine noise, and to increase reliability and driveability. But at the beginning of the Summer of 1957, the Nuova 500 was ready for the market.

Dante Giacosa

Before we continue with the history of the Fiat 500, let's talk about the man responsible for its design.

Dante Giacosa

Dante Giacosa became one of the most influential car engineer/designers in Automotive history. Born on January 3, 1905. He worked at Fiat from 1930 to 1970. He rose from a design engineer to Car Engineering Manager to head of the Vehicle Engineering department in 1955, and in 1966, Division Manager and Member of the Executive Committee. When he left Fiat in 1970 he remained a consultant �for life�.

In 1927, at 22 years of age, he graduated from Turin Polytechnic with a degree in Mechanical Engineering. He joined Fiat shortly after graduating and, after a period designing diesel and aircraft engines, became Car Engineering Manager in 1933.

In that year, Fiat completed research on small car design arriving at the conclusion that in order for a small car design to be successful it couldn't be a large car scaled down to smaller dimensions (think Pinto, early rwd Toyota Corrolas and Datsun 1200's etc.). It had to be a more advanced design, designed from the start, from the inside out to accommodate passengers and luggage.

Previously, the small car prototypes Fiat had made up to then were modern, conventional designs equal to other competitors, but Fiat management wanted something better. Their design specifications called for a car that would stay ahead of the competition for many years to come, it also had to have lower manufacturing costs. This would require advanced design and engineering.

The Original Fiat 500

Dante Giacosa was the man in charge of this project, the car we know as the original Fiat 500 or Topolino (the Italian name for Mickey Mouse, meaning "little mouse"). What he came up with revolutionized small car design. It had advanced packaging with major mechanical components being placed in ingenious positions to offer the most room and give the car excellent road holding, braking , directional stability and accommodations. The suspension and braking systems were modern and worthy of a car costing much more. It had outstanding fuel economy and excellent reliability. It was also economical to manufacture with around 520,000 cars being produced between 1936 and ending with the 500C of 1955.

The 1955 Fiat 500C

Another outstanding Giacosa design during his tenure was the little known (in the United States) transverse engined, front wheel drive car patented in 1947. This car was called the 100E1. This proceeded British Motor Corp Mini (1959) and offered a short stroke four cylinder OVERHEAD CAM engine compared to th Mini's primitive long stroke overhead valve engine.

This design was rejected at the moment (1947 post war Europe) because of the high costs involved in manufacturing. However, what became clear were the days of conventional front engine/rear wheel drive platforms for the smallest cars were drawing to an end. The space used for the propeller shaft and large rear axle took up too much space in a small car. The engine had to go at either end of the car and had to encompass the transmission.

Rear mounting of the power train was not automatically adopted, though. Rear engine cars of the period where known for treacherous handling in certain conditions. This was totally unacceptable to Fiat and Giacosa.

There were two major factors that played a part in the unacceptable handling. First, the suspension design favored at the time (swing axles) played a critical role in the unacceptable handling. Swing axles undergo severe camber changes near the limit of their suspension travel. This contributes to the loss of adhesion and subsequent loss of control. Giacosa's solution was to adopt a semi trailing arm suspension design. This type of suspension doesn't undergo the severe camber changes and offers more benign handling characteristics. It was more expensive to design but shows where Giacosa and Fiat placed their priorities. It is notable that it took VW and Chevrolet's Corvair many years (and deaths) to adopt a similar semi trailing arm suspension for their cars.

The other factor was the weight and size of the engine. Once the power train went over a certain weight it was difficult to tame the inherent over steering characteristics. This might be entertaining in a sports car but not acceptable in a car made for normal folks with normal driving skill. Through careful engineering, careful placement of components and using light weight castings, Giacosa kept the weight down and minimized the impact the power train had when the car was loaded with passengers.

It should be noted that Fiat used rear engine placement on only their smallest of cars which naturally had the smallest (and lightest) engines. This concept looks like it will make its reappearance on the New 2010 Topolino, a car smaller than the New 500.

The 1955 Fiat 600

All this led to the birth of the 1955 Fiat 600 which replaced the Fiat 500C. Compared to the 500C it replaced it, the 600 had a four inch reduction in wheelbase but sat four adults as opposed to the two in the previous model. It was also lower by an inch and a half but five inches longer. An example of its design excellence is despite the bigger overall dimensions and being a four seater, the car weighed within eleven pounds of the two seater 500C.

The 1955-1960 Fiat 600 Multipla

This brings us to the next car Giacosa's brilliance was demonstrated, the 1957 Nouva 500. We'll go into the design specifics on another post. But briefly, mid Fifties Italy was still devastated from WWII and poor. Two seater micro cars/bubble cars were becoming popular. These typically sat 1-3 people and were arguably closer to a motorcycle than car. Giaoccosa came up with the Nouva 500. A real car people could afford and offered a real automotive experience and then some. Nearly 3.9 million were sold between 1957 and 1975.

The 1957 Nouva Fiat 500

From there, we have a string of legendary cars, each one advancing automotive design into the modern age. The evolutionary 1964 Fiat 850 series, the 1964 Autobianchi Primula ( the precursor to the modern front wheel drive car), the 1966 Fiat 124 series, with it modern designed Twin Cam belt driven engines (the type everyone uses today), the brilliant 1969 Fiat 128 series ( the car which most modern transverse engine front wheel drive cars are based off).

The Fiat 124 Sport Coupe

Before we leave, let's touch on the last car Dante Giacossa did for Fiat, the 1969 Fiat 128. It is a car that has influenced nearly every car on the road today.

Many auto enthusiast know and revere the BMC Austin 7 and Morris Mini. When these cars came out in 1959, they were the first production transverse engined front wheel drive small cars. They showed the dramatic space utilization that this layout could achieve. However, the layout of these cars had some dramatic disadvantages to them that limited the appeal to other major car makers.

The transmission was integrated into the engine sump and shared the same oil supply. This is not a desirable feature for several reasons. First the difficulty and expense of manufacturing. Second , servicing is much more difficult, Thirdly, engines and transmissions like to use oils with different characteristics. And an automatic transmission would be nearly impossible.

These cars also had a radiator fan driven by the engine with the subsequent radiator mounted in the right side fender well. This location was not ideal as it limits packaging alternatives.

Dante Giacosa wanted to separate the engine and transmission to eliminate these problems, so with the 1964 Autobianchi Primula he did. Up until then, most front wheel drive cars had to have the engine and motor removed to change a clutch. This car was the production test bed for Fiat to try out their front wheel drive concept originating with them in 1947.

The1964 Autobianchi Primula

It was a successful start.

Giacosa then designed the Fiat 128 series. This car was the first to combine the transverse mounted engine with separate trans axle, unequal length drive shafts, McPherson strut front suspension, short stroke Overhead Cam engine, front mounted radiator with an electric cooling fan. A full 80% of its space was devoted to passenger room. A popular advertisement for the Fiat 128 back then stated, "it's smaller than a VW Bug, but has more room inside than a Cadillac Eldorado".

The 1969 Fiat 128 Power Train

Giacosa demonstrated with the Fiat 128, that it was a viable power train layout suitable for economical mass production and offered clear advantages over its rivals. After seeing the success of Giacosa's design, other car manufacturers soon brought out their own copies of the 128.

The 1969 Fiat 128

At its peak, the Fiat 128 won more car design awards than any other car in history. A fitting tribute to a man that made life better for millions by providing thoughtful, often brilliant designs that could be afforded by the average person.

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References: Fiat Press, "The New Fiat Guide" by Jan P Norbye, "Will The Real Copy Cat Please Stand Up" by Karl Ludvigsen

The Fiat 500, an icon of our time

To find out what kind of car the New 500 is it helps to see where it came from. The Nuova 500 of 1957 was truly a peoples car.

It offered the population of Europe a way to drive a throughly modern automobile at an affordable price. It was more than basic transportation, though. It's design was clever and ingenious and held the promise of an exciting new life to those who never had transportation before .

It is a mechanical device but took on a personality to become "bigger" than it was physically. It provided transportation to millions, enabling people to drive to places to get better jobs, offered new recreational possibilities and truly changed the lives of millions who previously didn't have access to these new life possibilities.

In the next few posts, with the courtesy of Fiat Auto Group Press, we'll trace the origin of the Fiat 500. A car Europe knows very well and is about to be introduced to the United States.

The Fiat 500, an icon of our time

Some cars go down in history for their technological or stylistic innovations. Others deserve to be remembered for the role they have played in the daily life of an entire generation or an entire country. Few succeed in combining the two: technology and sentiment. They leave an indelible mark, becoming a sort of icon of their age. The Nuova 500 is one of these. In a career lasting 18 years, from 1957 to 1975, exactly 3,893,294 were built, and it helped Italians and numerous other Europeans to satisfy the need for individual mobility that began to gain momentum from the early 1950s. The Nuova 500, even more than the 600 (1955), also brought the end of the post-war emergency period for motorization and the automotive industry in Italy, and the start of the striving for comfort, albeit minimal and economical. With the Nuova 500, and its four popular wheels, the country of the �Poor but beautiful� became, or tried to be, not quite as poor (and to a certain extent it succeeded), but above all, able to move around more freely.

Dante Giacosa

The Nuova 500 also concluded the rebirth of Fiat and of its product range, after the devastation of the Second World War. Dante Giacosa, the �father� of the Nuova 500, but also of the previous 500 Topolino and of numerous other models, said in his book �Progetti alla Fiat prima del computer� (Design at Fiat before the computer), that when the 500 was launched on July 4, 1957, Fiat �realized its program of renewing its models, to replace those born before the Second World War�. At two-year intervals, the 1400, 1900, 1100 � 103, 600, Nuova 500 and their derivatives were launched on the international market. In just 10 years, Fiat had conceived and begun manufacture of four completely new basic models that had their roots in the technological culture that had grown up in its own offices and laboratories. No Italian or foreign model influenced the development of these projects. It may seem overly emphatic to underline this fact today, but it was utterly comprehensible at the time, in the late 1940s and 1950s, when Lancia and Alfa Romeo both operated autonomously in Italy and were therefore Fiat�s competitors, whereas abroad, in Germany, and above all in the United States, the domestic industry still seemed to be one step ahead in many ways.

Dante Giacosa also wrote about the launch of the Nuova 500 and said that the �Press Office, run by Gino Pestelli assisted by the hyperactive Mariuccia Rubiolo, wanted me to collaborate on the advertising launch�. Once the name �Nuova 500 had been chosen to recall the famous Topolino�, the message soon followed, with a slogan that claimed: �twenty years after the original 500 (the Topolino was launched in 1936), on a similar wave of success, here comes the Nuova 500, completely new, modern, less expensive, more economical, a worthy successor to the world�s first runabout, built by Fiat�. Giacosa also revealed that the term �Big little car� was also coined at Mirafiori, but the pragmatic engineer commented that �people just called it the 500�. Fifty years after that Summer of 1957, in an age when television is even available on mobile phones, with shots and reports from all over the universe, it is entertaining to read that �the launch was held in great style. National television installed itself in the Mirafiori workshop on a boiling hot evening in July, and even I was invited for a live interview on the assembly line.�

18 years after that �boiling hot evening in July�, during which time almost 3.9 million cars were built, another very hot day dawned, August 4, 1975, the day on which the �last� car, at least of the 1957-75 Nuova Fiat 500 series, was built, not at Mirafiori but at the SicilFiat plant in Termini Imerese (Palermo).

The reconstruction and conquest of the market

The Nuova 500 was not just a brilliant idea by Dante Giacosa, like the 600 and the many other cars he designed. Nor was it just a model of which millions were made, which got the mission and contents just right to fall in with the company�s programmes at the time. More than anything else, the 500 was the fruit of a strategy to develop and revamp its range that Fiat had already embarked on during the Second World War. Vittorio Valletta, Managing Director first and then company Chairman from 1946 (after the death of Senator Agnelli), asked Giacosa to start thinking of new cars that could go into production after the war while Turin was still being targeted by Allied air raids, and the Mirafiori offices were occupied by the German �allies-occupiers�.

But it was only in the early 1950s, and therefore when the reconstruction of the plants was well underway, that work began in earnest at Mirafiori on the new models. In 1949 the Topolino C, the last of the series, went into production, but other �real� new models arrived: the 1400, a cabrio version of the 1400, the 1900 diesel, the Nuova 1100 of 1953 and its derived versions. And in 1952, in a blaze of technology, the sporty 8 V appeared, followed the next year by a futuristic turbine-powered prototype.

Fiat 8V

The reconstruction years at Fiat and the consequent development of new cars, including the Nuova 500, reflect the situation in the country in the early 1950s, when there were growing signs that the market was becoming increasingly receptive to mass motorisation. The �need� for individual mobility which was answered, in Italy, from 1946 until the mid 1950s, not by cars but by two-wheeled vehicles, and particularly the scooters built by Piaggio and Innocenti, the Vespa and the Lambretta. The former, for example, from an output of 2500 units in 1946, reached its one millionth unit just 10 years later, in 1956.

In 1955, registration of two-wheeled vehicles in Italy totalled 400,000 units, an amazing record, if we think that in 1951 there were just under 40,000 licensed motor vehicles registered. The boom of the two-wheeler was an important indication of the prospects for the four-wheeled vehicle market and prompted Fiat to speed up the development of its new model. The great commitment by Fiat design engineers culminated in 1955 with the 600, Italy�s first real popular family car (between 1955 and 1970, 2,777,313 were built in Mirafiori alone) and in 1957 with the Nuova 500.

Fiat 600

From then on, Fiat�s manufacturing volumes began to soar (from an annual total of 108,700 in 1950 � the first year in company history that the 100,000 mark was passed � to almost 513,300 in 1960, and 994,000 in 1965), as well as the daily output: 1,000 units/day in 1956, 2,000 units/day in 1960 after the 500 had been on the market for three years, and 4,000 units/day in 1965 when the 850 joined the 600 and the 500. The workforce increased from 72,000 in 1950 to almost 93,000 in 1960, and almost 185,000 in 1970.

Fiat 850 Special

The boom of �accessible� four-wheeled vehicles heralded the start of the crisis for two-wheelers. From 1955 (the year that the 600 was launched) registrations of motorcycles and scooters began to fall off, and by 1957, when the 500 arrived, they were just above 330,000 units/year; in 1965, the year that Fiat output first exceeded one million cars in a year, registrations of motorcycles were just above 200,000 units. In other words, if Fiat had set out to win over a potential bracket of the domestic market with its 500 and 600 to the detriment of other forms of vehicles, it had been successful. �Pioneering� travel on two wheels, albeit motorised, was no longer enough in the new, more affluent Italy. The number of wheels doubled, and people wanted a roof over their heads to protect them from the weather, in other words, they wanted a car.

The level of motorisation in Italy is worth mentioning; it grew from 6 vehicles/1000 inhabitants in 1950 to 32 vehicles/1000 inhabitants in 1960 (therefore in the period of greatest demand for the 600, but above all for the 500), reaching 167 vehicles/1000 inhabitants in 1970, and leaping to 330 vehicles/1000 inhabitants in 1980, in line with the rest of Western Europe. The great task of motorising the Italians and of bringing them into line with Europe in terms of use of the car, was certainly achieved thanks primarily to the small Fiat 600 and 500, supported by the 850.

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Next time, we'll explore the design and the developement of the Nuova 500. Stay tuned!