FIAT TOPOLINO TOPOLINO 500C

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1 FIAT TOPOLINO The appealing Mickey Mouse ears of the original Topolino were replaced by a distinctly American look when the 500C arrived. car with great practical style. The 500B range lasted for one year. TOPOLINO 500C The 500 was completely restyled in 1949 and was launched at the Geneva Show on 19 March that year. Designated 500C, the frontal appearance of the new model was distinctly American. Even though the car now looked nothing like a little mouse, the Topolino acronym remained. The more modern body shape had practical advantages such as extra space for luggage, and the spare tyre found its way into the boot. The car also had a new efficient internal heating system and a windscreen demisting system, the first time this feature was to be fitted as standard equipment on a Fiat car. Technical modifications to the engine brought more power and even less fuel consumption. The all-steel Belvedere version superseded the Giardinieri which had simple hardboard panels. The 500C was also available in a delivery van specification. How many have survived? 50kg of luggage, which made it an ideal choice for families. The downside was that it was slightly slower, with increased fuel consumption. Another plus point though was the styling; the Giardiniera was a true woodie in polished ash with masonite panels an extremely characterful Within three years, two Belvedere versions had joined the saloon the Giardiniera estate, and an 14

2 A FRESH APPROACH with rear-wheel drive, and a car that offered comfortable seating for four people at a cost of 590,000 lire about 4000 at the time of writing. Fiat celebrated the start of mass production in Italy with a multi-coloured cavalcade of 600s through the streets of Turin. A year later, the six-seater Multipla arrived. Fiat 600s were to be made under licence throughout the world and collectively over 4,000,000 were produced. An illustration of how to fill interior space and everyone seems to be having a nice time. FIAT 600D Fiat introduced the 600D in the autumn of 1960, which incorporated mechanical and body changes compared with its predecessor. Up to 1960, The Multipla found its vocation as a people carrier and was adopted as a taxi for use in many of Italy s narrow city streets. company broke new ground with the prototype of a turbinepowered car and with its work in the field of nuclear technology. In 1956, the Fiat G91 was chosen for production as a NATO tactical fighter aircraft. In Spring 1953, the first Fiat equipped with a diesel engine (the 1400) rolled off the assembly line. By the middle of the year, the final version of the 100 project was nearing completion and work was then concentrated on producing a familiare version which was to become the Multipla. Giacosa had put so much time and effort into the saloon version that he had not considered the complications of creating an estate version of a rear-engined car. To solve the problem, he moved the driving position forward and over the front wheels, thus creating a very compact vehicle that could carry six people. Was this the first MPV? The 100 project became the 600 at the Geneva Show in 1955, replacing the two-seater Topolino and even selling at a lower price. Dante Giacosa had fulfilled his design brief and had created the first Fiat to have a rear-mounted engine production of the 600 had exceeded 890,000. The major changes in the 600D were an increase in engine capacity to 767cc and a different final drive ratio. Performance was considerably improved. Bodywork modifications included the addition of swivelling quarter lights on the doors and a large number of louvres on the engine cover. Multipla and Taxi versions acquired the same changes. From 1964, the 600D was produced with front-hinged doors. FIAT 600D FINAL SERIES From the time of the 1965 Turin Show, the 600D incorporated further modifications. A new fuel tank with a capacity of 311 litres (6.8 gallons), larger headlamps, a new badge on the front panelling 23

3 N UOVA 500 N UOVA 500 impudence on four wheels At the time of its introduction in July 1957, the Fiat Nuova 500 had a folding roof panel that included the rear window. had been built. However, everything came to an abrupt halt when the entire design facility, including the prototype, was destroyed in a devastating allied bombing raid. So the Topolino was destined to remain in production until 1955, by which time more than half a million had been sold. The Topolino would be a tough act to follow. Meanwhile, the 600 made its debut in 1955 with huge acclaim from the press The car was not well-received by the Italian public. To make amends Fiat quickly increased power output and improved the trim level. By the time Dante Giacosa became Assistant Director of Fiat s car division in 1940, he was already working on two possibilities for replacing the Topolino; a slightly larger model labelled the 700 and a smaller one called the 400. The 400 project was looking very hopeful; initial design and planning were complete, and a single prototype 34

4 SMOOTHING OFF THE CORNERS discs at the rear also stopped, while fully rose-jointed suspension, limited slip differential, six-speed gearbox and weight of only 810kg meant it also handled. A complete cost of only Euro (in 2002) also made it somewhat of a bargain! 600 it a SEICENTO 600 With the New Panda taking most of the limelight, early 2004 saw a revised Fiat Seicento range released, with new interiors and a very slightly changed exterior. Only the 1100cc engine with basic trim levels remained, other versions ceased production, including the Sporting. The final version of the Seicento appeared on the Italian home market in A special edition was introduced to mark the 60th anniversary of the original 600. The smart interior trim of the commemorative Fiat 600. To mark the fiftieth anniversary of the Fiat 600, Fiat decided to update the Seicento with a number of styling changes and to rationalise the range. The new car features some stylistic elements of one of the most emblematic Italian products of all time, starting with the name, which reverts to the historical version written in figures, and is repeated in a chromed logo on the rear of the car. The new range also includes a special limited edition known as the Fiat th which is a tribute to the legendary 600, the forefather of an entire class of cars. These cars are all finished with classic beige paintwork. In addition to these obvious historical references, the new Fiat 600 confirms the winning 109

5 AUTOBIANCHI FIATS BY ANOTHER NAME A somewhat extreme, but indecently quick, A112 converted for driving test competition. The owner increased the power to 106bhp and reduced the weight to 430kg. Bodywork is adorned with old Italian comics. chopped about, and the finished article was wallpapered with comics and then lacquered. The big rear spoiler serves no aerodynamic purpose but is a useful advertising hoarding for sponsors. Inside the low-slung machine there are triangulated steel tubes to stiffen the shell and a modified floorpan to allow the exhaust system to pass inside the car, enabling a lower ride height. The steering column is very long so that the driver can sit aft to help balance the otherwise frontheavy 430kg car. The roll-over bar is mounted to the suspension points and there is a fly-off handbrake. Brakes come from a Lancia Delta 1300 at the front and Uno Turbo for the rear. The suspension has solid top mounts and retains the transverse rear leaf spring. There is a quick rack and the front anti-roll bar is alloy-mounted instead of rubber. This has the effect of making the bar feel 20 per cent stiffer. The near solid mounted 1050cc engine is a real screamer with a 8000rpm limit. The two twin-choke downdraught carbs are lifted from a Ferrari Dino. The claimed 106bhp drives through a normal four-speed gearbox but with a very low final drive ratio. This means a 0-60mph time of six seconds but a top speed of only 142km/h (89mph). The slick-shod wacky-racer is used in slaloms, which are popular in Italy. It drives like a kart. 135