Classic Cars the History of the Fiat 500
The Fiat 500 was a rear engine, rear wheel drive car produced by the Italian automaker Fiat. The car is an excellent example of the city or urban car which has been a staple of many European cities as a small and economically designed car which is better suited to cramped village streets.
Launched in mid 1957 as the Nuova (New) 500, it was a cost effective and practical car. At under ten feet long and powered by a diminutive 479cc two-cylinder engine, the 500 was not what we typically think of when we consider cars which sold in excess of 3.8 million units. Tipping the scales at a mere 1,100 pounds, this car was hugely popular in the city car market of the 1960s in Europe.
The car was not designed for show-stopping performance, the Nuova packed just 13 horsepower with a fabric roof and suicide doors. A sport version was introduced shortly after which had a distinctive painted stripe and slight power increases.
1960 was an important year for the 500. The D model was introduced which looked similar to the Nuova but was unique in two ways; a slightly larger engine and a redesigned roof. In the Nuova, the fabric roof covered the entire top whereas the D model did not fold back as far, thus giving the car improved rollover protection and structural rigidity. The D stopped production in 1965.
In the same year, the K model, or Giardiniera was also introduced. This model would become on one of the longest running versions, from 1960 to 1975. An estate, the engine was located underneath the bottom of the trunk allowing a flat loading surface and greater cargo capacity for such a small car. The estate model was very popular, comprising almost a tenth of the production run alone. This model is notable for being the final of the 500s to sport suicide doors.
1965 saw a new version, the F model or Berlina. This model is 'known' for being one of the most misidentified models. It carried largely the same badging as the D, but does not have suicide doors. In most other ways, the F model is nearly indistinguishable from the D model, which over the years has created much confusion. This model ended in 1973.
The L model came along in 1968 (ended 1972), sporting a more modern interior including an all new dash board which made the model more competitive with the many other cars introduced in the late 1960´s auto boom. Mechanically, this model was very similar to earlier models, which made the car easier to repair as there was no need for a supplier to have parts for multiple models. By part sharing across numerous models, a supplier need only have one of each item rather than several parts which were similar but not identical.
The R model was the first rework of the 1970s for the 500, beginning in 1972 and ending in 1975. It had a larger 594 cc power plant, boosting the power output almost by double to 23 brake horsepower. Borrowing the floorpan from the L model and later from the Fiat 126, the model underwent numerous changes, including some which, frankly, were not so well advised; the fuel gauge was removed leaving the low-fuel indicator alone. The R model served as a stop gap for Fiat prior to the launch of the 126. The R model rounded out the illustrious 18 year production run of precisely 3,893,294 cars in 1975, ending the run of a very popular and beloved Fiat.
Thanks in no small part to the sheer number of cars produced, the 500 has served as a build base for drag racing and off road racing modified vehicles as well as many variants used as much for their unfamiliarity to people outside of Europe. Common usages in this vein include use as transport through large industrial factories, golf cart duty, and perhaps the most unusual usage; weightlifting competitions.
In 2007, fifty years after the first 500s rolled off the production lines, Fiat reintroduced the Fiat 500 to a new generation of automotive enthusiasts. The updated styling is all new, but with subtle hints of its ancestral counterpart. The headlight design of the new 500 is the most prominent throwback to 1957, showing that Fiat likes to look forward while not ignoring things of the past.
While not the most luxurious car, the 500 has served as trusty steed to more than a handful of cross-country journeys, some of which spanned more than fifteen thousand kilometers. This is due largely in part to the reliability and simplicity of the design.
Sources;
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fiat_500
