We’ve all seen this little Italian car driving around the streets of our towns at some point in our lives. Some people have fond memories of the little 500, maybe a parent or brother drove one. Or maybe you had one yourself. Maybe you know no one that drives one, only occasionally seeing the little hatchback from the view of your lifted F-250, and thinking “damn, that would make a good speedbump.” Or maybe you just see them while you’re driving, but everyone at some point in their lives has most likely seen a Fiat 500. But this little car is more than it seems, at it entirely revolutionized the Italian car industry.
The Fiat 500 was launched in July of 1957, to an Italian market that didn’t have much money, or steel for that matter. The 500 was intended to fill the demands of the Italian people. A very simple demand compared to many other countries, a small reliable car. The Fiat 500 came equipped with a two-cylinder engine that could only go 85 kph. The 500 was also made to be fuel-efficient due to the ongoing Suez crisis.
As for size, the 500 is obviously a small car in its current incarnation. But it is nothing compared to how it was in its first incarnation. In 1957, the Fiat 500 came equipped with two small seats, and a bench in the back for storage, not for passengers. The engine was rear mounted with a 479 cc engine. Not exactly the 500 cc for the 500.
The Fiat 500 also came with a sunroof standard, but it wasn’t an option either. Due to the lack of steel in 1950s Italy, the sunroof had to be on there in order to save materials for cars. There were improvements in the later versions of the 500. The improvements included a strengthened rear-axle to allow for added weight. Two more seats in the back for added people space, and the engine was upgraded to a 499 cc engine. Fiat continued to evolve the design of the 500 throughout history, making it what it is today.
But the Fiat 500 laid the groundwork for what Fiat would become. The 500 is such a well-built car, that some of the earliest incarnations of it are still on the roads in Italy today. But what it really did was get the Italian public driving around the country. And it is synonymous with Italy, and it is commonly called the “people’s car of Italy” because of its commonality throughout Italy.
