Fiat 500 "Topolino"

Fiat 500
Overview
Manufacturer	Fiat
Also called	Topolino
Production	1936–1955 520,000 made
Body and chassis
Class	City car (A)
Body style	2-door saloon 2-door convertible saloon 2-door van[1] 3-door estate
Layout	Front-engine, rear-wheel-drive
Related	Simca 5 Simca 6
Powertrain
Engine	569 cc I4
Transmission	4-speed manual
Dimensions
Wheelbase	2,000 mm (78.7 in)[2]
Length	3,215–3,245 mm (126.6–127.8 in) (saloon)[2]
Width	1,275–1,288 mm (50.2–50.7 in)[2]
Height	1,377 mm (54.2 in)[2]
Kerb weight	550–750 kg (1,213–1,653 lb)[3]
Chronology
Successor	Fiat 500 Fiat 600

The Fiat 500, commonly known as "Topolino",^[4] is an Italian city car produced and manufactured by Fiat from 1936 to 1955.

The name "Topolino" translates literally as "little mouse" in Italian, but is also the Italian name for Mickey Mouse.

History

The Topolino was one of the smallest cars in the world at the time of its production. Launched in 1937, three models were produced until 1955, all with only minor mechanical and cosmetic changes. It was equipped with a 569 cc four-cylinder, side-valve, water-cooled engine mounted in front of the front axle,^[4] (later an overhead valve motor) and so was a full-scale car rather than a cyclecar. The radiator was located behind the engine which made possible a lowered aerodynamic nose profile at a time when competitors had a flat, nearly vertical grille.^[4] The shape of the car's front allowed exceptional forward visibility.^[5]

Rear suspension initially used quarter-elliptic rear springs, but buyers frequently squeezed four or five people into the nominally two-seater car, and in later models the chassis was extended at the rear to allow for more robust semi-elliptic springs.^[5]

With horsepower of about 13 bhp,^[6] its top speed was about 53 mph (85 km/h), and it could achieve about 39.2 miles per US gallon (6.00 L/100 km; 47.1 mpg_‑imp). The target price given when the car was planned was 5,000 lire.^[5] In the event the price at launch was 9,750 lire,^[5] though the decade was one of falling prices in several part of Europe and later in the 1930s the Topolino was sold for about 8,900 lire. Despite being more expensive than first envisioned, the car was competitively priced.^[5] Nearly 520,000 were sold.

Three models were produced. Model A and B shared the same body, only the engine of model B had 16 hp, vs. 13 hp of Model A. Model A was produced from 1937 to 1948, while B was produced in 1948 and 1949. Model A was offered as a 2-door saloon, 2-door convertible saloon (saloon with folding roof) and a 2-door van,^[1] while Model B also introduced a 3-door estate under the name 500 B Giardinetta ("estate car"). Model C was introduced in 1949 with a restyled body and the same engine as Model B, and was offered in 2-door saloon, 2-door convertible saloon, 3-door estate and 2-door van ^[7] versions. In 1952, Giardinetta was renamed Belvedere ("A turret or other raised structure offering a pleasant view of the surrounding area", referring to its sunroof). Model C was produced until 1955.^[8]

In 1955 the larger rear-wheel-drive Fiat 600 was launched by Fiat and that would become the design basis for the new Fiat 500, the Nuova 500.

The 500 A is known to be hot rodded, once the car came to America. It was mostly hot rodded to a dragster, or a street rod.

Gallery

• 
  Fiat 500 A saloon 1939
• 
  Fiat 500 A convertible saloon 1939
• 
  Fiat 500 B van
• 
  Fiat 500 C saloon 1949
• 
  Fiat 500 C convertible saloon 1954
• 
  Fiat 500 C Belvedere
• 
  Fiat 500 C van

References

Notes

Bibliography

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Fiat Topolino.

• Fiat 500 History - Gizmohighway Auto Guide
• Jay Leno talks about his Topolino
• "Soviet-italian comic car AHCHOO-2"