Fiat 500 city car
A rear-engined, four-seat, small city car that was manufactured and marketed by Fiat Automobiles from 1957 to 1975 over a single generation in two-door saloon and two-door station wagon body styles.
Launched as the Nuova (new) 500 in July 1957, as a successor to the 500 “Topolino,” it was an inexpensive and practical little car. Measuring 2.97 metres (9 feet 9 inches) long, and originally powered by a 479cc two-cylinder, air-cooled engine, the 500 was smaller than Fiat’s 600, launched two years earlier, and is considered one of the first purpose-designed city cars.
In 1949, Fiat released the front engine Fiat 500 economy car to meet the demands of the post-war market. It had a 2-door coupe body with sun-roof, which was later complemented by an Estate version. Both continued until 1954 when they were replaced by an all-new, lighter car. The new car had a rear-mounted engine, on the pattern of the Volkswagen Beetle, just like its bigger brother the 1955 Fiat 600.
Manufactured and marketed by Fiat Automobiles from 1957 to 1975