CARS
Car History: The 1957 Fiat 500
The iconic car everyone loves, besides the Volkswagen Beetle
It had a little engine and a little body, but it proved to be a hit and sold millions. That’s the 1957 Fiat 500, the car that has become one of the most recognizable automotive icons.
A Car Meant for Its Time
When Fiat Nuova 500 was launched in July 1957, petrol and steel in Italy were still expensive, and Dante Giacosa was determined to create a car as minimalist as possible. After working miracles to speed up the project, he designed the car, solved several technical challenges, and the sale price of the Fiat was finally 465.000 lira.
The Fiat 500, the car that was Italy’s engine after the war and became an icon, was launched under the name Nuova 500 to differentiate it from its predecessor, the 1936 Fiat 500 Topolino. The small car itself was to come on the market as a high-quality, well-equipped compact car.
The Fiat 500 Topolino, which was first introduced to the market in 1936 with a front engine, remained in production until 1955, a record for the longevity of one of these models.
The Topolino was a low-cost car in Fiat’s range, which was set at 490,000 lira, equivalent to about 13 monthly salaries for an…
