1961 Fiat 500 Giadiniera Station Wagon

Description

Considered by many to be the grandfather of the modern 'city car' concept, the Fiat 500 Nuova took diminutive style and flair to previously unseen heights. The 'cinquecento' received its name from the tiny, rear-mounted 479cc 'flat-twin' that was used to power the initial versions introduced in 1957. Its initial design was to allow 4 seater transport for the impoverished Italian masses as they continued to rebuild from the end of the second world war. The 'D' version of the charismatic Fiat 500 replaced the original 'Nuova' design in 1960. Its flat-twin's capacity increased from 479cc and 13bhp to 499cc and 17bhp. The body still ran suicide doors, though the folding roof now finished around half-way along the roofline rather than pulling all the way back. The inside received new seats and revised instrumentation, and the 500 D was the first of its type to be legally able to carry four passengers.