The Fiat 500, commonly known as "Topolino" (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.

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. its top speed was around 85 km/h (53 mph), and could achieve fuel consumption levels up to an estimated . The target price given when the car was planned was 5,000 lire.

The Model C was introduced in 1949 with a restyled body and the same engine as the Model B, and was offered in 2-door saloon, 2-door convertible saloon, 3-door estate and 2-door van body styles. In 1952, the Giardiniera was renamed the Belvedere ("A turret or other raised structure offering a pleasant view of the surrounding area", referring to its sunroof). The Model C was produced until 1955.

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. These two models ended up replacing the original 500.

  • La Topolino Amaranto is a 1975 song by the Italian artist Paolo Conte. The song's lyrics are about the summer of 1946 (″È l'estate del '46″) so probably the mentioned car is the first model Fiat 500 A in amaranth color.
  • After its initial run, the Topolino became a popular choice for hot rodders in North America beginning in the 1950s, due to their lightweight size, rear-wheel drive, and ability to fit a V8 engine underneath the hood.

<gallery mode=packed>

File:Fiat 500A Standard Coupe 1939.jpg|Fiat 500 A saloon 1939

File:Fiat 500A 1939.jpg|Fiat 500 A convertible saloon 1939

File:Fiat Topolino 500B (5365551740).jpg|Fiat 500 B van

File:Fiat 500 Zagato Panoramica Festa MM.jpg|Fiat 500 B Panoramica by Zagato

File:Fiat 500C Topolino c.1949 (15991808603).jpg|Fiat 500 C saloon 1949

File:Fiat 500C Convertible 1954.jpg|Fiat 500 C convertible saloon 1954

File:Fiat Topolini Belvedere p1.JPG|Fiat 500 C Belvedere

File:Fiat 500-C Topolino Furgoncino.jpg|Fiat 500 C van

</gallery>

References

Notes

Bibliography

  • miei 40 anni di progettazione alla Fiat, di Dante Giacosa, ed. Automobilia, 1979.
  • Il grande libro delle giardinette Fiat, di Alessandro Sannia, ed. Giorgio Nada, 2007, ISBN 978-88-7911-401-1.
  • Fiat 500 story collection la storia e passione di un piccolo, grande mito Hachette.
  • Progetti alla Fiat prima del computer, di Dante Giacosa, ed. Automobilia ISBN 88-85880-00-2.
  • Alessandro Sannia, Il grande libro delle piccole Fiat, Giorgio Nada Editore, 2008, ISBN 978-88-7911-439-4.
  • Elvio Deganello, L'ABC della Topolino. Ruoteclassiche n 49, marzo 1992.
  • Fiat 500, di Elvio Deganello, ed. Giorgio Nada, 2002, ISBN 88-7911-069-1.
  • (<abbr>HU</abbr>) Fiat 500 - az apró, mégis óriási legenda, di Alessandro Sannia, ed. Alexandra, 2006, ISBN 963-369-555-4.
  • (<abbr>NL</abbr>) Fiat 500 - de kleine grote mythe, di Alessandro Sannia, ed. Rebo, 2006, ISBN 90-366-1875-4.
  • (<abbr>DE</abbr>) Fiat 500, 600 und Topolino 1936-1975, di Walter Zeichner, ed. Schrader Verlag, 1989, ISBN 3-922617-26-3.
  • (<abbr>FR</abbr>) Album Fiat 500, di J.J. de Galkowsky, ed. EPA Edition ISBN 2-85120-470-X.
  • (<abbr>DE</abbr>) Fiat 500, di Alessandro Sannia, ed. Motorbuch, 2007, ISBN 978-3-613-02825-8.
  • (<abbr>IT</abbr>, <abbr>EN</abbr>) Fiat 500 - by the people for the people, di Alessandro Sannia, ed. All Media, 2007, ISBN 88-903002-0-5.
  • Fiat 500 - guida al restauro, di Marcello Lo Vetere e Italo Grossi, ed. Giorgio Nada, 2003, ISBN 88-7911-209-0.
  • (<abbr>EN</abbr>) Fiat 500 Gold Portfolio 1936-1972, di RM Clarke, ed. Brooklands ISBN 1-85520-246-8.
  • (<abbr>EN</abbr>) Great small Fiats, di Phil Ward, ed. Veloce Publishing Plc, 2007, ISBN 978-1-84584-133-1.
  • Fiat 500 History - Gizmohighway Auto Guide
  • Jay Leno talks about his Topolino
  • "Soviet-italian comic car AHCHOO-2"
  • The ufficial site of the FIAT
  • Club topolino
  • Document site of topolino