1948 Fiat 500 Topolino Coupe

Fiat produced the Topolino from 1937 to 1955 with more than 500,000 made. When it was introduced it was one of the smallest cars in the world. The two-passenger coupe was powered by a 569cc four-cylinder engine mated to a four-speed gearbox. Officially called '500', it was soon given the nickname Topolino, literally 'little mouse.' The engine featured two-main bearings and offered 13 horsepower. In the front were transverse leaf spring independent suspension while the rear had a transverse leaf spring setup. Fuel supply was by gravity from a firewall-mounted tank.

When introduced, Fiat entered a team of 32 examples in the Mille Miglia, with the fastest example averaging nearly 50 mph. The popularity of the Topolino helped push Fiat production to a new record in 1937, with nearly 84,000 examples built by the time Italy entered World War II.

Over the production lifespan of the Topolino, very few changes were made. In 1938, the car was given semi-elliptic rear suspension and four-seat cabriolets were added the following year. In 1948 came a new model, the 500B, with overhead valves.

This particular example is finished in light grey with red painted wheels and a brown interior. It wears an older restoration and came to the United States in 1985 when it was imported from Italy by then owner Alberto Pedretti.

The current owner acquired the car in the late 1990s.

By Daniel Vaughan | Jan 2014