1948 Fiat 500 Topolino

Between 1937 and 1955, Fiat built over 500,000 examples of the Topolino. At the time of its introduction, the Topolino was among the smallest cars in the world. The two-passenger coupe was powered by a 569cc four-cylinder, side-valve, water-cooled, two-main-bearing engine that offered 13 horsepower. It had a four-speed gearbox, transverse leaf spring independent front suspension with rear sprung quarter elliptics with torque arms. Fuel supply was by gravity from a firewall-mounted tank. The radiator was positioned behind the engine, which offered a lower aerodynamic nose profile than most of its competition, which often had a flat, vertical grill.

They were initially called the '500' but soon took the nickname 'Topolino' which literally meant 'little mouse.' During its production lifespan, only few changes were made. In 1938, the rear suspension was exchanged for a semi-elliptic rear setup. A four-seat cabriolet was added to the lineup the following year. By the time Italy entered World War II, a total of 84,000 examples had been built.

Launched in 1937 by Dante Giacosa, three models were produced until 1955. In 1948, Fiat introduced a new model called the 500B, with overhead valves. It had a similar appearance to the car it replaced, with changes made to the suspension, electrical system, and brakes. The Model B Cabriolet was produced for just one year, from 1948 to 1949.

by Daniel Vaughan | Oct 2019