1958 Fiat 600 Multipla

The Fiat 600 Multipla was an ingeniously packaged automobile introduced in January of 1956 at the Brussels Salon. It rested on a short two-meter wheelbase that could accommodate up to six passengers. It used the independent double-wishbone front suspension and steering set-up from the Fiat 1100, while the rear suspension, 663cc overhead valve engine, and four-speed manual transmission (with a lower final drive) were from its 600 saloon sibling. The charming Multipla was available in a 4/5 seater, 6-seater, or Taxi guises.

In the United States, the 1958 Fiat Multipla station wagon was available for $1,600. Its 600 sibling was priced at $1,300 while the convertible had a base price of $1,360. Both were powered by the aluminum 38.6 CID engine developing 22 horsepower at 4,600 RPM. The Multipla's appeal was its charm, capacity, and utilitarian features. Its performance was rather lack-luster with zero-to-fifty mph taking 43 seconds and its top speed was 50 mph. Nevertheless, the Multipla was so popular that Fiat extended production through 1969.

by Daniel Vaughan | Jul 2020