FIAT 500

Imagine it’s the mid-1950s. Europe’s economies are strengthening after years of war in the previous decade, and more people than ever are able to enjoy the freedom of motoring. Indeed, it feels as though every nation has a de facto People’s Car. Germany has the Beetle, France has the Deux Chevaux, while in Britain the Morris Minor is doing rather well for itself. Over in Italy, meanwhile, Fiat is developing a model that will go on to mobilise millions of its country’s citizens and even become a cultural icon: the Fiat 500.

The Turin-based marque had already dabbled with small family cars, of course, with the outgoing Topolino’s roots being be traced back to the 1930s. So, when the ‘Nuova’ 500 arrived in 1957, it breathed a breath of fresh air into the affordable Italian automotive segment. The car would soon populate every corner of the country, making