Fiat celebrates 60th anniversary of iconic 500 city car

Fiat 500 – the Italian people’s car – was launched 60 years ago. We look back at the original’s success and see how it was reborn for the 21st Century…

Rolling off the production line at Fiat’s Mirafiori plant in Turin for the very first time on July 4th, 1957, the Fiat 500 quickly became a global phenomenon and went on to achieve cult status.

During its first production run, which finally ended in 1975, almost four million 500s were sold internationally – an estimated 400,000 of which can still be found on Italian roads today.

Developed by legendary engineer Dante Giacosa, the Fiat 500 was designed to be as affordable to buy and run as possible.

It was small, not necessarily to avoid traffic congestion, but because steel was expensive and the more of it that was used, the heavier the car, which meant more power and fuel was needed to propel the car along.

Thus the lightweight full-length canvas roof featured on early models, while a tiny rear-mounted, air-cooled, two-cylinder 479cc engine was chosen.

Producing just 13hp, the 470kg Fiat 500 was capable of just over 50mph but, more importantly, it was fuel efficient and required only the most basic maintenance.

New Fiat 500

After some 30 years in retirement, the 500 was reimagined and reborn to huge critical acclaim and commercial success in 2007.

Perfectly capturing the spirit, charm and personality of the original, with state-of-the-art technology and clever packaging, the second generation has become a phenomenon in its own right.

More than two million ‘new’ 500s have been sold worldwide and the model has won more than 40 top industry awards including World Car Design of the Year in 2009.

Fiat has created the 500 Anniversario to mark the iconic car’s 60th anniversary.

Available as both a hatchback and a convertible in two exclusive new colours – Riviera Green and Sicilia Orange.

It’s the latest in a long line of distinctive special edition, including the “500C by Gucci”, “500 by Diesel” and the recent “500 Riva”.

The Fiat 500 Anniversario pays homage to the original 1957 car with a contemporary re-interpretation of the stylistic features that made it famous in the Dolce Vita years.

Special characteristics include the new colours, chrome accents on the bonnet and door mirror caps, the vintage Fiat logos, an “Anniversario” bonnet logo and 16-inch vintage alloy wheels, though an alternative 16-inch diamond finish alloy wheel is also available, as a no cost option, offering a modern take on the spokes of classic car wheels.

Inside, the new seats channel the retro style with horizontal striped fabric, contrast piping in body colour and an embroidered 500 logo, while the body-coloured dashboard and “Anniversario” embroidered floor mats complete the look.

The Fiat 500 – also known as the Cinquecento and Cinquino – may be small in stature, but it’s had a massive impact on the automotive world.