The Fiat 500: Simply Adorable

It was long before I followed a little blue 1971 Fiat 500 into Polizzi Generosa, in the mid of 2014, that Italy’s lovable little car, the Fiat 500, launched on the 4^th of July 1957 as the Nuova and designed by Dante Giacosa, caught my eye.

For many years I have spotted countless dented, sweet Fiat 500s in narrow Sicilian streets and I always stop, enchanted.

Called the Fiat Cinquecento in Italian the Fiat 500 is simply iconic. It’s adorable, economical to run and it fits down narrow Italian streets and has a great history. Parking seems a breeze; it is often seen nosed into impossibly small spaces.

It has been described as ‘one of the first city cars’; and as Life in Italy has said, when the Fiat Nuova came out in 1957 it was 'fun' and 'actually spacious'; 'a phenomenon'; 'people loved it'. It is, quintessential.

The Fiat 500 rolled off the assembly line from 1957 – 1975 and in 2007, fifty years after conception, the 500 was relaunched as the 500L.

To meet a devoted owner

We have caught a few old and loved 500s on camera but I have only been lucky enough once, so far, to meet a devoted owner and hear of the treasured connection between this iconic car and its driver. And that was Zia Gina, ‘Gigi’; she lives next door to the 'secret garden' of Polizzi’s long lost castle.

A 'Roman' beauty in a photographic list of 'Sicilian' ones

Some of those snapped in recent years have been in: Caltabellotta, Palermo, Catania, Polizzi and in the Italian capital, Rome. The polished black Roman cinquecento, is a lovely example of the Fiat 500. And it is simply too charming not to make the photo list below, even though it wasn't spotted in Sicily!

Enjoy the endless character of this ‘grand’ Italian beauty, the Fiat 500, as you scroll down; the little Roman one features last. And, the yellow one was seen in Caltabellotta a couple of years ago; we were on our way to Corleone.

If you want to read more about this classic car 'A Love letter to the Fiat 500......' is good reading.

The vintage Fiat 500 is simply adorable; from every angle.