The Fiat 500 is often compared to the iconic Volkswagen Beetle, and surprisingly both the cars have a similarly small and round profile. While Beetle was bred in Germany, the Fiat 500 was purely Italian but was born of the same notion of building an affordable yet efficient car. Often known as ‘Cinquecento,’ which refers to the glorious 16th century of Italian art and literature, the 500 was indeed a piece of art to behold.

Launched in 1957, the 500 was designed by Dante Giacosa and was the descendant of Fiat 500 Topolino. Topolino stands for a little or baby mouse, and the 500 inherited the same mouse-like shape. Measuring just 9 feet in length, this car was highly affordable and perfect for driving through narrow lanes. It earned the title of ‘people's car’ quite quickly, and during its production period until 1975, nearly four million 500s were sold in Europe and elsewhere.

Right from its inception, the Fiat 500 secured a soft spot in the hearts of the masses, and with every new generation, it never failed to impress.

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Fiat 500 Nouva, Normale, and Economica (1957 to 1960)

The Fiat 500 Nouva
Via Google/ AutoEvolution

Fiat produced the first 500 in 1936, which was famous by the name of Topolino then. Due to the second world war, the car did not receive any modifications in the following years. Yet, it did not affect the popularity of the car, which led to Fiat modifying. This gave birth to the first modified 500 since Topolino, the 500 Nouva. The 500 Nouva was launched with a 479cc engine that produced a 13 HP engine; later, a sport version of the Nouva was launched with a 500cc engine that pushed out 22 HP. Both engines had a top speed of 53 MPH.

The engine was mounted at the back of the car, because of which the radiator grille was absent at the front. Rather a metallic panel garnished the face of the car with round headlights and teardrop turn indicators. The most notable features of the vehicle were the rear-hinged suicide doors. Additionally, the sport version was also featured with a metallic roof instead of the foldable canvas tops of the Nouva 500. Within this period, two more 500s were launched - the Normale and Economica. These variants had engines ranging from 13 HP to 15 HP and received a few interior upgrades. A four-seater interior was introduced with these trims, and the steering column received the indicator control levers.

Fiat 500 D and 500 Giardiniera (1960 to 1965)

The Fiat 500 Giardiniera
Via Pinterest/ Flickr.com

The last upgrade to Nouva was the addition of a sunroof, which paved the way for the Fiat 500D. Several new features were added to this car. The sunroof from the Nouva was present in the 500D but with a smaller dimension, and the interior received rubber mats and ashtray. Plus, a pump was fitted in the car as well to clean the windscreen. Round ones replaced the teardrop turn signals, and the vehicle was offered in hardtop and ‘transformable’ canvas top versions. The Giardiniera was the estate version of the Fiat 500 that sported a van-like extended rear and a tailgate. It still had the same four seating capacity but with increased luggage storage on the rear.

Both these trims carried a 500cc 2-cylinder engine that produced 17 to 21 horsepower. The engine was less powerful in these versions to make the car more economical and fuel-efficient. On the inside, the front seats and rear bench seats were upholstered with fabric, and other interior features were reduced to a bare minimum. The 500D was also the last model of the series to have the iconic rear-hinged suicide doors.

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Fiat 500 Berlina and 500 Lusso (1965 to 1970)

The Fiat 500 Lusso
Via Google/ Virtuagarage

The Fiat 500 Berlina or 500 F were not entirely different from their predecessors. They were offered in the same hardtop and removable top options, plus, the exterior design also remained the same, except the single front bumper, which was new. From this version onwards, the 500 series dropped the rear-hinged suicide doors and was equipped with much safer front-hinged doors. A larger windscreen significantly aided the driver’s vision of the outside. This car was powered by a 500cc 2-cylinder engine with a four-speed manual transmission, producing power in the range of 18HP to 21HP. Some slight modifications to the engine increased its top speed to 59 MPH.

The 500 Lusso, or luxury version of the series, was launched with some luxury amenities inside. Otherwise, the engine and other specifications of the car remained pretty much the same. Double chrome bumpers replaced the single bumpers on the front and rear, and on the inside, the fabric was replaced with leatherette upholstery. The door panels received padding, and recliner seats were added with deluxe floor carpeting. A new black two-spoke steering was added to this model with a plastic dashboard.

Fiat 500 Rinnovata (1970 to 1975)

The Fiat 500 Rinnovata
Via Google/ AutoEvolution

The 500 Rinnovata or 500 R was launched in 1972 and was similar on the outside compared to the previous models, except for the chrome Fiat badge at the front. The car’s interior was primarily retained from the F 500 and Lusso with additional door pockets. However, the significant improvement was inside the engine bay. The 500 R was powered by a bigger 594cc 2-cylinder engine that produced 18 HP with a top speed of 62 MPH. For the first time, a Fiat 500 was offered with a 4-speed Synchromesh transmission that offered much swifter shifting.

In 1975 Fiat discontinued the production of 500, which resurfaced again in 2007, at the 50th anniversary of the series. The new 2007 Fiat 500 inherited most of the design specifications from the previous generations with three new engine options and a 6-speed manual gearbox. The model has revised again in 2012 with a 1.2-liter 69 HP engine which marked the one-millionth unit rolling out of the Fiat production line since its rebirth. In 2015 the 500 received its last upgrades: the 0.9-liter and 1.2-liter petrol engines, a 1.3-liter multijet diesel engine, and a handful of modern amenities like Xenon headlights and the Uconnect infotainment system.