Fiat 500 Lusso 1971, Itália

 

Fiat 500 Lusso 1971, Itália

Fotografia

After the war, Italy was rebuilt gradually. For most citizens, mobility was by bike then by scooter, and finally by car. The modest "Topolino", created before the war, was getting old and was eventually replaced by the 500, introduced in 1957. From the outset, this economical and minimalist car, designed by Dante Giacosa, was a huge success: less than 3 meters long but four-seater, powered by a tiny twin-cylinder 479cc engine. The model evolved and in 1968 Fiat launched the 500 L (Lusso). The power was increased by almost 50% to a staggering 18bhp…
As the name suggests, it is the 'luxury' version of the 500. Additional chrome appeared on the body and the dashboard, previously in steel, was now covered, and the instrumentation was concentrated in a rectangular box. The seats, more comfortable, had an adjustable backrest. More than 400,000 units of this version were produced.
The car on offer is a concours condition. The coral shade (rosso corallo) paint is remarkably well done, and is probably the most desirable amongst all the choices offered in the catalog. The previous owner, an Italian enthusiast of the model, gave the car a high-level, comprehensive restoration ten years ago, which is what gives this car a unique appeal. More than 20,000€ would have been spent, including 8,000€ for the purchase of new original parts. It was fitted with a "sport" exhaust. The car was bought, a few years ago, during the sale of Retromobile, by a brilliant and dynamic Parisian Chef. The latter, a great fan of Maranello's racing cars, had been attracted by the condition and the original color of the car, so much so that he had the car on display in his new restaurant.