Time for another images of Italy post, and this week, it is a classic. It’s one of the most Italian of all Italian cars, and I know from my father, who was in Italy in the early ’70s, that these things buzzed around everywhere back then.
First introduced to Italian roads in 1957, many Italians older than 60 seem to have had at least one.
This cheeky little quintessentially Italian car, with its buzzy little air-cooled motor, tends to become a little hot and bothered, like its Italian owners, in the heat! This is why the rear engine cover is often raised, as it helps the Fiat 500 keep its cool during hot Italian summers.
The Fiat 500 is a sort of Italian equivalent to England’s Mini. As many of you will know, the Mini has had new life breathed into it. Well, the Fiat 500 has also risen from the ashes too. The latest and greatest version of the Fiat 500 may lack some of the character of the original, but it is still a fine little car in its own right. And, one can be fairly certain that the new 500 is a mite more reliable than its ancestor too.
Here’s a shot of that all Italian classic, which might even tempt you to go hunting for some free car insurance quotes.
The Mythical Fiat 500 Cinquecento
Stop reading, start speaking
Stop translating in your head and start speaking Italian for real with the only audio course that prompt you to speak.
‘Mitica’ is Italian for ‘mythical’, by the way. Oh, and these little wonders can still be seen beetling along Italian roads to this very day, as the photographer who captured this particular example of the species noticed.
A photograph of this Italian classic car just has to be included in a collection of images of Italy. Without it, such a collection just would not be complete.
Actually, the craziest Fiat 500 I ever saw was one into which some mad person had shoehorned a V8! I saw this little monster on a drag strip in the UK. Boy, was the thing quick!
With thanks to Invicta Moto for this 100% Italian image, which was shot down in Positano.
More of Invicta Moto’s photographs of Italy, and other places, can be seen over on Flickr: Invicta Moto on Filckr
