The charter establishing Fiat was signed in 1899. A year later, the factory opened and produced 24 cars in the first year. By 1908, Fiat had expanded throughout Europe and the U.S. World War I began and production focused on supplying the army.

The Fiat 124 entered the market in 1966 as a mid-level sports car. Designed to compete with the MGB, it had superior technical specifications – a dual overhead cam engine and 4-wheel disc brakes.

The 500 Abarth is a sporty addition to Fiat’s successful reboot of the classic Fiat 500. Building on the successful base model, the Abarth features significant power increases, suspension upgrades, and nicer interior appointments.

This nice little Fiat conversion is but one of several designs by Giovanni Vernagallo of Torino, Italy. Vernagallo’s company, Carrozzeria Holiday, takes cars such as the Fiat 500 and Punto, Citroen 2CV, Saxo, and AX, and Renault Twingo, among others, and transforms them into beach cars, cabrios, or pickups.

In 1936 Fiat introduced the 500, or “Topolino” as a small car for the masses of Italy. The car seen here is a “C” model, and it is basically a station wagon model without windows.

One year after the introduction of the Fiat 600, another version was introduced–possibly the first minivan–the Multipla (which means “all service”). This vehicle had three rows of seats for a total capacity of six people, the two rear pairs of seats could be folded into the floor, leaving a large flat loading area. 

When it was time to replace the Fiat 500, many engine and chassis configurations were designed, built, and tested.  The layout for the 600 was chosen for a simple reason –low manufacturing costs.