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The principal derivative of the Fiat Nuevo 500 was the Autobianchi Bianchina. A chic, upmarket product conceived in parallel with the Fiat 500, the Autobianchi firm was part-owned (and later fully-owned) by Pirelli and Fiat. In 1960, Fiat introduced the Giardiniera estate version of the 500. The engine was modified and laid flat to maximize […]

This car started life as a Fiat Cinquecento. As rallies are a very popular form of motorsports in Europe, most manufacturers offer “kits” to transform a production car into a rally car. The interior is gutted to reduce weight, racing seats are added for additional support, while a roll cage has been added for safety

Introduced in July 1957, the successor for the “Topolino,” the “Nuova (which means “new”) 500″ used a layout similar to that seen on the 600 with a rear mounted engine driving the rear wheels and independent suspension on all four wheels. A first for Fiat was the air-cooling of the engine, a two cylinder 479cc

The Bertone X1/9 is a two-seater sports car designed by Bertone and built by Fiat. Intended to be the first affordable mid-engined sports car, the X1/9 is notable for its sharp styling and impeccable handling. The targa top can be stored in the front luggage compartment. It was originally designed as a sports car for

The first appearance of the Georges Irat name was in 1914, but there is no record of car production until 1921. Having flirted with production of both large, powerful cars and smaller, less powerful roadsters, Irat was near financial ruin in the mid-30s. Building on the front-drive theme of their successful 6CV, Irat based the

This German company was producing cars as early as the 1920s but they struggled financially through that decade. In 1931, Hanomag had 25% of the small-car market in Germany, trailed by DKW (19%) and BMW (17%). The following year they gambled on concentrating on a single series–the 1.1 Liter (later re-named Garant). The gamble worked,

The Hansa Automobile Gesellschaft was founded in 1905 to build light cars. Light cars were comparatively rare in Germany at the time. By 1913, the company was building small to medium-sized cars as well as large, luxurious cars. The Berlin Auto Show in 1934 saw the appearance of the Hansa 1100. This model was more

Few companies have offered electric vehicles, with only a handful being sold or leased. These cars typically suffer from heavy battery weight, short range, and long charging times. The Honda Insight was the first gasoline-electric hybrid vehicle soldin the U.S. Hybrids offer the best of both worlds–ultra- low emissions and no refueling or range restrictions.

This tiny microcar, designed and built by airplane pilots Claude Cry and Cale Orcutt, was one of the most successful microcars. The first model was produced in 1947 and resembled a racing car. The example you see here is the more angular third series. It offers a practical 2-seater roadster body made of metal. This