Fiat 600 'Contro vento'

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The Fiat 600 marked the dawn of a new era of car construction for Italy’s biggest and most successful manufacturer.

Up until late 1954 the Turin-based company had been selling its Topolino C which was essentially an updated prewar car design that had run its course. Unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show in 1955, the 600 broke new ground for Fiat by using a rear engine housed within a torsionally rigid monocoque bodyshell.

It could accommodate four people with their luggage stowed in the front ‘boot’, and weighing only 600kg it could make good progress from its 25hp water cooled engine, bowling along happily at 55mph. The new four-cylinder engine had a cast iron cylinder block and an all-aluminium cylinder head, water cooled by a radiator housed in the engine bay.

The advanced chassis and good handling of the 600 earned very positive reviews in the European motor press with good sales to follow. The car was small but effective and while it wasn't luxurious, it was very easy to maintain.

The car you see here comes from the first phase of the first series of the Fiat 600 and is a ‘Contro Ventro’ model (‘against the wind’) as the doors are rear-hinged and open from the front. Within the doors are mounted sliding windows; these were to disappear after 1955 along with other phase one features such as the wing top mounted cast aluminium sidelights that moved to a lower position on the front wings with the 600D of 1962. Mechanically, this 600 is equipped with a four-speed gearbox with synchromesh on 2nd, 3rd and 4th and hydraulic drum brakes.

This early 600 is a rare machine in the UK and although it requires a complete restoration it offers the enthusiast a great opportunity to revive a survivor that is hard to obtain even in its home country. Parts supplies are excellent with a good specialist market in the UK and many more in Italy – for instance a complete brand new interior set is available from stock and at reasonable cost.

Part of a large collection of small Italian cars amassed by the vendor, this 600 comes with a NOVA form (Notice Of Vehicle Arrival), a Fiat UK dating letter authenticating the year and model, and is ready for the new owner to register with DVLA, which will make them the first UK owner in the V5C logbook.