Fiat Topolino
Encyclopedia
The Fiat 500, commonly known as Topolino ("little mouse", the Italian
name for Mickey Mouse
), is an Italian
automobile
model manufactured by Fiat
from 1936 to 1955.
. The radiator was located behind the engine which made possible a lowered wind-cheating nose profile at a time when competitor vehicles confronted the world with flat near vertical front grills. The shape of the car's front gave it exceptional forward visibility.
Suspension at the back initially depended on quarter-elliptic rear springs, but somehow buyers frequently squeezed four or five people into the nominally two-seater car, and in later models the chassis was extended at the rear to allow for more robust semi-elliptic springs.
With horsepower of about 13 bhp, its top speed was about 53 mph (85 km/h), and it could achieve about 39.2 mpgus . The target price given when the car was planned was 5,000 lire. In the event the price at launch was 9,750 lire, though the decade was one of falling prices in several part of Europe and later in the 1930s the Topolino was sold for about 8,900 lire. Despite being more expensive than first envisaged, the car was very competitively priced. Nearly 520,000 were sold.
In 1955 the mid-size rear wheel drive Fiat 600
was launched by Fiat and that would become the design basis for the new Fiat 500
, the Nuova 500. The Nuova 500 is often thought, mistakenly, to be the only model 500 Fiat.
, codename Topolino. Based on the A-platform used by the Fiat 500 and Fiat Panda but shortened to 3000 mm (118.1 in) in length, the new Topolino will seat four people. This is scheduled for production in 2010.
The new Topolino will be built in the former Zastava plant in Kragujevac
, Serbia
. Fiat said the company will invest 700 million euros to modernize the Kragujevac plant. The Serbian government will contribute 300 million euros through tax breaks, incentives and infrastructure for the new plant. By the end of next year, Fiat plans to build 200,000 units a year in Kragujevac. Capacity will grow to 300,000 units from 2010 with the addition of the B-compact models.
, showing all the technology that will feature in the electric Topolino. Price is expected € 12,500.
Italian language
Italian is a Romance language spoken mainly in Europe: Italy, Switzerland, San Marino, Vatican City, by minorities in Malta, Monaco, Croatia, Slovenia, France, Libya, Eritrea, and Somalia, and by immigrant communities in the Americas and Australia...
name for Mickey Mouse
Mickey Mouse
Mickey Mouse is a cartoon character created in 1928 by Walt Disney and Ub Iwerks at The Walt Disney Studio. Mickey is an anthropomorphic black mouse and typically wears red shorts, large yellow shoes, and white gloves...
), is an Italian
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
automobile
Automobile
An automobile, autocar, motor car or car is a wheeled motor vehicle used for transporting passengers, which also carries its own engine or motor...
model manufactured by Fiat
Fiat
FIAT, an acronym for Fabbrica Italiana Automobili Torino , is an Italian automobile manufacturer, engine manufacturer, financial, and industrial group based in Turin in the Italian region of Piedmont. Fiat was founded in 1899 by a group of investors including Giovanni Agnelli...
from 1936 to 1955.
History
The Topolino was one of the smallest cars in the world at the time of its production. Launched in 1937, three models were produced until 1955, all with only minor mechanical and cosmetic changes. It was equipped with a 569 cc four-cylinder, side-valve, water-cooled engine mounted in front of the front axle, and so was a full-scale car rather than a cyclecarCyclecar
Cyclecars were small, generally inexpensive cars manufactured mainly between 1910 and the late 1920s.-General description:Cyclecars were propelled by single cylinder, V-twin or more rarely four cylinder engines, often air cooled. Sometimes these had been originally used in motorcycles and other...
. The radiator was located behind the engine which made possible a lowered wind-cheating nose profile at a time when competitor vehicles confronted the world with flat near vertical front grills. The shape of the car's front gave it exceptional forward visibility.
Suspension at the back initially depended on quarter-elliptic rear springs, but somehow buyers frequently squeezed four or five people into the nominally two-seater car, and in later models the chassis was extended at the rear to allow for more robust semi-elliptic springs.
With horsepower of about 13 bhp, its top speed was about 53 mph (85 km/h), and it could achieve about 39.2 mpgus . The target price given when the car was planned was 5,000 lire. In the event the price at launch was 9,750 lire, though the decade was one of falling prices in several part of Europe and later in the 1930s the Topolino was sold for about 8,900 lire. Despite being more expensive than first envisaged, the car was very competitively priced. Nearly 520,000 were sold.
In 1955 the mid-size rear wheel drive Fiat 600
Fiat 600
The Fiat 600 is a city car produced by the Italian automaker Fiat from 1955 to 1969. Measuring only 3.22 m long, it was the first rear-engined Fiat and cost the equivalent of about € 6,700 or US$ 7300 in today's money . The total number produced from 1955 to 1969 at the Mirafiori...
was launched by Fiat and that would become the design basis for the new Fiat 500
Fiat 500
The Fiat 500 is a car produced by the Fiat company of Italy between 1957 and 1975, with limited production of the Fiat 500 K estate continuing until 1977. The car was designed by Dante Giacosa....
, the Nuova 500. The Nuova 500 is often thought, mistakenly, to be the only model 500 Fiat.
New "Topolino"
Fiat is known to be working on a low-cost entry-level city car, to fit into its range below both the Fiat 500 and PandaFiat Panda
The Fiat Panda is a city car from the Italian automobile manufacturer Fiat. The first Fiat Panda was introduced in 1980, and was produced until 2003 with only a few changes. It is now sometimes referred to as the "old Panda". The second model, launched in 2003, is sometimes referred to "New Panda"...
, codename Topolino. Based on the A-platform used by the Fiat 500 and Fiat Panda but shortened to 3000 mm (118.1 in) in length, the new Topolino will seat four people. This is scheduled for production in 2010.
The new Topolino will be built in the former Zastava plant in Kragujevac
Kragujevac
Kragujevac is the fourth largest city in Serbia, the main city of the Šumadija region and the administrative centre of Šumadija District. It is situated on the banks of the Lepenica River...
, Serbia
Serbia
Serbia , officially the Republic of Serbia , is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeast Europe, covering the southern part of the Carpathian basin and the central part of the Balkans...
. Fiat said the company will invest 700 million euros to modernize the Kragujevac plant. The Serbian government will contribute 300 million euros through tax breaks, incentives and infrastructure for the new plant. By the end of next year, Fiat plans to build 200,000 units a year in Kragujevac. Capacity will grow to 300,000 units from 2010 with the addition of the B-compact models.
Electric versions
Fiat has unveiled the Fiat Phylla concept solar carSolar car
A solar vehicle is an electric vehicle powered completely or significantly by direct solar energy. Usually, photovoltaic cells contained in solar panels convert the sun's energy directly into electric energy. The term "solar vehicle" usually implies that solar energy is used to power all or part...
, showing all the technology that will feature in the electric Topolino. Price is expected € 12,500.