1967 | FIAT 600 D Multipla

Highlights:

• Only 71,872 km mileage
• Very original condition

Brand & model history

Dante Giacosa's ingenious vision gave rise to one of the most original, versatile and functional Fiats: the first ‘minivan’ to be mass-produced.

Italy's mass motorisation began in 1955 with the Fiat 600. This vehicle was a compact two-door saloon with four seats and the engine in the rear. In January 1956, Fiat presented the innovative ‘Multi-Space’ version designed by Dante Giacosa at the Brussels Motor Show: the 600 Multipla.

The technology was based on that of the Fiat 600, but the passenger compartment extended to the front of the vehicle. Instead of a conventional bonnet, which is used in the Fiat 600 for the fuel tank and the spare wheel, the Multipla offers a front sofa with two seats. The front of the vehicle is almost vertical, similar to a minibus. The result is a vehicle that appears to be travelling backwards, with a narrowing rear end that is aerodynamic and yet offers space for three rows of seats and up to six people.

The 600 Multipla has four doors: two at the front, which open against the direction of travel, and two at the rear. The remarkable versatility of this spartan but practical vehicle allows one or both rear rows of seats to be folded down to create a flat load area almost two metres long. This allowed the car to be converted into a small motorhome with a ‘double bed’, as described in the advertising of the time.

In 1960, the Fiat 600 Multipla, together with the saloon, was revised with the ‘D’ version. The taxi version in particular spread rapidly in Italian cities and became a symbol of the economic miracle in Italy.

Fiat expands the range with the 600 D, which has a larger engine capacity and improved performance without increasing fuel consumption. Low running costs remain the decisive factor in the success of the Fiat 600.

The increased power also increases the popularity of the Multipla in the taxi version: the front passenger seat is replaced by an extended storage area, while the taximeter is mounted on the dashboard. Externally, the body remained unchanged, but the rear passenger compartment was equipped with two fixed seats and two folding seats, providing space for two to four passengers.

The two-colour paintwork is typical of Italian taxis of the 1960s: black in the upper section and bottle green in the lower section of the body. This colour combination gave the 600 Multipla an elegant look, and many private cars were also ordered in a two-tone version to match the pastel shades of the time.

Its reliability and low running costs made the taxi version of the 600 Multipla an integral part of the urban landscape in the major Italian cities, making it an icon of the economic miracle. The 600 Multipla became the favourite service vehicle of many Italian companies and served as inspiration for the later development of the 600T delivery van. The Abarth version, which featured advertising for the famous silencers, remains unforgotten.

Condition:

This Fiat - 600 D Multipla from 1967 has only been driven 71,872 kilometres.

Overall, the Multipla is in good condition and has been cherished and cared for over time.

The vehicle is very original and shows no heavy wear. The interior has also been well preserved over time and has no defects.

The electrical system with all switches and instruments works as it did on day one.

In general, the car has always been regularly serviced. The oil was recently changed and all spark plugs and filters replaced.

Market classification:

The Fiat 600 Multipla stood out from many series-produced vehicles due to its innovative design. Its functionality of transporting up to six people or alternatively offering a large loading area made it a pioneer in a segment that would only really develop in the following decades.

In 1967, the Multipla was already a proven model, but it was slowly moving towards a successor model, the Fiat 850 Familiare, which was also designed as a minivan, but was more modern and more powerful. The 600 Multipla is an important milestone in automotive history, as it represents the basis for the development of modern family and commercial vehicles.

Summary

Almost 2.7 million units of the 600 were sold between 1955 and 1969 from Italian production alone (the car was produced in Argentina until 1982). By contrast, only just under 150,000 units of the 600 Multipla were sold.

Nowadays, it is difficult to find well-preserved originals.