1971 | FIAT 500 L

The Epitome of Italian Joie de Vivre – 1971 Fiat 500L

The Fiat 500 is undoubtedly Italy’s people’s car. It was launched in July 1957, two years before the Mini. The new 500 (or la Nuova Cinquecento) had a predecessor, the Topolino, but it was very different from the 1930s model. Its lines were modern, its rear engine less so.

In a time when mass motorisation was first conceived and the economic boom was in full swing. The new 500 was a car for everyone, the declared goal of some manufacturers back then. Fiat designed the 500 without unnecessary frills and with little chrome trim, but the car combined everything a small family needed and could afford. In 1958, the standard version cost 3,990 francs in Switzerland.

Ten years later, Fiat offered a luxury version. And wealthy drivers got their money’s worth, which – at least by the standards of the time – enhanced the Fiat’s look. There was a lot of chrome trim. This included the rain gutter strips, windscreen seals and the rear window seals. The bumpers boasted powerful chrome bars, which also served as additional protection. The front panel was decorated with a new, elegant Fiat logo, which no longer featured the two wings at the sides.

But there was a lot going on in the interior too. The dashboard is no longer made of bare, painted-over metal. The L has a plastic dash that was modern for the time and, instead of the round speedometer, includes a wide speedometer from the Fiat 850. The steering wheel also has a sporty feel and the car is carpeted inside. The body, which remained a similar shape for a good ten years, was still being built until 1973. Then the Fiat 126 arrived – and the rounded body shape acquired angles.

Bought on an auction platform in 2021 and imported into Switzerland, our auction car is in very good condition. Since the change of ownership in 2021, extensive overhaul and restoration work has been carried out on the engine and body. The documents only show two previous owners. An eye-catching crowd favourite with serious likeability. You can’t get more Italian than that!