ITALIAN LIGHT CIVILIAN CAR FIAT 500 "TOPOLINO" (OPEN TOP) with LADY and DOG

Description

In 1935 one of the Italian company began work on a small car for low income families, which became known as the "little mouse”. Powered by a 4-cylinder 569cc engine it was capable of 85 km/h. Construction was advanced for its day and although sold as a 2-seater, it was strong enough to carry 5 people. Production started in 1936 and it was soon judged a success. A close copy of this small car was made in France in the same year, and in Germany the copy was built from 1937. At the start of WWII many of these cars were pressed into military service. Most were used as run-about by the Italian and German armies, seeing service in Europe, North Africa and Russia. It was a rugged little car that stood up well to military use, many were "liberated" and used by Allied armies as they drove the German’s across France and Belgium. (Scale : 1/35e)