1955, Italy is in full economic miracle, the voice of on the radio Buscaglione intones "What a doll!", Italians have begun to have household appliances, including the refrigerator, the one with cheerful colors and sinuous, rounded shapes, perhaps FIAT. And in the evening they find themselves in front of the cathode ray tube with bated breath or getting excited between one "Leave or Double" e "Little Women". In 1955 the task of motorizing the new post-war Italy was entrusted to Victor Valletta, CEO of FIAT, who had the idea of renewing the old "Topolino", now outdated.
The democratic revolution
For the design of the new car, the one that was supposed to revolutionize the social life of the Italians, he was commissioned Dante Giacosa. It was supposed to be a popular car, but not a subcompact. The 9 March of the 1955 the FIAT 600, the small car that soon became iconic and a symbol of the economic and social reconstruction of a war-torn nation.
After a few months from the launch, the waiting times amounted to approximately one year. Produced until 1969 in various versions and configurations, the strengths were the good standard equipment, good roominess, excellent ride comfort thanks to the independent suspension and rather low running costs due to the newly designed engine, the "100", the progenitor of a series of engines used for the following decades by FIAT. At launch, the 600 cost 590.00 lire, the salary of a worker was 43.000 lire.
A story that crosses national borders
The 600 was the first car which powered the Italians, radically changing their habits. Many believe that it was the 500 that had the boom in purchases, but it was not so, also because initially the latter had only two seats, so it did not have the hoped-for success. Only later, with the adoption of the 4 seats, did the legend of the FIAT 500 begin. From 1958 al 1960 the Fiat 600 was imported into Argentina, and was subsequently produced by the local Fiat Someca SA first in the headquarters of Buenos Aires then in El Palomar, where the PSA group's factories are currently based. Initially, components from Italy were used, later they began to produce directly on site, starting with the engines produced in Córdoba; from 7 April 1960 the Fiat 600 Argentina was entirely produced in the brand new local Fiat factory.
Sporting successes
in 1961 Carlo Abarth gave birth to the 850 TC which immediately became a winner in competitions. The coronation takes place in September 1961 when in the 500 km of the Nurburgring the cars derived from FIAT 600 triumph.
The success had such a resonance that already in November of the same Abarth decided to present an enhanced road version called "Nurburgring" with 55 hp engine, at a price of 900 thousand lire, which has become extremely rare today.
