1961 Fiat

The Fiat 500 (Italian: cinquecento, (pronounced cheen-kway-chento) was produced by Fiat between 1957 and 1975. The car was designed by Dante Giacosa.

The original name of the vehicle was Nuova 500 a cheap and practical car for getting around town. Measuring only 3 meters (~10 feet) long, and originally powered by a tiny 479 cc two-cylinder, air-cooled engine, the 500 redefined the term "small car" and is considered one of the first city cars. This car has a 600D engine.

To meet the demands of the post-war market which called for economy cars, the Fiat 500 was rear-engined on the pattern of the Volkswagen Beetle, just like its bigger brother, the 1955 Fiat 600.

The last of the 500s was produced in 1975.

In 1958 Fiat shipped a number of Fiat 500's and 600's to the Italian design house Ghia for conversion into the Jolly. Featuring wicker seats and the option of a fringed top to shield its occupants from the Mediterranean sun, these cars were originally made for use on large yachts of the wealthy (Aristotle Onassis owned one).

With a cost of nearly double that of a standard "600", they were made in a very limited production, many of which are unique. 32 Jolly cars were used as taxis on the island of Catalina off the coast of Los Angeles in the USA in the years 1958-1962.