Fiat 500, presented on 2nd July 1957 in Turin, is the successor to the Topolino model that had been produced between 1936 and 1955. Design work under Dante Giacosa’s leadership has been going on since 1955. The car was equipped with a canvas roof that slides back and a door that opens against the wind]. The name 500 is taken from the cylinder capacity of an air-cooled, two-cylinder petrol engine, which amounts to less than 500 cm³.

Our patient constitutes the transport version of the Italian Toddler vehicle. As in the case of Topolino Belvedere, which successfully combined the advantages of a small car with considerable transport possibilities, it was decided to build a similar vehicle based on the Fiat 500. The new model designed by engineer Dante Giacosa was presented in 1960 under the name Giardiniera, which means the gardener. The Giardiniera is powered by the same engine as the 500 model. However, to save more space, it was turned 90 degrees right. The cooling system was similar to that used in other vehicles, such as the VW Transporter. The air is sucked in through the inlets on the rear pillars and directed through special channels to the fan. The Fiat 500 luggage compartment is 21 cm longer compared to its original passenger prototype. With 4 passengers the cargo space is about 250 litres, when the rear row of seats is folded down and the car is loaded up to the roof, it increases almost fourfold, and all this within a small-size vehicle. The loading area is 60 cm high. The third, rear door opens to the left. This allows safe access to the baggage compartment. The car also had an opening roof made of material. This allowed larger objects to be carried once the roof is opened. Until the end of Giardiniera’s production, it kept the front door opening against the wind. No one has replaced the small Italian “Gardener”. Giardiniera’s production was completed in 1977.

How do you like our gardener painted in a beautiful sunny yellow? We hope you are as delighted as the new owner – a young female fan of vintage vehicles.]]>