Point of interest
Fiat 500 Topolino (1938)
A small pre-war Fiat with a four-cylinder engine mounted ahead of the front axle.
Content language
The museum’s 1938 Fiat 500 represents the pre-war family known as the Topolino. The first version was presented in Turin on 15 June 1936 as a small two-seater. An open-top version joined the range that autumn, widening the choice available to buyers.
The model combined a four-cylinder engine mounted ahead of the front axle with independent front suspension. Its body seated two people, while simple construction and small dimensions were intended to keep running costs down. The fuel tank was high enough for petrol to reach the carburettor by gravity, without a fuel pump.
In June 1936 the new car cost 8,900 lire, rather than the 5,000 originally envisaged. Despite its economical design, it remained beyond the means of many Italian families. The Gdynia example belongs to a batch of Fiats assembled in Poland before the war, connecting this Italian design with the Polish motor industry.
For children
The Topolino is a small pre-war Fiat. The car in Gdynia dates from 1938. The model appeared two years earlier and seated two people. There was also a version with an opening roof. This museum car belongs to a batch assembled in Poland before the war.
Under its little bonnet was a four-cylinder engine, placed ahead of the front axle. Independent suspension allowed each front wheel to respond to bumps. Petrol flowed from the tank to the carburettor under its own weight, so no fuel pump was needed. The designers tried to keep the car simple to build and use. Even so, its 1936 price of 8,900 lire was too high for many families.
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