Fiat 500

The 500 was a subcompact car built by Fiat in the fifties and sixties initially to account for the tiny roads of Italy and later for the high gas prices of Europe. The name referred to the half-liter engine. When imported to the United States it was popular for its size and fuel economy. It participated in the Trans Am Series under two liter category. Discontinued in the seventies, it was revived decades later when Fiat returned to the US after the turn of the millennium, having left in the nineties. This Fiat 500 was very different. For one thing, it had a much larger engine. It was also notably larger in size. These 500s competed in the World Challenge and Michelin Challenge. Abarth sport models were also available. The modern 500s were also available in even larger five-door models.