We're following up the Fiat 500e from last week with something that announces its internal combustion engine power like no other car on the road: the Fiat 500 Abarth. We've been working from home lately and that has us missing our old winter routine of starting up the Abarth on a cold, dark morning. First it barks to life, and after 10 seconds or so of intense growling, it settles into a more neighborly rumble. As we consider the possibility of replacing ours with a 500e, our mind keeps coming back to that wonderful sound.
The appeal of the 500 Abarth is difficult to explain to those who ask how we like ours. The handling is nothing special compared to something like a Fiesta ST or a GTI. The turbocharged engine is boosted in the old style, where there isn't a well of torque to mine for power at low engine speeds. So it doesn't really stand out on any performance merits. But to us, the sum of all of its attributes makes it one of the most fun cars to drive around town. There is something about moving our 6'2" self down the road in an Italian shark cage that is endlessly entertaining. It just works for us, and doesn't leave us wanting for a different commuter.
Ferraris can be tough to pull off. Ferrari tributes? The Fiero conversions are beyond reproach. But, how do we feel when things get closer to home? Last week, we saw an Alfa Romeo Milano Verde with a "Friends of Ferrari" plaque on the dashboard, and it just seemed excessive. Today's Abarth 695 Tribute Ferrari? It's a lot if you own a Ferrari, and it's a lot if you don't.
Despite the Giardiniera's considerable production numbers - almost 327,000 in total - the elongated 500 is a rare sight on US soil. Interestingly, giardiniera itself is a relish commonly found at delis across the US. How the model got its name will remain a mystery to us.
Stylistically, the Giardiniera is put to shame by the classic shape of its standard 500 sibling, but makes up for it handily in the utility department. The flat load floor in the rear covers the engine compartment, and is accessed with a swinging door that creates a large opening for the loading of cargo. In addition to the large cargo space, the rear bench provides more leg room than in the standard model, creating quite the usable little runabout.
Up for sale is a real nice & rare 1973 Fiat Giardiniera ragtop! and suicide doors! Painted in white pastel with red interior. Many hours and money has been invested in this nice sport Italian car. This is a true collector's car.
Based on the standard version of the Fiat 500, the Giardiniera benefited from front quarter lights, winding windows in the doors and sliding windows at the rear. The Giardiniera retained its suicide doors throughout production even when the later saloon cars were built with front-hinged doors. In addition, the sunroof folded back three-quarters of the roof length, providing ample opportunity for all passengers to enjoy both fresh air and exposure to the elements.
In order to provide the Giardiniera with a useful flat-loading platform, an innovative engineering solution was used: a 499.5-cc motor was turned on its side and laid under the rear floor. Engine cooling relied on air collected from grilles on the body sides, which were mounted as high as possible to reduce road dust being drawn into the engine compartment and to keep engine noise down.
This car drives exceptionally well, you can take it to the car shows & for weekend cruises. Definitely gets a lot of attention & questions at the cars and coffee.It has a 4 speed manual transmission. Engine Bay is well detailed. Has a nice exhaust that sounds really nice. Mechanically the car is sound! See the video.
The car did receive a full restoration a couple years ago. The Body is straight as an arrow. All doors, trunk, hood are all aligned like they should. It has always been garage kept and well taken care. All the exterior chromes, trim, latches, bumperettes are in like new. Underneath the floor pans are in great shape, everything was properly redone.
The Interior is splendid and contrast well to the exterior paint, Red Italian upholstery has been fitted, and tastefully done, and overall condition looks new. Black roll-up top!
I'm located in Miami about 30 minutes away from the airport. Feel free to come see the car in person. Any inquires email me. $500 non-refundable deposit required within 24hrs of buying. Sold As-is. Thanks for looking. For those interested you can call me at 305 five four two 5662. If I don't answer just leave me a voicemail.
If you're looking to finance I would recommend JJ Best. They can finance your classic car or hot rod and are very pleasant to work with.
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The engine was mounted on its side in order to achieve such a low load floor. A highway speed of 65mph is possible, owing to the 21bhp on tap, but if that were possible at high ambient temps, then color us surprised. The meager power rating is sufficient for maintaining speeds, though any sort of ambitious acceleration attempts will likely result in disappointment.
If the long-wheelbase 500 was produced for so long, then why does this one command such a premium over the typical 500 on the market? Part of that is due to the overall condition of this example. Prospective buyers should check photos of the restoration and understand if there was rust and how it was addressed. But, we are optimistic on this one; it really does come across as a tidy restoration. More space is not always the answer when it comes to weekend (or weekday) cars. That said, we'll make an exception for this Giardiniera.
We're part of the problem, if you agree that the Fiat 500 departing the US market after an eight-year run is problematic to begin with. See, we bought our 2013 Abarth in 2017, once the value had dwindled to 30% of the MSRP. At around $24,000 new, we didn't see the sense in springing for a new model.
Our reservations with purchasing new had little to do with the vehicle itself. Our Abarth been delightfully reliable, requiring only a reseal of the transmission case under warranty (admittedly likely due to porosity in the casting, so we'll be doing that on our own dime next time). And, as a commuter, we love our traffic scalpel, whether slicing through traffic in sport mode or sitting in the right lane on cruise.
Fiat 500 Abarth 1-Yr SiriusXM Radio Service, Abarth Premium Hatchback, ATC Air Conditioning w/Micron Filter, Beats Premium Audio System, Black Trimmed Lights, For More Info, Call 440-319-3743, GPS Navigation, Heated Front Seats, Power Sunroof, Quick Order Package 2HX, SiriusXM Satellite Radio, Wheels: 17" x 7.0" Forged Aluminum Hyper Black.
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Were we to option a new Abarth to buy today, it would be identical to this other than the inclusion of bronze wheels. The leather on our car has held up very well, but the cloth seats on this example are much more to our taste. And, the updated information screen and the U Connect are substantial improvements over the serviceable-but-basic units in our Abarth.
With the departure of the 500 from North American shores, we may be past the point of being able to order from the factory in Mexico. But, if our instincts are to be trusted, there should be no shortage of 500s on dealership lots for the next few years. And those examples that continue to languish on the lot should be ripe for some aggressive discounts.
This was too good not to feature. It's not even really a car for sale on the new/used market, so much as it is a service offered by Jolly Car. Simply put, they convert the modern Fiat 500, introduced in 2007, into their updated interpretation of the original Fiat 500 Jolly. We would post more information from their website instead of reposting their advertisement from Car and Classic, but the website isn't all that informative.
Original Fiat 500 Jolly's, with the canvas canopy, doorless bodies, and wicker seats, are the domain of boat owners and those with oceanside villas. Even today, they average $50k for what amounts to a golf cart with excellent road manners. In this sense, especially in light of the inflated price of the modern version, nothing has changed!
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Year: 2007-2019 Model: Fiat 500 Jolly Engine: 1.4L 4-cylinder Transmission: 5-speed manual Mileage: N/A Price: $89,000 Location: Paris, France
Fiat 500 Jolly Car - Inspired by the original Jolly Ghia
Inspired by the famous "spiaggine" comes the limited edition Jolly by Jollycar
Italian Design German quality Swiss precision Limited Edition Handcrafted the "old way" by hand performed by master panel beaters Appreciating investment Stand out with this beautiful mix of retro and modern!
Worldwide delivery!
The car is set up at the request and with the specifications for the target market: driving on the right or left, motorization EU or USA with diesel fuel, gasoline or electric. Serious official retailers will follow the order until the delivery of the car.
Prices starting from $ 89,000. Request a customized quote!
The spiaggine
The spiaggine is an open styled car, intended primarily for use in summer months, often at tourist resorts. It is distinguished from other types of cars by the fact it has no doors, no roof, has a removable awning in place of the roof.. The interiors are made of water-resistant materials.
The birth of “spiaggina” type vehicles was immediately after the war by the initiative of some Italian coachbuilders who transformed mass production utility cars in order to make them suitable to the needs of wealthy clients, to suit their needs during the holiday period at seaside resorts.
The changes were made by request of the buyer varied and generally included the removal of the roof and replacing it with a tarp awning made of cotton, the installation of cloth or wicker seats and elimination of side and rear seats for better access.
The name "spiaggine" comes from one of the first cars of this type, the Savio spiaggine of 1958, built from a base Fiat 500 and designed by Mario Boano. This car, although it was built in only two copies, became famous around the world for being photographed with its owners, Gianni Agnelli and Aristotle Onassis. What probably contributed to the emergence of the term "spiaggine", the reference to the folding chair used in Italy at beach-side resort, since at the time of their presentation journalists likened this type of car to "beach furniture".
Since the second half of the 1950’s, several models of spiaggine were built in small series from the main Italian coachbuilders until the early nineties, including the body Moretti Turin that after the success of the 127 and 126 midimaxi created the only spiaggine wheel drive : the Moretti Panda Rock, produced up to December 1989.
With the final closure of all builders who worked and altered production Fiat chassis, the term "spiaggine" fell by the wayside because of the safety rules and regulations in Europe. But these cars are always admired by many fans and make record quotes from records in all auctions worldwide.
old Fiat 500 Jolly Ghia
The Ghia 500 Jolly is a spiaggine built by Ghia bodywork, 1957-1974.
Made on the mechanics of the Fiat 500 and later on the basis Autobianchi Giardiniera, was among the first projects of Sergio Sartorelli, just come to the technical direction of the Ghia, after the departure of Giovanni Savonuzzi.
The car was very expensive and was a cult object, scope and bought by many VIP’s like Aristotle Onassis, Yul Brynner, Enrico Berlinguer and Silvio Berlusconi, to be put on their yachts or for 'use as a "golf cart" as well as a way to get around their estates. Among the most famous owners also the artist and Ligurian painter Mario Berrino.
They were sold in the United States between 1958 and 1966 and in Italy and Europe until 1974.
The vehicles included protections on the sides and the windshield, as cover had simply an awning of protection for the sun (instead of a more classical hood) resting on a body of chrome pipes, the doors were totally absent and replaced by simple chains. The colors were available: pink, coral, white, pale yellow and sky blue. The mechanics had been the original Fiat with the classic air-cooled twin.
New car features
unmistakable look Metal body Fine wood fittings Rattan seats Maximum safety equipment
Old car properties
Prototype of a lineage unparalleled charm profitable investment
Photos and details: jollycar.net
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Gang, we can't tell you how to spend your money. We feature many cars that we could see spending our own money on. We don't foresee a future in which we are of the state of mind to buy a nearly $100k golf cart. If we do, though, you can bet that it will be in this lovely okra yellow color!
Let's face it: the Fiat 500 is a bit large and unwieldy. Tough to sneak down city streets. Cumbersome. A hassle to park. While the basic components for a proper city car are present, Fiat missed the mark on convenient city driving.
Enter G.A.M.C. Baldi, coachbuilder of the Frog. Lopping 20 inches off of the standard Fiat 500 chassis and providing their own body, they have managed to realize what Fiat failed to accomplish. The resulting city car puts even a modern Smart ForTwo to shame in outside dimensions. Engine options ranged from 125cc to 595cc, this example being outfitted with the goldilocks 499cc Fiat unit. A 4-speed manual shifter sprouts from the floor - no antediluvian column shifting is required in the Frog.
The sellers of this Frog claim that the car has been restored. The engine bay, interior, and paint all seem to be in great condition. We wouldn't seat the mechanical condition too much, as the fundamental components and rebuild parts are all available just as they would be for a Fiat 500.
So, for those who already have a 500, but require something more modest for trips into town, we recommend the Frog. Where it lacks in style, it delivers in convenience. The 499cc Fiat power plant and 4-speed manual should make for some entertaining transportation in the lighter Frog body too. Hop to it.
Supposedly costing Sergio Marchionne's FCA $14,000 with each transaction, the Fiat 500e was FCA's concession to California, who required the sale of an electric car from all automakers wishing to sell in the state. As new, the 500e was priced at nearly $44,000, before tax incentives. Even taking the incentives into account, it would be surprising if any owners broke even, financially.
As with most modern Fiat models, keen buyers should look toward the used market, where deals abound. Our personal 2013 Fiat 500 Abarth was quite the deal at less than $9,000 for a fully-optioned sub-40k mile car with some warranty left on it. Similar deals can be found on these 500e's. At close to $10k, the 84k range from the 24 kWh battery pack starts to make more sense for those with reasonable commutes.
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Year: 2016 Model: Fiat 500e Motor: Bosch SMG 180/120 Transmission: 1-speed direct drive Mileage: 6,789 Price: $11,900 obo Location: Van Nuys, CA
Available for a test drive and inspection in the City of Van Nuys, CA 91405 If you like to schedule a viewing please call me at 626-382-3791 Valentino Low mileage 2016 Fiat 500e EV sport electric motor 83 kW hatchback 2doors luxury class package Alt Power, clean California title with Laser Bright Blue Metallic Exterior Color. Manufactory Warranty of 4 years 50,000 miles basic, Powertrain 4 years 100,000 miles and Li-Ion battery 8 years 100,000 miles. All Recall, Maintenance and Service Upto Date at Dealership Fiat Gallery Van Nuys California Vehicle coaming with original factory charger, compressor, and 2 Fog Keys. Interior is in very good condition never smoke or pets abuse, black & white leather, electrical window, heated seats, adjustable steering wheel and much more. Exterior in very good condition and is very shiny, the vehicle was kept in the garage almost all the time, the body is straight with small scratches and dent to front right fender but nothing serios. Please see all pictures. Electrical work properly, all window, light, turn signal, radio. The A/C works perfect and blows cold air, like ice. Is a one owner's vehicle, lease return with no accident history on the NMVTIS system. Vehicle history report available from us at no charge. Please provide your email for a pdf transfer. There are no accidents, no rollback miles, no problem with the car’s history. California resident buyer pays sales tax based on the resident zip code. Pays DMV transfer and current registration plus $65 document fees. Out of state buyer pays $65 document fees only, plus the selling price, no official’s fees in California, takes the clean title and transfers it him or her self in the resident state. We would be happy to facilitate the delivery of the vehicle to the place of your choosing.
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The car will reportedly charge to full battery in 4 hours when using 240V charging, though 120V charging requires a full day to top off the battery from empty. And, with the 111hp electric motor, drivers might not see the full 84 miles of range, as lead-footing it will surely reduce potential range. Acceleration numbers from the magazines are healthy enough, but the 88mph top speed might not cut it for some of you readers.
We like the light blue paint, and the eSport wheels on this example. The updated gauge cluster and infotainment system are welcome upgrades from our personal Abarth too. Will we trade our Abarth for one of these? That depends on a number of factors, but we won't count out the possibility. If we do, we'll find one just like this one, but with a moonroof!
We interrupt our scheduled Alfa Romeo sports sedan content to share this rare beauty/beast. We are not, admittedly, experts of the Fiat 500, despite owning a modern Fiat 500 Abarth. In our limited google-searching, we are absolutely unable to come up with a factory explanation for the quad front headlight Fiat 500. Looks to be custom work, but the seller describes it as special edition limited production. If someone can vouch for that, we'd be happy to hear more.
We did some additional research, and it would seem that the car was either swapped from a 499cc up to the 595cc engine from a later car, or that the seller is optimistic. We can't tell from looking at the engine.
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Year: 1971 Model: Fiat 500 Engine: 595cc 2-cyl Transmission: 4-speed manual Mileage: 39,911 km Price: $2,850
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Great deal this car is definitely money make not money loss my selling price is very low! Up for sale 1971 Fiat 500 special edition limited production with the 4 headlights very rare in US! Car was import from Milano Italy the 595 engine it runs good the 4 speed transmission it shift good.The interior is red and is in good shape, the body has some minor rust underneath the spar tire and one spat on left side rear floor noting major also as you see the picture she could use new paint job or just fix the fuel problem check the brakes and drive as is! Car was run and drive but since it was sitting for a year the engine not start, she will start and run by spray start fluids in carburetor i put the new fuel filter but no gas come out the fuel filter possible the fuel tank need to be clean. If you wanna inspect or pickup the car in person call 347 631 9496.
As far as cheap 500s go, this is one of the better ones that we've seen. Sure looks like a driver, at least once the fueling issue is solved. We would even venture to say that the underside doesn't look especially rusty. But, who know what lurks beneath the paint. the interior is surprisingly complete, and stands to really clean up.
Look, under $3,000 is relatively short cash for a classic 500 these days. The headlights - factory or otherwise - are a hoot, as is the Italianate branding down the center of the car. This could be a great opportunity to buy an odd little 500 with a hot engine!
