633cc to move 6 passengers; 105.5cc and not even 4hp per passenger. Good for a top speed of 57mph. The problem is, steady state motoring requires substantially less power than getting up to speed. Yes, the Multipla will cruise along at 57mph, but expect to invest ~45 seconds to reach that speed.
We're open to the adventure. Cars today provide a surplus of power that is useful for getting up to speed on an onramp or making a quick turn in front of traffic. It's fun to drive a car with some extra power, and the horsepower rating surely helps move cars from the dealer lots. But, postwar cars in Italy used just enough raw material to meet the performance requirements. We are trying to avoid looking at a difficult economic period with rose-tinted glasses, as we imagine many folks from this time period didn't romanticize the austerity, but here we are, marveling at how little power it really takes to move a car down the road.
Year: 1957
Model: Fiat 600 Multipla
Engine: 633cc 4-cylinder
Transmission: 4-speed manual
Mileage: 22,432 mi
Price: $26,500
Location: Glendale, CA
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This vehicle has a clear Arizona title. If you need to get a CA title for this vehicle, I can help you with that for an additional fee.
1957 FIAT 600 MULTIPLA
The Fiat 600 (Italian: Seicento, pronounced [sitnto]) is a rear-engine, water-cooled city car, manufactured and marketed by Fiat from 1955 to 1969 - offered in two-door sedan and four-door mini-MPV body styles.
The Fiat 600 Multipla was a four-door MPV based on the Fiat 600's drivetrain and Fiat 1100 front suspensions, that sat up to six people in a footprint just 50 cm (19.7 in) longer than the original Mini Cooper and on the same 2 m (78.7 in) wheelbase as the 600 saloon.
HERE WE HAVE A VERY CLEAN AND ORIGINAL FIAT 600 MULTIPLA WITH 22,432 ORIGINAL MILES. THIS MULTIPLA IS A NUMBERS MATCHING CAR AND EVERYTHING IS ORIGINAL EXCEPT FOR THE EXTERIOR PAINT THAT WAS DONE A FEW YEARS AGO. BODY IS VERY SOLID AND STRAIGHT WITH NO RUST OR BONDO. UNDERCARRIAGE IS DRY AND CLEAN. ORIGINAL GLASS AND CHROME ARE GREAT. THE ENGINE AND TRANSMISSION, ARE VERY HEALTHY AND UNTOUCHED. THIS FIAT MULTIPLA RUNS STRONG, SHIFTS AND STOPS GREAT. THE INTERIOR IS COMPLETE AND LOOKS GREAT. IF YOU ARE LOOKING FOR A FIAT 600 MULTIPLA THAT HAS NOT BEEN MESSED WITH HERE IS YOUR CHANCE
This sure seems to be a dry and straight survivor, with low mileage to boot. Mechanically basic, it shouldn't be a challenge to maintain either. While the smaller Fiats utilized air to cool their engines, the water-cooled 4-cylinder in this Multipla shouldn't struggle too much to shed heat under load, lack of airflow to the rear-mounted radiator notwithstanding.
We'd love to see someone buy this thing and drive the wheels off of it. Load it up with passengers and putt around town. Shuttle to the junkyard and load up on Italian spares. Drop the kids off at school. The simplicity and lack of frills juxtapose nicely with the funky color palette, oddball styling, and classic Italian attitude. Quite the sweet spot, if you ask us.
-Graham