Lot 268: 1921 Fiat 501 Spyder

It was largely the profits earned from the manufacture of war supplies that enabled Fiat to greatly expand its activities after the end of World War One, with car production shooting up from a little under 2,000 in 1917 to well over 13,500 by 1923. The majority of this huge increase in sales, however, was down to just one model - the Tipo 501. Fiat's first ever mass-produced car, the 501 was designed by Carlo Cavalli and powered by a new 1,460cc four-cylinder engine, with detachable cylinder head, mated to a four-speed gearbox. Coachwork could be had in a variety of guises, ranging from saloons through tourers to even small vans, while the chassis beneath employed leaf-sprung suspension and drum brakes front and rear. When production of the 501 ceased in 1926 - its replacement, the Tipo 509, had already been launched the previous year - over 80,000 of these hugely popular little Fiats had been built. Offered here is the desirable open tourer, finished in Bordeaux with a beige cloth interior and matching beige hood. This delightful car was manufactured in 1921 and is described by the vendor as being in good condition throughout. Supplied with Italian papers this is a charming pre-war car that is in a good usable condition.De couleur bordeaux avec un intérieur beige, cette magnifique voiture fut construite en 1921. Elle est décrite par son actuel propriétaire comme étant dans de trés bonnes conditions générales. Elle est mise en vente avec ses papiers italiens.