Back to the future

The Italians produced the car of the future in the middle fifties. It was the FIAT 500, or the famed "cinquecento." It had a two stroke 500 cc engine in the rear and a very spartan interior. The original had a real metal bench in the rear that was soon replaced with back seats. The originsls had doors that opened rear to front or what was called the suicide door on some American cars that had tried this on rear doors. It was very economical and it basically motorized Italy and made it on of the nations that has the largest per capital number of cars. Today, the "cinquecento" has gained a cult status and yearly, people come from all over the world on their cinquecenti" to meet and exchange pleasantries. Of course the new FIAT 500 that is seen in the US is a modern version of that car. It has a physical resemblance to it but it's larger and very high performance. It is not the Spartan and economical car it's predecessor was.
This near mint model was parked here in Castellammare where many can still be seen. Not bad for a 60 years old car. It gives new meaning to the phrase, they do not make them as they used to.