The Fiat 600 made a significant contribution to the success of the make during the 1950s and 60s. A “people’s car” in Italy, it was viewed elsewhere as the yardstick for compact cars with top speeds of above 100 km/h. So it’s hardly surprising that its production was picked up and licensed by numerous manufacturers like D NSU, Seat, Zastava or Steyr. The variations were restricted to the trimmings and the emblem. The 600 was regularly updated over the course of the years. For instance, the bodywork was remodelled and the door hinges moved from back to front in 1964, in addition to some upgrades in displacement.

This Steyr Fiat was among the last to be fitted with the old “suicide doors”. Although these rear-hinged doors provide easy access to the interior, they have the occasional tendency to open by themselves when the car is moving. Accordingly, this design was officially banned around the mid-1960s. This model was originally registered in Upper Austria, and then in Lower Austria. The Steyr with extensively refurbished some time ago, and the material selection appears to have gone just a tad too far. It is nevertheless extremely cosy! The diminutive vehicle was most recently registered in Vienna, almost 40 years later. The 600 has great genes for everyday use, even today, but drivers will have to become accustomed to the inevitable attention it is certain to attract!

VIN: 1741747, mileage: 47,169 km (read), displacement: 767 cc/R4, power: 27 hp, colour: red/grey (fabric), gearbox: 4-speed, papers: Austrian registration document