Fiat Nuova 500 D (1960–1965)
Introduced in autumn 1960, the 500 D developed the Nuova 500 with a larger engine and improved practicality while retaining rear-hinged doors.
An evolving small car
The D was a variant of the Fiat Nuova 500 generation, within the Fiat 500 model line. Introduced in autumn 1960, it combined four-seat accommodation with the familiar rear-hinged doors. Fiat’s historical account places it in 1960–1965. Fiat historical archive.
Engineering and production context
Built in Italy, the D retained a rear-mounted, air-cooled two-cylinder petrol engine driving the rear wheels through a four-speed manual gearbox. Lane Motor Museum documents this arrangement on its 1964 example. Its collection entry rounds displacement to 499 cc; Fiat specifies 499.5 cc and describes the engine as a development of the outgoing Sport unit. Lane Motor Museum; Fiat historical archive.
Body and everyday practicality
Revised indicators and rear lamps accompanied a smaller, sturdier folding canvas roof. A reshaped front fuel tank and folding rear seat back improved luggage accommodation. The Giardiniera estate was a separate derivative. Fiat’s account places saloon production at Mirafiori in Turin during this period. Fiat historical archive.
Chronology and historical significance
The 500 F arrived in March 1965 with front-hinged doors. The D therefore marks the final rear-hinged-door stage of the mainstream Nuova 500 saloon. Fiat historical archive.
The dates here describe the variant’s production period, rather than market-specific model years. Lane Motor Museum lists 1960–1964, whereas Fiat gives 1960–1965; this record follows the manufacturer’s chronology. The museum entry also combines specifications for its D with information about earlier Nuova 500 cars, so its earlier-model price is not treated as a D price. Export equipment and individual restored cars should not be assumed to match every Italian-market example. Lane Motor Museum.
Sources and image credit
- Fiat: historical retrospective, especially the 500 D, Giardiniera and 500 F sections.
- Lane Motor Museum: Fiat Nuova 500D – 1964; surviving example and mechanical layout.
- Staffan Andersson: Fiat 500 1964 photograph; Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.
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1 records
Fiat Nuova 500 D 499.5 cc Air-Cooled Twin
The 500 D brought the Sport's 499.5 cc displacement into Fiat's everyday small saloon, with a lower power rating and the familiar rear-mounted, air-cooled twin-cylinder layout.
Engine
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