Legendary Fiat 600 Multipla conquers London

(November 24, 2019) LONDON — The Fiat 600 Multipla, a triumph of Italian style and forerunner of all MPVs, will be starring in "Cars: Accelerating the Modern World" exhibition at the V&A museum in London. The exhibition, which opened Saturday, Nov. 23,  focuses on the impact of the car and includes car models that have represented real social and economic accelerators throughout the twentieth century.

The exhibition aims to highlight cars that have changed the world in the last 130 years in terms of design, innovation and social impact. Structured in three main sections, it includes over 250 objects and 15 cars, including the first ever patent car, a prototype of a flying car and one of the most iconic models of Italian car making the Fiat 600 Multipla.

Presented at the 1956 Brussels Motor Show, the Fiat 600 Multipla offered a completely new shape and exceptional interior space.  With three rows of seats it could comfortably seat six people or, with four seats folded down, it could offer a large, versatile load space.  With its versatility and extraordinary practicality, the "Multipla" became the pride of Italian taxi drivers and families for over a decade.



The car exhibited in London is part of the FCA Heritage collection, and is normally on display at the Fiat Historical Center in Turin.   In the 120th year of Fiat, FCA Heritage have organized a number of activities to celebrate Fabbrica Italiana Automobili Torino reaching this key milestone including the 1899 Fiat 3½ HP, owned by FCA UK and on permanent display at the National Motor Museum of Beaulieu, participating in the London to Brighton Veteran Car Run.

History of Fiat 600

The history of the Fiat 600 began in 1955, when the new model kick-started mass motorization in Italy. At first, the car was a compact two-door, four-seat saloon with rear-wheel drive and engine. The development of the new car had begun several years earlier, and on July 15th 1953, Vittorio Valletta — then president and CEO of Fiat – organized a day entirely dedicated to testing the Fiat 600 (at the time called "the 100", from the project initials by designer Dante Giacosa).

After many tests on the track, the day ended with a meeting of the entire Fiat Presidency Council, which approved the continuation of the project. That day, the idea circulated that a "carryall" version could also be made for the Fiat 600 and after a brief design phase, this became the Multipla.

Its official debut took place in January 1956 at the Brussels Motor Show.

Returning to the "multi-space" version, it shares the mechanics of the 600 saloon, with a cantilever rear engine, but with a passenger compartment that extends to the very front. It is easier to see its shape than to describe it: instead of a front hood (occupied by the tank and spare wheel in the saloon version) the Multipla has a two-seater sofa.

The three-door Multipla has a wheelbase of 78.7 inches and a length of 139 inches with a curb weight of 1,543 pounds. It is propelled by a 0.6-liter four-cylinder engine making 22 horsepower and 28.9 pound-feet of torque.

The front of the car is almost completely vertical. The result was a vehicle that looked as though it was traveling backwards, with a tapered and aerodynamic rear that could accommodate three rows of seats and up to six people.

The Fiat 600 was built through 1969.