1959 Fiat 600 Multipla

Here at Trade Classics we love the little 1950’s designed Fiats. The Fiat 600 Multipla debuted at the Brussels Motor Show in 1956. Based on the Fiat 600, which was the first rear engined car produced by the marque, it featured the same wheelbase as the standard 600 saloon but with seating space for up to 6.

The extra seating capacity was achieved by losing the luggage space in the front of the car and moving the drivers seat over the front axle. This meant that 6 people could fit in the car comfortably, all in a car that was only 50 cm longer than the original Mini Cooper… well quite an astonishing and functional design when you put it in context like that.

The Multipla also featured the same in-line 4 cylinder engine as the 600, and came in a few different seating variations, this one being the ‘Taxi’ variant.

Surjit is like us here at Trade Classics, a proper petrolhead and can talk cars all day long; he has a wide make / model range of interest. However, he perhaps doesn’t like to hang onto his cars for as long as we do! For Surjit the thrill is in the research and the chase of a classic car, then running it for a year or two before finding a new owner.

Owning a few Fiat 500’s, and even a custom matching caravan to go with his blue 500L, the 600 Multipla caught Surjit’s eye as another great functional and interesting design by Fiat, and so he decided to bring the car over from Italy. Other car marques in Surjit’s collection are Alfa Romeo and Citroën.

Surjit purchased this Multipla from Rome and it had been subject to a full restoration back in 2014 and was in both excellent mechanical and cosmetic condition. During his ownership he’s only used the car occasionally, for a wedding for example, but has ensured it has been dry stored and well looked after.

Having been subject to a complete restoration in 2014, the exterior of the Multipla is immaculate. The cream and red paint looks deep and fresh from all angles, take a look at the media below for details.

Wheels & Tyres
Wearing red wheels to match the paintwork, the wheels and tyres look great on the mini SUV. Each features a Fiat chrome hubcap, the front offside hubcap having had a ding at some point in its life.

Bodywork
Visual inspection of the bodywork returned no concerns as to be expected from a professionally restored car. The panels and shut lines all looking true and the underside and sills showed no signs of rust.

Paint
As mentioned above, the paintwork on the car is great, and the colour combination looks lovely.

Glass and Trim
All the glass looked great across the car. The trim in some areas showed signs of pitting as you would expect for a car of this age.

The cream and red theme continues on to the inside of the Multipla, and the interior, although sparse, has also been professionally restored.

Seats and Carpets
Red with cream piping, the seats all look in great condition. There are no carpets in this car, just a fresh set of rubber mats throughout as you’d expect.

Dashboard
Just the one gauge on the 600, and the front dash being painted cream with no covering but looking very smart.

Steering Wheel / Gear Stick
Beautiful original thin steering wheel and the original style, no nonsense, simple gear stick.

The 600 Mutipla features the 4 cylinder 600cc engine, I went out for a short run with Surjit and the car performed well.

Engine and Gearbox
Take a look at the video to see the cold start. The starter motor may require a few attempts on the odd occasion, but generally starts on the button first time. When the car is warm the engine idles smoothly and revs with no visible smoke.

Suspension and Brakes
On our short run, I was surprised as a passenger at how smooth the ride is. I was expecting a similar sensation to my own Fiat 500L, but this was not the case. No noises or rattles could be heard coming from the suspension and the car braked without issue too.

The Drive
The car pulled away without a problem and Surjit went through all the gears without issue, including reverse.

Electrics and Other
There aren’t many electrics on the Fiat 600, and the Mutipla variant is no different. We noticed that the oil pressure and temperature dials on the dash did not appear to be working.  It’s assumed an easy fix and may be due to wiring.

Being an imported car it does not come with much history, having been imported fresh after its restoration.  However, there are pictures of the restoration that we have included in the media pack.

Images of previous MOT’s are also in the media section below.

The car is showing 31,984 km on the odometer.

HPi Check Results
– Our own HPi check is in progress.

Previous MOTs
– 27.04.2015 – 31,818 km
– 22.06.2016 – 31,918 km
– 11.08.2017 – 31,955 km

The Fiat 600 Multipla is placed firmly in history as a design icon. What a feat to fit 6 passengers comfortably in a wheelbase not much longer than the Mini Cooper!

Used in abundance all over Italy as a Taxi, the Multipla was a real hit, but spotting one in the UK is a much harder task. This car is a real head turner because of its rarity, its diminutive size and unique design that always seems to capture peoples’ imagination.

Being such a rare car, prices have risen over the years and a restored example with no rust and rot can make a great investment, or lovely addition to a classic car collection.

KULRAJ SINGH SALH
This auction listing was written by Kulraj Singh Salh from information gained from Surjit (owner and seller of the vehicle) and having visited the vehicle.

If you have any specific questions about the vehicle then please use the comments section below. Surjit will receive a notification and will reply as soon as he can.