1955 Fiat 600
FIAT 600 MORETTI "GRAN LUSSO"-
Year of manufacture1955
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Car typeOther
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Chassis number025041
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Engine number100.000
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Lot number10
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ConditionUsed
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Location
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Exterior colourOther
Description
First series sliding glass
First metallic paint
Engine and gearbox in perfect working order
ASI
After the Second World War, FIAT was led by Vittorio Valletta, who, wishing to motorise the new republican Italy, commissioned Dante Giacosa to design the new car: an arduous task, given that the company had very modest potential.
Fiat's small utility car was presented on 9 March 1955 in Geneva, in the Palazzo delle Esposizioni.
The '600', born as a popular but not entirely super-utilitarian car, was a resounding sales success and, after only a few months, the waiting time for delivery exceeded a year. Strategic ingredients of success were the competitive, but not outrageous price, good equipment and quality for the price, good roominess and good road handling which, combined with the good gearbox, also proved satisfying to drive despite the small, newly designed engine, the '100', located at the rear, of 633 cm³, delivering 21.5 hp (equal to 15.8 kW) at 4,600 rpm, capable of propelling the car up to 95 km/h.It is considered the icon of the Italian economic boom.
Moretti was founded in Turin by Giovanni Moretti in 1925 with both touring and racing motorbikes. The first car, a small car, to be considered a prototype, three-seater, equipped with a 500 cc 2-cylinder engine was built in 1928. At the end of the 1950s, due to the ever-increasing production costs of these vehicles compared to large-scale industrial production, Moretti had to suspend production of complete cars to become a coachbuilder: most of the custom-built cars made from this point onwards were based on Fiat chassis and mechanical parts. In the 1960s, the strong friendship between Giovanni Moretti and Gianni Agnelli fostered the link between Fiat and Moretti. As an independent coachbuilder, Moretti produced a large number of models and outfits almost exclusively based on FIAT, the Moretti cars of the period were characterised by an excellent level of finish and assembly, as only craftsmanship can guarantee. Prominent among the designers who worked for Moretti was Giovanni Michelotti, who designed several models.
The Gran Lusso model, born in 1955, was available in metallic and two-tone paint, was distinguished by the elegant elongated pigtails on the rear wings, and was marketed for 1,195,000 lire, about twice as much as a normal 600 (590,000 lire).
The wonderful model we offer here probably still has the first metallic paintwork made by Moretti, which is difficult to identify as it is a handcrafted car. It is still in very good cosmetic condition, year 1955 one of the very first models produced, with sliding windows. The mechanics regularly serviced, the original upholstery still in excellent condition and the tank restored and treated with Tankerite. Used for rallies and outings, it is regularly put on the road. Engine and gearbox in perfect working order. Complete with original accessories and spare wheel. ASI registered.
