PROVENANCE Fiat, Torino, Italy (built by Fiat Special Vehicle Department for internal use in 1957) Fiat Manager, Torino, Italy (acquired from the above in 1965) Silvano Carraro, Italy (acquired from the above in 1995) Current Owner (acquired from the above) THIS CAR This darling Mirafiori is fourth of just five special-order Fiat 600 Multipla cars created by the Reparto Carrozzerie Speciali department of Fiat. They were built between 1956 and 1958 at the request of Fiat executive Gianni Agnelli, who specifically wanted a small fleet of vehicles to transport visiting dignitaries and the occasional movie star around the Fiat factory in Torino. The ingenious Fiat 600 was designed by Dante Giacosa and debuted in 1955 as the first rear-engined Fiat and the Italian answer to the Volkswagen Beetle. The blueprint was futuristic for its time and featured an integral chassis/body with independent suspension all around and a 633 cc engine capable of a top speed of 60 mph. The Fiat 600 Multipla, launched a year later, somewhat amazingly maneuvered six seats into the diminutive wheelbase of just 6' 6". The Multipla-based 600 Mirafiori was lavished with special attention. The design team created a special Plexiglas hard top, which enabled visitors to move about the factory grounds in comfort during inclement weather with full visibility. Following its tenure as an official vehicle in 1965, the Mirafiori was turned over to a manager at Fiat; it remained in his care until 1995, when it was sold to Silvano Carraro of Italy, who believes that it may be the sole remaining example. At some point the 633 cc engine, which accompanies the car, was removed and a 767 cc 600D series motor was fitted for increased power. The current owner, an aficionado of eclectic rarities, purchased the car from Carraro, after an Italian friend saw the little Mirafiori in Carraro’s collection and sent a message saying, “I have found the perfect new car for you!” This Fiat 600 Multipla Mirafiori, finished in aquamarine paint with a tan interior, the color scheme pictured in a 1957 edition of the periodical Quattroruote, comes with the original 1958 Torino license plate, and user and maintenance manuals. A restoration commissioned by Carraro in the 1990s in Italy remains in good condition. The current owner has serviced the car and renewed the panoramic Plexiglas roof panel. This eclectic little car is efficient, playful, and rare, and would be ideal as a summer driver for jaunts to the beach, the golf club, or touring the back 40 acres of Pinot.