Fiat 500

• The 500 F or Berlina  (1965 – 1972)

The F spans two periods of 500 production,the D and the L. Made its debut in March 1965 (it was joined by the 500 ‘Lusso’ in 1968)
As such, it is the most frequently misidentified model. Between 1965 and 1969 the F carried the same badging as the D and the two models are only distinguishable by their doors - the D has “suicide doors” and the F does not.It was the first version to feature front-hinged doors which were safer even in an accident, and made it possible to hide the ugly door hinges for the first time, 8 years after the first series of the 500.

In terms of engineering, the transmission was made more robust, with a number of improvements to the clutch, drive axles and differentials.The engine still had a capacity of 499.5 cc, but now delivered 18 bhp, taking the 500 F to a speed of 95 km/h. Fuel consumption also increased compared to previous versions, to 5.5 liters/100 km. The weight rose to 520 kg empty and 840 km fully laden. The car maintained its 4-seat homologation definitively with a maximum 40 kg of luggage. The gradient negotiable was now 26% compared to 23% on the first series.

Inside, there were a number of improvements and additional equipment and materials. With the 500 F, Fiat began to differentiate the range by price, styling and content. The engineers at Mirafiori designed a ‘basic’ version, the 500 F and a better equipped version, the 500 ‘Lusso’, which was launched in 1968.

Between 1969 and 1972 the F was sold alongside the Lusso model as a cheaper “base model” alternative. While the F and L are mechanically very similar, the key differences are the bumpers (the L has an extra chrome nudge bar) and the interior (the F interior is nearly identical to the original 1957 design while the L sports a much more modern look).

Below is a photo of the Fiat 500F