1939 Simca 5 (Fiat 500 Topolino)
French licensing agreements produced some interesting automobiles in the pre-war period, and this Franco-Italian collaboration resulted in a miniature two-seater that claimed the title of smallest volume production car in the world.
The Simca 5 featured distinctive two-tone paint schemes, typically with dark fenders and light colored bodywork, along with a canvas folding roof on convertible variants. Measuring just 10.5 feet in length and weighing only 1,433 pounds (650 kg), its compact dimensions made urban driving effortless.
Behind the aerodynamically lowered nose sat a 569cc four-cylinder side-valve engine producing about 13 horsepower. The radiator was mounted behind the engine, a distinctive feature that allowed for improved forward visibility and a sleeker profile.
Despite its modest output, the car achieved remarkable fuel economy (over 50 miles per gallon) under normal conditions and up to 70 miles per gallon in ideal circumstances. This earned it the advertising slogan “a bird’s appetite.”
The Gordini racing team found success campaigning modified versions, winning the small-engine class at Le Mans in 1937 and 1938. French military forces also utilized the model during World War II as staff and liaison vehicles.
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