Last week I visited Rome (Italy, of course) with my wife. The best way to forget you’re on a romantic trip is to concentrate on the cars around you, so I did.
I’m kidding, of course – it was very romantic, thank you, and I recommend it to any couple. With your permissions, I’ll skip further relationship advice and move on to the CCs found on this trip.
Because of the vast amount of photos, I’ve divided this post into two parts- this one will concentrate on the more common CCs one can see on the typical Roman street, such as the Fiat Panda at the top of this post. Here are some more:
I promise these are all different Pandas, shot in different locations.
When I was growing up, the Panda was something of a joke- not the car itself, but its perceived image at the time, of something small, uninspiring born to do an A-to-B job through the smallest of alleys.
Fast forward thirty-five years, and it’s suddenly sooo cute. And so simple, it’s genius- anyone can fix it. Plus, you can understand why so many of them are still around in Roma, where the narrow streets are REALLY narrow.
Fiat has tried to replicate the Panda with several models, such as the Cinquecento and its successor, the Seicento:
The streets are littered with these. If you look hard, you can even find the bigger Supermini Fiat- the Uno:
Curiously, considering this is Fiat country I would expect to find more, but they are somewhat rare.
This one is the Uno-based Fiorino, still at work.
The Fiat minis are kept company by hordes of Lancia Ypsilons, mostly the first and second generations:
They all look incredibly neglected, like their owners have given up on them. First gen. look so ugly, they’re starting to appeal to me.
A car that could be called a predecessor to the Ypsilon is this, the Autobianchi Y10. It was sold under the Lancia moniker in different countries for marketing reasons , but in reality it is the last “true” Autobianchi. These are beginning to be very rare. This is also a car I remember, growing up in my teens during the Eighties. And do you recall the “Fila” model?
All these cars are, of course, spiritual grandchildren of the legendary Fiat 500, of which one can witness quite a few roaming the streets.
Some Minis were also present, generally not in the best of condition.
You could see more and more Japanese and Korean small cars, holding their own to the Italian brigade. The Nissans looked bit-up, but the rest were quite preserved.
Many nasty\dull Aixam micro-cars were all around. Yes, I know they make sense facing the narrow streets of Rome, but come on- surly motoring can do better than this (Ahem, Panda).
Here’s another, the Ital Car. also note the Smart, of which there were plenty to be seen.
Small and narrow streets mean small Service vehicles, such as this- you know this one.
Modern equivalents of the Ape. The top one was electric.
Italy also means Alfa Romeo:
This 156 was absolutely pristine- I just had to post it on its own.
Fiat styling at its best- well, at least it’s different, not generic like the rest of its class. And it’s very clever inside. Later Honda “stole” the idea and called it the F-RV. Also, note the BMW i3 parking behind it- not common at all (yet?).
And now for some big(ger) cars:
That Fiat Ducato is about as big as you can get driving in Rome.
I’ve also included some classic motorcycles:
But be careful- Motorcycling is dangerous…
And now for some police cars. Those were all around the sites of Rome, presumably because of an ISIS threat, or maybe just to reassure tourists. All kinds, shapes and manufacturers were present. Polizia, Carbinieri and army:
And not just Italian cars, as this photo exemplifies. I saw a brand new Polizia Seat Leon and more.
I’ll finish off this post with a photo that is so CC- could these two cars be more different, one from another?
The second part will feature yet more obscure and rare cars, stay tuned.
I love seeing those Pandas. In USA we would think a car like that would not last 20,000 miles. But in a place like Rome, where the car is so perfect, right down to the thick rubber on all four sides to survive the tough streets, there they still are. They would be simple, with easy parts and expertise, and since there is no replacement, worth fixing.
You still find Pandas all over Europe, not just in the cities.
This site has many for sale:
http://www.autoscout24.com/results?cid=0&atype=C&makemodelmodelline=28&mmvco=1&make=28&mmvmk0=28&model=1746&mmvmd0=1746&makemodelmodelline=1746&version=&pricefrom=&priceto=&fregfrom=&fregto=2000&kmfrom=&kmto=&fuel=&gear=&PowerType=kW&powerfrom=&powerto=&powerFromRaw=&powerToRaw=&zipc=A&bcol=&doorfrom=&doorto=&seatsfrom=&seatsto=&uph=&icol=&prevownersid=&offer=&ustate=N%2CU&emclass=&custtype=&adage= (link shows the ones up to year 2000)
They also came as 4×4:
http://www.autoscout24.com/offers/fiat-panda-1100-ie-cat-4×4–restauro-completo—gasoline-red-280352357
And convertibles
http://www.autoscout24.com/offers/fiat-panda-cabrio-limitiert-fußball-wm-1990-gasoline-white-266661855
Or how anout a Panda Tesla:
http://www.autoscout24.com/offers/fiat-panda-elettra-gasoline-white-259360215
The old 4×4 are very pricey and very much sought after for their ruggedness and semplicity, while you can buy good examples of 2wd for a snip because they are “Euro 0” and cannot circulate in the center or when traffic is limited for pollution alert.
Been to Italy twice in 2003 and 2005, saw many 500s.
Yohai, thanks for these pictures. As someone who has never been outside of the US, these cars fascinate me — something that’s commonplace in Rome is completely unknown here.
Several of these cars, such as the Autobianchi and the Ital Car are new to me. Plus, I like the Daihatsu Feroza photo, of course.
And many thanks to your wife for putting up with you taking all the car pictures!
I like the Ital Car the best, of those photographed. In streets which scream for two wheel transportation, if you absolutely positively must have 4 wheels, I think the Ital makes the most sense.
LOOK HOW NARROW IT IS!
I think a Honda Goldwing would take up more parking space.
A good indication he married the right woman.
As if I have to tell him that . . . .
Nice selection, and I’m realizing it’s been almost 25 years since I made my one trip to Rome. Lots of 500s back then. Thanks for including the Autobianci – they were very popular in Amsterdam in the mid 90s, as were 500s, which you could legally park perpendicular to the street.
Can’t wait to see what you come up with next.
CC effect I shot a Fiorino van last week thinking nobody will have seen one of these, Doh!
Visited Rome and other regions of Italy last year. Like France, Italy seems to be very, very big on their own domestic brands. Surprisingly, saw lots of Lancias, particularly Ypsilons. Always thought they were more of a niche brand. Have to say they were my favorite—very cool looking little cars. Also saw Fiat 500 wagon things that I Iiked a lot, that they don’t offer in the US.
It makes sense to me now, why the Italian food is so good, why the Italian wines are so fine, the Italian culture is so fascinating, the Italian music is so soothing, and the Italian people are so hospitable. It makes up for such pitiful cars.
Pitiful? I’ll take quirky nimble Euro cars over clumsy generic US SUVs and Camcords any time, given the choice.
It is a case of horses for courses, and in Rome acting as Roman means your average US car or SUV – or for that matter, as US-spec Camry – makes no sense whatsoever. And I would not call Alfa 156 pitiful (never mind the Ferraris, Maseratis and others like that).
On the very rare occasion that I have seen a Maserati, I have been impressed. Ferrari builds impressive cars but I can’t get in or out of them. Sorry but, most of the cars featured in this report look like toasters, and that Fiat with the fat roll under the windshield is just horrible. These cars most likely work very well in Italy but not so well where I drive.
PBR,
When was the last time you tried to stuff yourself in Ferrari? Which model?
I drove 599, FF, and F12 as well as sitting in unloved California. They have enormous interior space, and I fit in them very well with plenty of headroom and legroom even though I am 205cm (6’8″) tall. The mid-engined 308 and 458 are understandably no-no.
Right ! There’s a guy living nearby who must be as tall as you are. He just bought himself a brand new Maserati Ghibli as his daily driver.
If you don’t “fit in a car” then it’s about time you lose some weight.
Without a doubt I’d take any one of these “pitiful” European and Asian puddle-jumpers over that ridiculous Dodge Nitro seen in the background of one of the Panda shots.
Yohai, thanks for sharing these cars, I look forward to the second installment.
That Nitro jumped out at me as well. What an odd thing to find in Rome of all places.
“Pitiful”?
Having been to Italy a few times (admittedly 45 years ago), something tells me Part II of this posting will change your mind.
Besides, would you base your views on U.S. cars if all you ever saw were Chevettes, Vegas, Pintos, and Gremlins?
Heck, look at that gorgeous Alfa 156. The Alfa sedan the U.S. will (eventually) get is vaguely similar looking/newer.
Hey now! I don’t want to read any unkind words about Gremlins!
this my love
That 156 is indeed pristine. Such a beautiful shape! It’s also unusal to see one in white–seems like every photo I’ve seen of the 156 has been in black, dark blue, or dark green.
Another reason why American cars are bigger and more powerful than European ones:
One of them needs a Personal Crew Cab. With a TwinTurbo 6.0 liter V8.
and a trailer to haul groceries
Visited Rome last year and agree with all of what you say. A truly magical place. Don’t be so hard on their choice of cars though. Rome is a very crowded city with main streets the width of most US alleys. Parking is a nightmare and gas is $6 plus a gallon. Didn’t see many cars there larger than a Fiat 500, but the most interesting was a new S class Mercedes – with standard transmission.
The Panda and Uno were very popular here in the UK – nippy and fun to drive. Not many left though – part of the reason for which would be their sheer usefulness – most were driven ’till they wore out.
I salvaged this one, Escape from Roma, she’s still full of battlescars !
Thanks for all your comments. Oh, don’t worry about my wife- she had to deal with an astounding array of leather (boots, bags, purses and what not…). It could get very confusing if you’re into that:
Aixam cars are categorised in different class as the this red car has square numberplate without registration and inspection stickers. Same for mopeds with speed restriction for youths (before they earn licences and “graduate” to higher speed limit at later age).
Aixam cars are more than often used by people with limited mobility due to their health or age. No driver’s licence is necessary to operate these cars. They are restricted to 25 or 40 km/h, depending on countries and local regulations. Aixam cars are more common in the rural areas with no or very limited public bus services.
I remember watching a show called “Don’t drive here” in Canada and seeing that 14 year olds could operate these low powered micro-cars (about 45km/h max.) without any passengers in Rome, Italy. Yet the lack of driver experience and safety features in these tiny cars make them seem like a dangerous combination.
Dangerous compared to what? A bicycle? A go-cart? A moped? A skateboard?
Don’ be deceived: very rarely mini cars are bought for their practical virtues. People would rather drive small Fiats, Smarts and the likes.
Nobody really wants to be seen in one of those tiny moped-cars out here: If you see one driven by somebody who is neither 14 y.o., very aging nor disabled, he might as well have been recently released from prison, loosing his right to a driving licence… My advice: don’t look too close !
Splendid collection, Yohai ! Lots of first gen Fiat Pandas, the Italian Citroën 2CV.
The compact 5-door Police hatchback is a Peugeot 208, Peugeot’s current B-segment car (think Ford Fiesta and Toyota Yaris). The brand’s continuous success in that segment started with the legendary 205, introduced in 1983.
Below the 2014 Peugeot 208 GTi 30th anniversary.
Aside from Ford (with it’s Thunderbird) and Lancia with it’s Y10…are there any other car companies that produced FILA branded special editions? VW?
Just for fun I did a “fila edition” GIS. Lots of Thunderbirds !
But also this Ducati:
Thanks for that.
I just found it oddly amusing that a tiny Lancia hatchback and a largish Ford sport coupe both had a FILA edition.
+1
And this Malaguti:
Many thanks, Yohai. This is one of the best posts this year.
I visited Italy for the first time in October, somewhere very hilly. And there were just tons of Panda 4WDs, of all generations. What really stood out to me was that the condition of the oldest ones (frequently near-perfect given their age and essentially practical function) was just how good the basic product must be that folk bothered / found it practical / worthwhile to keep them so long and in such good nick.
as an aside – some time ago, a British newspaper ran a piece on unexpectedly high mileage cars and two of them, IIRC, were 4WD MK1 Panda, one >300k miles
I was in Rome back in the 1980’s and still have fond memories of driving those ancient streets. Learning “when in Rome…” was not difficult for this Los Angeles driver.
The Fiat Uno provided by the rental company was a disappointment. Scary little power for the Autostrada, motorcycle-skinny tires and it leaked in the rain. At the time I was driving a Ford Fiesta here in the states, a similar class of car.
No pictures here of an Alfasud. Those were common back then and looked much nicer for a small family car than the Fiat. Were they not durable enough to survive?
Alfasuds were built until 1983, so the survivors (the rust devil was their main enemy, and killed many of them) are at least 32 years old by now.
It has been a long time since I saw one. Unlike the boxy (yet very aerodynamic !) Alfa Romeo Giulia. Popular classic car too. These were built until 1978, the last model is pictured below. You must have seen plenty of them, and the older ones which look basically the same, back in the eighties.
I visited Italy in 2001 and, having never been out of the country, I was bewitched enough by the scenery that I paid precious little attention to the automotive variety. One of the few times that’s happened.
I do recall there were still quite a number of Fiat 500’s alive in Rome, plus tons of other tiny cars that i did not recognize at the time. It seems like all carabineri cars were Alfas, though maybe I wasn’t looking hard enough. And I do specifically recall seeing one Lancia Thesis, new on the market at the time, which stood out due to its size and due to the dramatic styling.