1957 FIATSpider 1.2 4MT (55 HP)

Vehicle Overview

The 1200 Spyder was unveiled at the 1957 Turin Motor Show along with its siblings, the coupe, and the sedan.

The 1200 Spyder was styled by Pininfarina Design Studio and that was the main reason why the convertible looked so good when compared with other convertibles from that era. The only part that Pininfarina couldn’t change was the tall front fascia, which had to be like that to accommodate the radiator.

In the front, the round headlights were on-trend and the Spyder kept them. The tall grille for the radiator was split in two, like on the sedan. It was a tryout for a common grille for the entire Fiat range. That plan was abandoned a few years later, especially since some Fiat models had the engine in the back so the radiator grille in the front was useless. The A-pillars were slim and not very raked. In the back, the quarter panels were ended in slim and sharp fins. It was a new trend and Fiat found a way to install them. The oval taillights were mounted vertically into chromed cases that were sharpened at the top, to match the fender form.

Inside, the 1200 Spyder offered seating for two passengers. An interesting idea from the Italians was the swiveling driver’s seat. There were no seats in the back. Just the soft top under a cover. Unlike its sedan-brother, the convertible version featured a different dashboard, with a larger instrument cluster and dials under a screen. The gears-stick was mounted on the floor instead of behind the steering wheel.

Under the hood, there was a newly developed 1.2-liter gasoline engine that produced 55 hp. The four-speed manual transmission was the only option. The car was rear-wheel drive, as most of the cars from that era.