A barely driven Fiat 500 Topolino - which translates to 'Little Mouse' - will go under the hammer a the Classic Car Auctions on the 19th of March. The car was ordered in 1939 by one of the wealthiest men of the time, the second Duke of Westminster but has only covered 1,593 miles. Staggering when you think this car is 77 years old. Due to the second World War the 500 was moved to Dublin and did not return to it's Cheshire home until a few years later.
Since then it has been kept in storage and was restored in 1986 but now faces the prospect of going under the hammer. It is expected to fetch anywhere between £12,000 to £15,000. It's quite an odd choice of car as the Duke could have easily had a Rolls-Royce or Bentley but opted for the 500 which at the time was one of the smallest cars in the world.
Guy Lees-Milne, general manager of Classic Car Auction, which will sell the car, says: “This is a remarkable little car with a fascinating past. Not only does it have ducal provenance, it has an extremely low mileage for a car of its age, making it a very rare find indeed."
He continued by adding: "It's amazing that one of the world’s wealthiest men would order such a modest little vehicle and a car of the people. With its amazing story, and just two owners from new, we’re bound to have plenty of interest in its sale.”