Fiat introduced the Topolino (“little mouse”) in 1936 to provide everyman with a conveyance swifter and swankier than donkey power for the trip to town on Sundays. A water-cooled 569 cc four-cylinder engine mated to a four-speed synchromesh gearbox propelled the tiny car, and four-wheel hydraulic brakes brought her to heel. These features alone made the Topolino a solid value against its competitors. The car was produced in three models – A, B, and C. The body was revised for the last of these, while the difference between the A and the B was largely in the motor. The B was the “big block”, with 16 hp instead of just 13. Over 500,000 Topolinos were sold through 1955, when the car was redesigned, becoming the Fiat 500. Here on eBay is one of the most original Topolinos I have ever seen, this 1949 Model A. The car is bid to $7,100 against a reserve, with a buy-it-now price of $18,300. It is located in Frederick, Maryland. Owned for several years by the proprietor of a restoration shop, the car has seen sympathetic care geared toward keeping it original.

As if the car were not appealing enough – with its aerodynamic bull nose – the top rolls down. The body and paint have that intensely appealing patina of a well-tended but aged object – not rusty, not ratty, but kept clean and waxed and cherished. The seller does note that one fender was repainted. A close-up photo of the headlamps does show degraded chrome. Speaking of photos, the car has its own website, where many more details are available.

Water has stained the driver’s side of the interior – that’s a problem I wouldn’t address since doing so will either make the rest of the car look worse or send you down the slippery slope to restoration. That metal loop in the photo above (lower right) is the grab handle for pulling the top up. The latch mechanism is painfully simple. A tiny accessory capsule on the dash to the right of the instrument panel currently holds a spare key. The auxiliary gauge by the steering column is a Stuttgart Moto Meter, measuring water temperature.

The engine was dimensionally short. By putting the radiator at the back of the engine cavity next to the firewall, the steeply sloping hood and grille were made possible. In contrast to its peers leading with their upright radiators, the little mouse looked modern. Too, with seating situated exactly in the center of the car, its weight distribution was an ideal 50/50. The Model A’s engine made 13 hp, good enough to send the 1212 lb car to 52 mph. The seller reports that this Fiat runs well. Its originality and running condition should warrant a higher sales price than the current bid but I am skeptical of the $18,300 BIN. Still, this restored but right-hand drive example didn’t sell at $19,250 – so there’s certainly an audience for Topolinos in the low five-figure area.