Vintage Model Cars

 
 
 
 

!965 Fiat 500, price NZ $55, 1966 Volkswagen Karmann Ghia, price NZ $65, 1950 Morris Minor 'Ute', price NZ $17 and available from Pug Design Store, 228 Kilmore Street, Christchurch, New Zealand or from our online store.

The Fiat 500 (the "cinquecento", /tʃin.kwe.tʃɛn.to/, or "chin-kwe-chen-to", from the Italian word for "500") is a car produced by the Fiat company of Italy between 1957 and 1975 (the Fiat 500 K alone was produced until 1977). It was designed by Dante Giacosa. Launched as the Nuova 500 in July 1957,[2] it was marketed as a cheap and practical town car. Measuring only 3 meters (~10 feet) long, and originally powered by a tiny 479 cc two-cylinder, air-cooled engine, the 500 redefined the term "small car" and is considered one of the first city cars.

The Karmann Ghia was marketed from 1955 to 1974 by Volkswagen as a 2+2 coupe and as a convertible — both incorporating the commonplace chassis and mechanicals of the Type 1, evocative styling by the Italian carrozzeria Ghia, and hand-built bodywork by German coach-builder Karmann.

The Morris Minor was a popular British motor car aimed at the family market. It was the work of a team led by Alec Issigonis, who would go on to design (and be knighted for) the successful Mini. The Minor was launched at the Earls Court Motor Show, London, on 20 September 1948. The prototype had been known as the Morris Mosquito, and some later models were called Morris Minor 1000. It should not be confused with the earlier Morris Minor of 1928.