65 years of a legend – Fiat 500: an icon of Made in Italy

Today, at the National Automobile Museum of Turin, the air is charged with emotion, memory, and innovation. It is July 4, an iconic date for every motor enthusiast: the birthday of the Fiat 500. For its 65th anniversary, the Fiat 500 Club Italia pays tribute to this symbol of Made in Italy with an exhibition of strong visual and cultural impact.

“65 years of a legend – Fiat 500: an icon of Made in Italy” is more than just an exhibition — it is a collective event intertwining motors, art, and society. On the first floor of MAUTO, the revolutionary design of the 500 meets the contemporary perspective of artists, designers, and historians, in a continuous dialogue between past and present.

The vernissage opens with a high-profile cultural conference:

art critic Luca Beatrice, Roberto Giolito (FCA Heritage), and Maurizio Torchio (Centro Storico Fiat) offer a multidisciplinary reading of the 500 phenomenon, illustrating how this small car became a symbol of post-war rebirth, creativity, and Italian lifestyle.

The exhibition, sponsored by the Ministry of Culture, the Municipality and Metropolitan City of Turin, and the Piedmont Region, underscores the cultural value of historical motoring, turning it into an experience of art and reflection.

Among the protagonists stands Stefano Bressani, renowned for his iconic Sculture Vestite:

textile artworks celebrating the universe of the 500 with originality and depth. Bressani transforms fabrics and recycled materials into artistic objects with strong symbolic value, uniting sustainability, memory, and design. His art bridges history and vision, tradition and contemporary creativity.

Alongside him, artists Stefano Berardino and Isaac Pitto also exhibit, each sharing a passion for the Fiat 500 and expressing it through their unique visual language.

The exhibition is enriched with historic Fiat 500 models — from the N to the Giardiniera — loaned by passionate collectors including Andrea Alberto, Antonio Erario, Duilio Nano, Franco Bottan, Alberto Lo Gioco, and Marco Charbonnier. Each vehicle acts as a time machine, narrating a piece of Italy’s history.

Completing the path are photographic panels, anecdotes, and a rich documentary apparatus exploring the evolution of the 500 as a mirror of society. The official catalog, with images shot by Un Mondo Di Colori at the Stupinigi Hunting Lodge, offers visitors an emotional and poetic journey into the world of Fiat.

The second edition of the World Day of the Historic Fiat 500 confirms itself as a successful event, combining popular celebration with cultural project — a tribute to the “small great car” that continues to inspire, unite, and narrate Italy through the silent power of true icons.