Over 130 crews from ten countries took part in the international rally dedicated to the first Fiat 500, symbol of popular Italian motoring
Turin celebrated the 90th anniversary of the Fiat Topolino with four days dedicated to the history, culture, and passion for one of the most beloved cars in Italian motoring. From Thursday, June 11th to Sunday, June 14th, 132 crews from ten European and non-European countries participated in “La Topolino va ai 90,” an international rally dedicated to the first Fiat 500, officially presented on June 15, 1936, and produced until January 18, 1955.
Since 2006, every ten years Turin hosts the Topolino’s most important anniversaries, paying homage to the deep bond between the small hatchback and the city that saw its birth. The event was organized by the Topolino Autoclub Italia and the Club Topolino Fiat Torino, with the support of the Automotoclub Storico Italiano, the Metropolitan City of Turin, and the European Federation of Fiat Topolino Clubs.
The program offered the crews a true immersion in the history and artistic heritage of the region. The event opened on Thursday with a climb up to the Sacra di San Michele, one of Piedmont’s iconic sites. On Friday, participants followed a circular route around Turin: divided into two groups, the “Topolinisti” followed the city perimeter clockwise and counterclockwise, reaching Venaria Reale and Superga.
On Saturday, the vehicles stopped in Piazza Vittorio Veneto, transforming one of the city’s most iconic spaces into a large open-air exhibition. The crews then visited the city center and the Egyptian Museum aboard a vintage tram from the Turin Historical Tram Association, adding a further element of charm to the day’s program.
The gala evening took place at the Mirafiori Heritage Hub, a symbolic location for Turin’s automotive history. The event was attended, among others, by Alessandra Cimadom, Director General of the City of Turin; Franco Fabbri, Commander of the Turin Highway Police; Antonio Traversa, Federal Councilor of the ASI (Italian Automobile Society), and Francesco Falciola, Coordinator of the ASI Historical Blue Flashing Light Commission.
The grand finale took place on Sunday at Rivoli Castle, the final stop of a gathering that combined memory, conviviality, and passion. During the event, the colorful convoy of Topolinos was accompanied by the Turin Local Police and the Highway Patrol, also present with a 1964 Fiat 1300 specially brought from the Florence Autocentro.
The four-day event also included the assembly of the European Federation of Fiat Topolino Clubs, during which the calendar for upcoming international rallies, held annually in various European countries, was finalized. The next event will be held in Rotterdam, Netherlands, in 2027.
The Turin rally also paid homage to the international spirit of the Topolino, a true “world car” ante litteram. The small Fiat was also produced abroad: in France under the Simca brand, in Germany as NSU-Fiat, and in Poland, confirming its popularity that extended well beyond Italy’s borders.
To see so many Topolinos gathered together in Italy again, we’ll have to wait until 2036, the year in which the mother of all Italian small cars will celebrate its centenary. This milestone will once again confirm the Topolino’s role as a timeless symbol of popular mobility and Italian industrial history.