Description
FIAT 509 A Torpedo 3-Door
1929
4-cylinder, 990 cc, 22 hp, 3-speed, 78 km/ h
"A" stands for Aggiornata, the second version of the previous Cinquecento Nove!
Among the various improvements were the redesigned cylinder head, a new lubrication system
and a new carburetor.
Produced in just four years, from 1925 to 1929, with 92, 514 units produced, it replaced the 501 and preceded the 514.
The compact car was offered in monthly installments thanks to financing from the newly founded SAVA.
The first deliveries to customers began in the fall of 1925.
It was the first Italian automobile to win the Monte Carlo Rally in 1928, driven by French gentleman driver Jacques Bignan.
The 509 is the car that made Gabriele d'Annunzio say, "The automobile is female."
This example, chassis number 246118, registered on May 28, 1929 with the current first license plate MI30475, left the factory as a standard 4-door Torpedo. Subsequently, over the years, it was converted into a commercial vehicle with a rear-opening hatch to facilitate loading bulky cargo.
After its period of "hard work," the new owner wanted to convert it into a rare "beauty," modifying the fenders, running boards, windshield (which opened in one piece), hood, and new spoked wheels, while the spare was recessed and covered in the transom. The new bodywork was equipped with three access doors (only one on the right to facilitate entry and exit for rear passengers). The distinctive and original exposed radiator with its angular chrome frame was covered by a heart-shaped fairing to soften the rounded lines. The headlights were fitted with a protective chrome mesh. Many small, elegant details were added to this new transformation, such as the locks on the hood handles.
