The Fiat 1100 was a small family car produced from 1937 to 1953 by the Italian car manufacturer Fiat, as a replacement for the Fiat 508 Balilla.

Under the new body the 508 C had more modern and refined mechanicals compared to the 508, including independent front suspension and an enlarged overhead valve engine.

In 1939 it was updated and renamed simply Fiat 1100.

Body styling, by the emerging designer Dante Giacosa, was similar to the 1936 Fiat 500 “Topolino” and the larger 1500, with the typical late-thirties heart-shaped front grille.

The car was powered by a 1,089 cc four-cylinder overhead-valve engine rather than the earlier Balilla’s 1-litre unit.

Power was up by a third, to 32bhp at 4000 rpm.

There was also a more sporting model on offer, the 42bhp “508 CMM”.

Drive was to the rear wheels through a 4-speed gearbox, and for the period, its comfort, handling, and performance were prodigious, making it “the only people’s car that was also a driver’s car”.

This rather special ...