Fiat Vignale Gamine (1967 – 1971) Review
Fiat Vignale Gamine (1967 – 1971) At A Glance
Cheap to run, will turn heads, based on the Fiat 500 so parts availability is good
You'll look like Noddy, Peter Stringfellow had one
The Fiat Vignale Gamine was one of the less visually successful coachbuilt convertibles of its era. It was produced by Carozzeria Vignale, and was based on the Fiat 500. However, there were no visual similarites at all, and to many, this two-seater roadster, had a rather toy-like appearance, thanks to its odd styling by Alfredo Vignale.
Under the engine cover, it was pure Fiat 500. The Gamine was powered by the familiar twin-cylinder, air-cooled 499cc engine used in the Fiat 500 Sport, which produced 21bhp for a maximum speed of 60mph. Although what it would be like to drive at that speed, we dread to think. The Gamine was not a commercial success, with its high price and challenging styling being two factors that held it back - and consequently, the car's failure drove Carrozzeria Vignale out of business, forcing Alfredo Vignale to sell his production line to De Tomaso. The upside? This line went on to house production of the De Tomaso Pantera.
