Ciao, President Trump! The Fiat Topolino Is Coming To USA
President Trump is going to have to put his money where his mouth is and get a few of these for Mar-a-Lago.
Fiat has confirmed that it will begin selling its teeny tiny Topolino in the U.S. soon. The announcement comes after Trump said he was working to legalize Japanese-style “kei” microcars after falling for the “cute” cars’ charms on a recent trip to Asia.
The Moroccan-made Topolino isn’t technically one of them, but it is adorable. The eight-foot long two-seater is classified in Europe as a quadricycle and has a restricted top speed of 28 mph. Its styling is inspired by classic Fiat microcars from the “La Dolce Vita” era and it is significantly smaller than the Fiat 500.
The Topolino is powered by an 8 hp electric motor and has a driving range of roughly 45 miles per charge. It’s meant to be used as a city car much like a kei car, but is not highway legal. In most European countries, you can drive it without a full license at 16 and at 14 in France. Prices start around $10,000.
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They are also popular in beach towns as fashionable getarounds and Fiat brought one customized by Brazilian artis Romero Britto to the Art Week Miami, where it announced the American import plans.
“Our one-off collaboration with Britto makes perfect sense. Together we have joined two iconic brands with global influence that represent color and happiness, bringing a smile to people’s faces,” Fiat CEO Olivier Francois said in a news release.
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“The Fiat Topolino, our small, joyful, colorful car that is now everywhere in Europe, has made several appearances in the U.S. over the past year, including last month at the LA Auto Show, where it’s creating tremendous excitement among consumers. So much so that I’m happy to share that we’ll be bringing the Fiat Topolino to the U.S., with more details to come next year.”
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A Fiat spokesperson confirmed to American Cars And Racing that the model will not be “fully road legal” in the U.S., but that the precise classification has not been finalized.
It’s possible the Department of Transportation will update its regulations per Trump’s directive, or it could potentially be offered as a neighborhood electric vehicle (NEV).
Electric Moke reproductions based on the classic Mini design, have become a popular ride in U.S. resort towns in recent years as stylish alternatives to utilitarian NEVs, despite their $25,000 price tags, so there’s definitely a market for something like the Topolino.