- Rarely seen in the UK, a delightful example with remarkably low indicated mileage, fresh from a beautiful restoration and full engine rebuild
- Italian-supplied in 1958, the car was found in Rome belonging to a local doctor, before being sourced by our vendor five years ago
- Lovingly restored in Rome and Bologna by passionate Italian craftsmen, body finished in Primrose with an Apple Green and Cream two-tone interior
- As part of its recent restoration in 2017, the car received a full engine rebuild, including new Weber carb and Bosch ignition, and our vendor says that it starts and runs flawlessly today
- Only 567km (352 miles) since the restoration
- Imported to the UK in 2017 and first registered here on 01/01/2018
- Supplied with the factory build sheet, owner's handbook (in Italian), a letter of authentication from the Steyr-Puch Club of Austria signed and stamped by the Club President, restoration photographs
Visually almost identical to the stalwart of Italian motoring that is the Fiat 500, the Steyr-Puch 500 was far more than an Austrian 500 built under license.
Founded in 1934, Steyr-Daimler-Puch AG produced everything from military machinery and weapons to tractors, planes and cars, both during peacetime and in times of conflict. Following the second world war, the company was able to resume automobile production with thanks to help from Fiat, though long-gone were the heady days of producing four and six-cylinder engined cars, instead having to rely on small, economical cars, such as the 500 which was built under licence as part of their manufacturing partnership with Fiat. This partnership also included Steyr-Puch becoming the official importer of Fiat vehicles, along with modifying the cars for the domestic Austrian market’s requirements.
For the S-P 500, Fiat supplied the chassis, front end and interior - all of which are identical to the Fiat-built car - but Steyr-Puch made a few mechanical changes, most notably the inclusion of a ZF gearbox, and replacing the usual Fiat 500 engine with a 493cc boxer-twin.
Internally, these Austrian 500s received different upholstery and a speedometer that turns counter-clockwise, whilst on the outside larger air intakes allowed for more efficient engine cooling and underneath the Steyr-Puch 500 also sported enlarged drum brakes and improved shock absorbers for better ride quality.
This particular 1958-registered example was built during the second year of Steyr-Puch 500 production, and was brought to the vendor’s attention by an agent in Germany, who was selling the car on behalf of the previous owner, who resided in Italy.
The prior owner had this ‘500’ restored not once, but twice during his ownership, in both Rome and Bologna, leaving this S-P 500 in factory-fresh condition, and around 300 photographs of the restoration process are included with the vehicle, detailing the work that was carried out.
Naturally, for a car of such quality, it starred in an Italian classic car magazine - a copy of which is included with the car - before being imported into the UK by its current owner in late 2017, and registered on its current plate on 01 January 2018.
In total, around 567km (c.350 miles) have been recorded on the odometer since the restoration, meaning this is about as close to a box-fresh, Steyr-Puch 500 as you’ll likely ever find, and the condition of the vehicle certainly reflects its low mileage.
Regarding the documentation, alongside the aforementioned photographs of the restoration process, the owner also has a selection of documentation and paperwork from the car’s time in Italy, the factory build-sheet, an owner’s handbook (in Italian) and a letter from the Steyr-Puch club of Austria confirming the authenticity of the car, which is also signed and stamped by the club’s President.
Internally, externally and mechanically, this Graz-built 500 is in outstanding condition, with no signs of any wear, tear or patina that we can see. A true icon of the motoring world and with an unusual back-story that few other 500s can boast, this rare Steyr-Puch 500 is a wonderful collector's piece and ready to enjoy.
