Bertone Fiat 850 Spider History

The Fiat 850 Spider was designed by Giorgetto Giugiaro during his time at Bertone and launched in 1965. Based on the rear-engined Fiat 850, it gave buyers a stylish, affordable roadster at a time when European sports cars were priced out of reach for most Americans — and the US was by far its largest market.

The Spider's commercial success was transformative for Bertone: Nuccio Bertone expanded the Grugliasco factory's production capacity to 120 units per day to meet demand. Between 1965 and its end of production around 1973, nearly 140,000 examples were built — an enormous volume for a niche coachbuilder and proof that Bertone could industrialize as well as design.