Innocenti Mini 500

The Innocenti Mini 500 was the smallest Innocenti of the 1980s. First shown in Turin in November 1987, it went on sale in January 1988 as the replacement for the 650, with a 550 cc Daihatsu Cuore engine rather than the bigger Charade unit, offered in L and the more luxurious LS trim. The carburetted engine gave 31 PS (23 kW) at 6400 rpm and a 116 km/h top speed. Outwardly it took on the changes first used on the 990, a horizontally divided grille with a prominent i logo, larger bumpers with the air intake built in, and a rear number plate moved up between the taillights, with round gauges and new upholstery inside. In late 1988 about 75 percent of Innocentis sold in Italy were 500s, and in France its 3CV tax rating was as low as the Fiat 126.