Red Fiat Roadster Type 508 S from 1936, four cylinders, 995 cc, 36 HP, 115 km/h

The 508 “Spider” was a small 2-door 2-seater cabriolet bodied car. The driver and passenger sat side by side, but the driver’s seat was fixed a few centimetres further back than the passenger seat.

On the Spider the seat coverings were made from leather. The car was available in both standard and “Lusso” (“de Luxe”) versions.

The windscreen could be folded down and the removable fabric hood could be stored in a suitably shaped storage bag provided for the purpose.

The early “Spider” came with the same three-speed “no-synchromesh” gear-box as the “Berlina”. However, it benefited mechanically from the 1934 upgrade, switching to a four-speed transmission. In the case of the “Spider”, however, the 1934 upgrade was not accompanied by any change to the body shape.

Read more: Technologies, transport and equipment ...