In a previous life, I was a development engineer deeply embedded in the design teams for some of the quirkiest and most iconic cars you could dream of—Fiat 500s, alongside the likes of Porsche and Ferrari. I cut my teeth in Barcelona back in 2006, a vibrant city that matches the energy of these cars pretty well. Those days were a cocktail of creativity, precision, and a touch of madness, especially when balancing Italian flair with German engineering and Italian passion.

Now semi retired, working from home while nestled in the drizzly embrace in my home town of Manchester, I still find myself circling back to my first odd obsession, the Fiat 500. There’s something endlessly charming about these little marvels. Whether it’s tweaking the usual faults like clutch slave cylinder and thermostat housing, or just polishing the compact curves, the 500 remains a tiny canvas for big automotive dreams. Retirement might have slowed the pace, but the passion? Oh, that’s still racing full throttle. Every 500 I sell has been checked and checked again.