Lot 157 1962 Steyr-Puch 500 D

• Professionally restored in Italy
• Very rare and highly sought-after

The Steyr-Puch 500 D is a compact classic car closely associated with the Austrian firm Steyr-Daimler-Puch, which produced licensed versions of the Fiat 500 for the Austrian market. Based on the Fiat 500 D, the Steyr-Puch variant reflects the same philosophy of simple, economical urban transportation, but with subtle differences in assembly quality and regional adaptation. Introduced in the early 1960s, the 500 D was an evolution of the original Fiat 500, offering slight improvements in comfort and usability. The Steyr-Puch-built versions retained the rear-engine, rear-wheel-drive layout and the small air-cooled twin-cylinder engine that defined the model. While modest in power, the car was exceptionally lightweight, making it surprisingly nimble in city environments and efficient on fuel. What distinguishes the Steyr-Puch versions is their reputation for solid build quality and durability, often attributed to Austrian manufacturing standards. These cars were particularly popular in mountainous regions where their compact size and traction were useful on narrow, winding roads.

This fully restored 1962 Steyr-Puch 500 D is a rare version of the Fiat 500 and is a rare survivor, featuring a full folding roof and suicide doors with seating for four adults, due to its revised compact boxer engine giving it more interior space. One of the main differences to its Italian brother was the more powerful boxer twin-cylinder engine developing almost 20bhp combined with its advance manual gearbox. This provided noticeable advantages on the hilly Austrian roads and was very popular in its day. Easily mistaken for a Fiat 500 the Steyr-Puch can be recognised by its cheeky moustache like front badging and wider cream wheels along with chrome highlights on the bumpers and badging. These highly configurable little cars are keenly sought-after by collectors, this fully restored delightful example has had some subtle upgrades. It has a bigger performance carburettor, twin sports exhausts and tuned engine to give approximately 35bhp! With safety in mind new retractable front seat belts were fitted along with three-point static ones in the rear. In Austria it has the nickname 'Pucherl' and is a rare sight in the UK. Great fun and perfect for zipping around town! Consigned by Stewart Banks

• A VERY RARE AND SOUGHT-AFTER EXAMPLE
• HAS BEEN PROFESSIONALLY RESTORED IN ITALY