BAMBINA - The Fiat 500 in New Zealand

You have to hand it to Todd Niall - best known as an award winning Radio New Zealand journo and host in recent years of Summer Report - he still drives his first car, the Fiat 500F he bought 30 years ago.

Now he has written & published a most handsome book on the subject. Created in Italy and assembled in Italy, this Italian motoring icon mixed with Kiwi "can-do" to create a unique life for itself, half a world away from its home.

In 2004 Niall made the pilgrimage to the annual Fiat 500 gathering in Garlenda Italy to record the doco "Bambina Days".

Out of that experience has grown this profusely illustrated and fascinating story. It provides an important record of a piece of our social history.

This is his second book, his earlier title published in 2005 , The Trekka Dynasty, told the story of NZ's only mass produced vehicle

I'll include a few pics below to give you something of the flavour of the book.

They show, the Bambina at Scott Base where it spent a summer back in the 60's, Bambina being loaded on to a top dressing plane which provided transport to the pilots when they landed, Miss New Zealand finalists on parade in Gore in 1967.

Technical stuff:Publisher - Iconic Publishing Ltd

164 Motu Rd., RD 1, Kumeu,

Auckland 0891

Price - NZ$40.00

ISBN 978 0 473 11885 3

e-mail: nz500@paradise.net.nz

And finally how about this gorgeous Fiat publicity shot which features on the back cover. What year could that have nbeen taken? It was prior to the Nippon clip-ons being added to the Auckland Harbour Bridge.