1981 Polski Fiat 126p

The Polski was essentially a Fiat 126 licensed and produced in Poland. To distinguish the two, a "p" was added after the numerical designation.

These are pretty nifty little microcars. If you're going to do a small car, you might as well make it relatively unique. Fiat did just that with the 126, putting the engine in the rear and powering the rear-wheels. The tiny 652cc engine consisted of just two cylinders pumping out a mere 24 horsepower. These are not safe for highways and are designed for country roads and small villages only.

While the Fiat 126 lasted until 1979, Polski production continued, amazingly, until the year 2000, with over 3 million units being made. This thing was a big success.

These were ubiquitous in the communist Eastern Bloc countries during the 1980s. Seeing one trot around the wide, clean roads of Florida these days is a bit disorienting but symbolic of how far the world has come.

The seller of this example says they are the second owners. Cosmetically, they say it has no rust and wears new paint, new brakes and new tires.

Mechanically, they say it has a rebuilt engine and a 4-speed manual transmission.

This seems like a well-cared for example and looks appropriate in orange and the nicely contrasting white steel wheels. If you ever wanted this type of car, it could be a very nice alternative to a VW Bug or Yugo. 

Find it here on ebay in Miami, Florida for a Buy-It-Now of $4,000 and the Make An Offer option.