Founded in 1899 in Turin as Fabbrica Italiana Automobili Torino under Giovanni Agnelli's leadership, Fiat became an Italian industrial giant enabling mass motorization through the 1936 Topolino and iconic 1957 Nuova 500, achieving European market leadership before the 2014 Chrysler acquisition formed FCA and 2021 Stellantis merger. Italian design excellence and small car expertise built on diesel technology pioneering now pursues electric transition while maintaining European market focus as an Italian cultural icon representing automotive heritage, engineering innovation, and global automotive influence. Fiat embodies Italian automotive democratization—the 500 put Italy on wheels after WWII just as the Model T did for America, proving that national motorization requires affordable, practical designs rather than luxury aspirations, and that sometimes the most important automotive achievements involve making cars accessible to ordinary people rather than building exclusive machines for wealthy enthusiasts. The brand's survival through ownership changes and merger into Stellantis validates that cultural significance and small car expertise retain value in consolidated industry, demonstrating that design heritage and understanding compact vehicle dynamics provide competitive advantage when urban congestion and sustainability concerns make small cars strategically important rather than merely budget alternatives, proving expertise in constrained packaging can be as valuable as supercar engineering when market conditions favor efficiency over excess.