Look at that picture up there – it’s fantastic, isn’t it? It’s a bit chaotic, but there’s also a kind of visual rhythm to it, and of course there’s all the colors and then the madness of the situation itself, driving right into a table-dense caféso someone can hand you a Coke in your tiny car, a car so diminutive that without getting up from his damn seat that dude can pass you that Coke from the passenger’s side. The car is pretty great, too: a Vignale Gamine.
I mostly just wanted to share that amazing old picture with you but since that Gamine is right there, we should start your day by discussing the Gamine, at least a bit. It’s an interesting little car, made from 1967 to 1970, a car whose entire purpose is just hey, this could be fun. It’s essentially a Fiat 500 re-bodied by Vignale, with a body design sort of reminiscent of the old Fiat 508 Balilla, especially in the front end/grille design, which on the Gamine was a fake, as the air-cooled inline-twin engine was at the rear.
The little Gamine looked sporty-ish, but the 500 was only really intended to be a city car, so at full tilt that 21 horsepower engine is only going to get you going 55, maybe 60 mph with a tailwind, a downhill grade, and either some fierce determination or some strategically-executed farts for extra thrust.
The taillights, license plate light, and louvers on the rear decklid are the only real tells that this is based on a Fiat 500, well, maybe the overall size as well. The Vignale-designed body is genuinely charming, and really has the feel of a ’30s-era roadster.
None of those are large cars, and the Gamine still looks small among them. I also like that “roll” bar behind the seats, which looks about as strong as the towel holder in your bathroom.
But who cares about roll bars? The Gamine was fun and stylish, almost like a fashion accessory, and was often shown in ads in that context, not too different than picking out just the right bag to go with your outfit, only this was a car:
I mean, it looks great, I can’t argue with that. Look at that top, though; those huge plastic side curtains were said to be noisy, flappy disasters at speeds above 45 mph, but without them there was a good chance of the whole roof flying off, or at least reviewers of the time suggested it felt like that.
Also, what the hell is “Aquascutum?” that sounds like something that, should you find yourself discharging any, should be your signal to go to a doctor immediately.
How can you not have a blast doing anything in this little kook? That guy could be heading to jury duty, but he’s going to have a micro-vacation on the way there, because that’s what the Gamine does. It’s all it does, and that’s just perfect.
This image is from a German brochure, and even though the Gamine is very Italian, I feel like the designers really wanted it to be British. That background definitely seems to hint at the Union Jack, even if it’s not, and the driver’s tweedy getup screams British, too. They’re pushing that British mod-’60s thing so hard here, and I’m not sure why. Maybe because Mini didn’t make a convertible at the time? I know some outside companies did, but still.
That same brochure also has some good shots of the interior – which is really almost an exterior interior, it’s so open – and a shot of that ravenous 499cc engine.
Also great is how neither the hood nor engine lid seems to open how you’d expect. That frunk lid puts the Gamine in the same category as the rear-engined Skodas that have that grand piano-style of trunk lid hinging.
The whole point of the Gamine was to make something whimsical and fun, and yet also pretty usable for most city car stuff, and they did just that, I think. Of course, these never sold well, and those poor sales sometimes get blamed for being one of the things that caused Vignale to hit hard times and ended up getting sold to De Tomaso. But that eventually helped lead to the De Tomaso Pantera, so we can’t be that mad.
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I thought it looked like the one in Jacques Tati’s “Trafic” (1971), buuuut it wasn’t the one.. Close though: https://www.imcdb.org/vehicle_8364-Siata-Spring-850-1967.html
I want to be a parking meter.
Huh, that first picture reminded me of the BMW UK cafeteria that has an Isetta in the middle of it (can’t post photos but it’s cute)
And people say Americans are lazy.
Aquascutum is the medical term for shrinky dink. Usually caused by cold water.
As for the car. I have seen these numerous times at the front of grocery stores. You have to get mommy or daddy to put in a coin and you can “ride” for a few minutes. Personally, I have always preferred the little airplanes. Shooting down the Red Baron while waiting for my parent at the cashier was a high point for me.
These always make me think of the Arkley SS
That reminds me of this iconic shot of the Peel P50.
https://www.throttlextreme.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/world-smallest-car-Peel-P50.jpg
Interestingly, enough, if you look up Gamine on the iPhone, it shows you a picture of Audrey Hepburn. Seems about right.
Sadly Gamine would never make it as a automobile name these days, but if I were to find myself in possession of one I would undoubtedly have to name it Neil.
I like every car in that 5 car shot, except the Gamine……Vignale did some great stuff back when…..
2 things. 1. Reminds me of the Siata Spring! Another pretty much useless frunk. Unless you want your stuff to smell like gas.
Yeah, I thought it was a Spring for a moment too when I saw the picture.
VW Beatles, Porsche 914s, and something else that I can’t think of at the moment have fuel fillers in the frunk. The 914 has no filler neck to speak of so it is particularly easy to get gasoline all over the place.
I guess that depends on how good your filler cap seals, and how good you are at filling your fuel.
It’s not by any means in this regard: practically every gas powered car with a frunk has the gas tank up there, often with the filler inside the frunk.
Pretty much the same concept as the Spring only that was based on the Fiat 850.
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/04/Siata_orange.JPG
yeah baby!! YEAH!!!
Gosh, talk about charm/cuteness overload, especially with the top image!!
The driver getting her drink from the passenger side is reminiscent of Mr Hulot petting a dog in the street on the passenger side from his position as the driver of a 1923 or ’24 Salmson AL 3 in the film Monsieur Hulot’s Holiday as seen in this brief film clip:
https://youtu.be/H1fw9doDcrM?si=z4c4E-3V3ejJfc-l
Yeah, charm/cuteness overload with that one, all right.
A few more pictures of the Salmson:
http://imcdb.org/vehicle_12328-Salmson-AL-3-1924.html
Also of note is how on the Salmson the rubber bulb horn is on the *passenger* side.
For another example of similar silliness, how about “When is an MG TD not an MG TD?” When it’s a Siata Spring, that’s when. Same premise as the Gamine, really. Fiat 850 based “look-alike” of the MG TD, complete with totally useless fake front grille.
What is happening with the lady in yellow in the German brochure? She’s looming above everyone, with one hand draped over the driver’s seat. Is she legless? Kneeling on the back? Did they cut the car in half? Remove the engine so she could stand in there? I need answers.
And they all have glow-in-the-dark teeth.
I know! It’s bothering me! Too white! And those eyes! AAAAAAAHHH!!!!
She is sitting on the back deck because 2 seater. I have taken people like that in my Miata.
The Cameron seat!
In every picture, the occupants heads are fully above the windshield. When you put the top up, where does your head go?
I mean, the obvious solution is to make this a sunny days only car, but then why make a top for it at all?
What’s that blue, frog eyed thing in the upper right?
https://bringatrailer.com/2015/01/22/one-of-100-1969-fiat-125s-samantha-vignale/
I’m not 100% sure, but I think it’s a car.
Isn’t that the car “The Wiggles” Used?
That top shot makes the Gamine look like a kitten in a dandelion patch. My grandmother had a Siamese cat named Naughty Girl, which is, interestingly, one possible translation for gamine. Just thought I’d throw that in there.
The picture of the five cars with the white Vignale in the middle definitely aroused some feelings, especially the lovely blue one in the top right – but I’d take any of them.
“Aquascutum” pretty much directly translates from Latin to English as “Watershield” , which really is the best possible name for a British rainwear company.
Gamine, wasn’t that Shirley Feeney’s boyfriend?
Notice how the roll bar can vary in height from a few inches above the car to just about where it will break your neck in an accident. I’m 100% certain it’s just there so you can hang onto it while you check the oil, and doubles as a convenient place to hang your towels and swimsuits after a day at the beach.
Ha! I just noticed that it’s a support for the soft top!
Maybe it slides up and down depending on current need and how sporty you’re feeling that day.