The Fiat Multipla is often considered one of the ugliest and weirdest cars ever made due to its bulbous behind, beluga-like blubbery forehead, and extra set of headlights. The wonky shape has often overshadowed how practical the car is and may even be the reason the Multipla is almost completely extinct.
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The Fiat Multipla was originally produced in 1956 from 1967 as a multi-purpose vehicle based on the Fiat 600, created to fit six people comfortably in its tiny body. It was then brought back with a major redesign in 1998, still allowing for six passengers but this time with two rows of three seats — the first car in its segment to ever feature three seats in the front. The unique ability to fit so many people in a small car was overshadowed by how ugly the outside of the car was — even changing the hideous front end in 2004 didn’t save the vehicle from being dropped from Fiat’s fleet by 2010.
The unappealing appearance of the Fiat Multipla barred it from being sold in the United States. While it was sold in a plethora of other countries, the Multipla never made it past 400,000 units. By 2005, the Multipla only sold 1,609 units — a far cry from over 79,000 in 1999. While Fiat has never confirmed the reason the Multipla was discontinued, it’s likely from a lack of sales, which was equally likely due to its looks. SlashGear called it one of Europe’s biggest automotive mistakes.
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How much is the Fiat Multipla worth now?
Due to how little Fiat Multipla were sold during its second launch from 1998 to 2010, it’s actually pretty difficult to come across one for sale. The majority of listings are from Japan, with listings ranging from $2,000 to $15,000 on various sites. Rare listings in other countries can be found with a little digging, selling for even lower than $2,000. It’s almost like people are just begging you to take this ugly car off their property — it almost makes you feel bad for it.
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While the car is visually insulting, it could be worth the investment for anyone looking for a spacious car with plenty of leg room — even with six people packed inside — and surprisingly good handling due to its strange proportions. There’s a reason this monstrosity won Best Family Car three years in a row. It was also once owned — and crashed — by a popular reality show star.
The 1957 to 1967 version of the Ford Multipla, which is nowhere near as repulsive, is a much heftier investment. Not held back by its blobfish-like shape, the first version has been sold for a few thousand in project form up to $71,000 for an original in great condition.
