(Fri 11 Apr 08)

The 1958 Liège-Brescia-Liège rally was an extraordinary event. In the manner of international rallies in those days, it was brutal for the competitors, who had to drive 2000 miles non-stop from Liège in Belgium to Brescia in Italy and back, taking in mountain passes through the Alps and Dolomites, and in what was then known as Yugoslavia.

What made this particular event unique was that only cars with engines of less than 500cc were eligible. The Fiat 500 was an obvious choice, and indeed all seven of those cars which started were still there at the finish of an event which forced two-thirds of the entry into retirement.

Arturo Brunetto and Andrea Frieder won the rally in their 500 Sport, and other 500s finished second, fourth, sixth, seventh, ninth and 13th.

In July this year, the event is being re-run, and Fiats will once again play a major part. The company is supplying an array of new 500s, several of which will be used by event organisers and technicians. On top of that, any competitor whose period sub-500cc car breaks down on the event and can not be repaired in time to continue will be loaned a new 500 so that they can continue to enjoy the drive even though they are no longer competing.

Enjoyment should be more in evidence this time round than it was in 1958. This year's event will last for ten days; the original took just two days and three nights.

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