A bit of a digression but here is a loosely translated lyric from a song entitled La Topolino Amaranto performed by Romano Conte. I came across this when Youtubing « Lancia Augusta » and found a clip from a Motoring TV programme using the title Topolino Amaranto and which showed a nice black Augusta.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B4QqDtb-SHQI Googled Topolino Amaranto and concluded that topolino (which literally means little mouse or Mickey Mouse ), in this context, relates to the nickname commonly used for the original Fiat 500. Amaranto relates to Amaranthus, a red leaved edible plant (AKA pigweed in the UK !) – but most probably used here as a reference to colour so the title, I thought, just means little red car and is unrelated to the black Augusta. A second programme also on Youtube does review a red Fiat 500 roadster.
So to digress a bit further, the song sung by Romano Conte with the same name also came up on Google.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Zr9oq6nE1U.
Conte has done better songs so don't listen for too long!
The song goes back to the drab days of 1946 when fuel was pricey and a trip out in a car with a blond was a treat. The car as you will see was an Aprilia. So the joy of motoring in a proper car as expressed in the song is the real reason for the title of the Youtube clip.
Today gasoline has gone up -
It is the summer of '46
A liter is worth a kilo of salad
But who renounces his car, who goes on foot?
The car, what a comfort!
On the amaranth Topolino
Come on, sit next to me, let's go now
If I let the bridle loose a little
It seems to me an Aprilia has no rivals
and clenching her teeth, the blonde
hears a slingshot
And he smiles a smile at the fear that is in her
But on the amaranth Topolino
It goes like a charm, in '46
I did wonder why she would hear a slingshot but it's probably there because the Italian word rhymes with blond!
Mike
Oh and by the way I tracked down the black Augusta and it will soon be in my shed