Luigi, the tire-shop owner in Pixar's Cars, is based on a Fiat 500.
Luigi runs Luigi's Casa della Tires in Radiator Springs and is famous for his love of Ferrari racing. His compact Italian styling and tire-shop setting connect him to the real Fiat 500, a small city car that became an important symbol of postwar Italian motoring.
The character speaks with an Italian accent and displays a strong interest in tire performance, especially when Ferrari vehicles arrive in Radiator Springs. Guido, his assistant, is a small forklift who shares Luigi's enthusiasm for racing and pit-stop work.
The Fiat 500 was introduced by Fiat in 1957 as the Nuova 500. It is often confused with the larger Fiat 600, another famous postwar Fiat model, but Luigi's recognizable shape is associated with the 500. Pixar uses the vehicle's national identity as part of the film's broader collection of cars from different countries.