Tom Hanks is an actor of great recognition and fame. His net worth is estimated somewhere around $350 million. The Fiat 126p on the other hand is a small, dirt-cheap economy vehicle manufactured in millions of units between ’73 and 2000. It was mainly sold in Europe, but it’s recognized all around the world due to its cult status. The connection here is that Tom Hanks just got one for as a gift for his birthday. The old school FIAT was gifted to him by the good people of Bielsko-Biala located in Poland.
The ‘74 FIAT 126p that Tom Hanks received as a birthday present from the little town is meticulously restored and looks pretty good. The residents of the small town managed to gather enough money to purchase the used model, restore it and ship it across the Ocean.
However, the question remains, why did they do that? Well, to understand this, you need to appreciate Tom Hank’s offbeat media presence. You also need understand how important this car was in Poland during the communist rule.
Unlike many celebrities, Hanks does not use his social media accounts to constantly promote brands or to brag about his crazy wealth.
Instead, Tom Hanks is dedicated to posting dad-level images of various street ephemera. They are all posted with pithy captions and his famous “Hanx” signature. Going back to the Fiat 126p, it’s not really that small. Actually, its size is pretty similar to the old school Austin Mini. The car’s low cost and high availability mate it an icon in communist Poland.
Finally, read more about the Fiat 126 here!
