after world war ii, lamborghini opened a garage in pieve di cento. lamborghini modified an old fiat topolino he had purchased (the first of many that he would own over the years) in his spare time. he made use of his mechanical abilities to transform the homely city car into a roaring 750-cc open-top two-seater and entered the car in the 1948 mille miglia. his participation ended after 1,100 kilometres (680 mi) when he ran the car into the side of a restaurant in the town of fiano, in turin.