Giving Hanks with a classic car
Detroit has its Mustang. Munich has its Bimmer. Bielsko-Biala will always have the Maluch. The Maluch, or little one, is officially the Fiat 126p hatchback. Drab and cramped, it lacks either girth or pretension. But it has a perversely special place in Polish hearts.
“The Maluch was the beginning of an automotive revolution in Poland,” said Jacek Krywult, the mayor of Bielsko-Biala, Poland. Before the Maluch appeared, cars meant for ordinary Poles were rare, expensive and difficult to get. That changed in 1973, when Polish manufacturer FSM began to churn out its version of the Fiat 126 under licence from the Italian carmaker. Poles snapped them up, and they were soon exported throughout the Soviet bloc.
FSM kept building and selling the Maluch — 3.3 million in all — before they were discontinued in 2000. The car developed a cult following in places as far away as Australia. But even so, city officials were stunned recently to stumble across evidence that the humble minicar had attracted an unlikely and highly prominent fan: Twitter posts from Tom Hanks show him posing beside Maluchs.
Delighted, Monika Jaskolska started a drive to buy a Maluch, put it in good condition and ship it to the actor as a gift. Local companies have kicked in $2,005 for a 1974 model and another $7,250 to spiff it up. When it is finished, the car will be flown to Hanks with an invitation to visit Bielsko-Biala.
“He should have a full Polish experience, and he can stay with my family,” Jaskolska said.
Krywult finds the situation humorous: “I’m happy that Mr. Hanks took a liking to our Maluch,” he said. “But it’s also a sign of the times: Poles now want to drive a Cadillac, and Americans want to drive a Maluch. That’s one crazy turn of events.”