Fiat Automobiles is the largest automobile manufacturer in Italy. During its more than century-long history, it remained the largest automobile manufacturer in Europe and the third in the world after General Motors and Ford for over 20 years, until the car industry crisis in the late 1980s. In 2013, Fiat S.p.A. was the second largest European automaker by volumes produced and the seventh in the world, while FCA was the world's eighth-largest automaker.

On 11 July 1899, Giovanni Agnelli was part of the group of founding members of FIAT, Fabbrica Italiana di Automobili Torino. The first Fiat plant opened in 1900^[8] with 35 staff making 24 cars. Known from the beginning for the talent and creativity of its engineering staff, by 1903 Fiat made a small profit and produced 135 cars; this grew to 1,149 cars by 1906. The company then went public selling shares via the Milan stock exchange.

1907  fiat 130hp f2

s61

The FIAT S61 was astonishingly advanced for its time, it was designed and built in 1908 with a 10 litre (589 cubic inch), 4-cylinder engine, a single overhead cam, 4 valves per cylinder, 4 spark plugs per cylinder, and approximately 130 bhp. Just five were built in 1908 for the FIAT Racing Team, and some of them traveled quite extensively for competition duties.

Starting the gigantic engine that sits under the hood louvers of the FIAT S61 is a bit of an undertaking – you need to individually open each of the brass taps and prime each cylinder with petrol, then engage the ignition, give the pneumatic fuel-pressure pump a few vigorous plunges and find a friend with a vehicle to push you along for 10 meters or so, so you can bump start the motor.

The 1908 FIAT S61 Corsa finished third in the first Indianapolis 500 Mile Race in 1911, repeated its success at the Santa Monica circuit the following year, and won the coveted American Grand Prix in 1912.

Fiat has a long history in the United States. In 1908, the Fiat Automobile Co. was established in the country and a plant in Poughkeepsie, N.Y. In January 2009, the Fiat Group acquired a 20% stake in US automaker Chrysler LLC.[47] The deal saw the return of the Fiat brand to North America after a 25-year absence. The first Fiat-branded model to appear was the internationally popular Fiat 500 city car. The Fiat 500 model is built at Chrysler's assembly plant in Toluca, Mexico, which currently makes also the Dodge Journey and Fiat Freemont crossovers.

In October 2014  Fiat and Chrysler merged the Chrysler Group and Fiat S.p.A. company into FCA group. Its corporate headquarters were domiciled in Amsterdam and its financial headquarters were in London. 

FCA's mass-market brands operated through two main subsidiaries: FCA Italy (previously Fiat Group Automobiles SpA) headquartered in Turin and FCA US (previously Chrysler Group LLC) in Auburn Hills, Michigan. The company's portfolio included brands Abarth, Alfa Romeo, Chrysler, Dodge, Fiat, Fiat Professional, Jeep, Lancia, Maserati, and Ram Trucks. Ferrari was spun off in 2016. FCA operated in four global markets

topolino

The Topolino was one of the smallest cars in the world at the time of its production. Launched in 1936, three models were produced until 1955, all with only minor mechanical and cosmetic changes. It was equipped with a 569 cc four-cylinder, side-valve, water-cooled engine mounted in front of the front axle, (later an overhead valve motor) and so was a full-scale car rather than a cyclecar. The radiator was located behind the engine which made possible a lowered aerodynamic nose profile at a time when competitors had a flat, nearly vertical grille. The shape of the car's front allowed exceptional forward visibility.

8v ghia supersonic

This is one of just 15 Fiat 8V Ghia Supersonics that were built, the Supersonic design was penned by Giovanni Savonuzzi for an Alfa Romeo 1900 that raced in the 1953 Mille Miglia. The styling of the Supersonic is perhaps the most pure example of jet age styling extant, the concept of supersonic flight was still relatively new – Chuck Yeager had piloted the Bell X-1 to record the world’s first supersonic flight in 1946 just a few years before Giovanni Savonuzzi created his most famous design. Savonuzzi had originally designed the body to race, so aerodynamics were a paramount concern.

The  V8 under the hood breathed through dual Weber carburetors and was comprised of two four-cylinder blocks mounted on a common crankcase. The roughly 110-horsepower made by the 8V Supersonic’s engine proved to be a strong match for the V12s of Ferrari, Maserati’s straight 6, and Lancia’s V6. Contributing largely to the 8Vs success on track was a tube frame chassis with independent suspension all around.

600

The Fiat 600 is a rear-engine, water-cooled city car, manufactured  from 1955 to 1969 — offered in two-door fastback sedan and four-door Multipla mini MPV body styles.

Measuring only 3.22 m long, its all-new design was the first unibody and rear-engined Fiat. The total number produced from 1955 to 1969 at the Mirafiori plant in Turin was 2,695,197.

The 1955 Fiat 600 formed the blueprint for the 2nd generation "Nuova" (New) 500, launched two years later – which was even smaller, at 2.97 m and, although rounder, largely copied the 600s layout and shape. Later, the 600 also formed the platform for the larger 850 saloon, launched in 1964, which coexisted with the 600 in Fiats line-up for five years, until the 600 was cancelled.

During the 1960s, '70s and '80s, many units were built in countries such as Spain (as SEAT 600), where it became the icon of the Spanish miracle, Argentina, where it was nicknamed Fitito (a diminutive of FIAT) and former Yugoslavia where it was nicknamed Fića or Fićo. Much of the 1974's SEAT / Fiat 133 platform can even be traced back to the Fiat 600. The top speed ranged from 95 km/h  empty with the 633 cc inline-four engine to 110 km/h  with the 767 cc version.

600 multipla

The Fiat 600 Multipla was a four-door MPV based on the Fiat 600's drivetrain and Fiat 1100 front suspensions, that sat up to six people in a footprint just 50 cm  longer than the original Mini Cooper and on the same 2 m  wheelbase as the 600 saloon. This had been achieved by moving the driver's compartment forward over the front axle, effectively eliminating the boot but giving the body a very minivan-like "one-box", flat-front look. The car debuted at the Brussels Motor Show in January 1956, and was eventually replaced by the Fiat 850 Familiare. The Multipla name was reintroduced in late 1998 for the Fiat Multipla compact minivan.

1200 wonderful

The Fiat 1200 Wonderful has the first known post-WWII example of what would come to be known as the “targa” top, so named by Porsche in the 1960s. The roof of the 1200 Wonderful was designed to be removed and placed in the trunk, giving the occupants wind-in-the-hair motoring without the potential headache of folding down a manual convertible top.

The 1200 Wonderful was penned by Giovanni Michelotti of Vignale in the late 1950s. The car uses Fiat 1200 running gear – the 1200 was a popular car in Italy in the late 1950s and into the 1960s that was offered in a variety of sub-models including both four door and sporting two door versions. The 1200 was based on the Fiat 1100 with a number of improvements. The Fiat 1200 was powered by a 1,221cc inline four cylinder engine available in a number of versions allowing between 40 and 53 hp. Power was sent to the rear wheels via a 4-speed manual transmission.

It’s believed that just 5 or so examples of the Fiat 1200 Wonderful were built with one additional show car, they’re an exceedingly rare sight and we seldom see them come up for sale.

500

The Fiat 500, Cinquecento, is a rear-engined, four-seat, small city car that was manufactured and marketed by Fiat Automobiles from 1957 to 1975 over a single generation in two-door saloon and two-door station wagon bodystyles.

Launched as the Nuova (new) 500 in July 1957, as a successor to the 500 "Topolino", it was an inexpensive and practical small car. Measuring 2.97 metres  long, and originally powered by a 479 cc two-cylinder, air-cooled engine, the 500 was 24.5 centimetres  smaller than Fiat's 600, launched two years earlier, and is considered one of the first purpose-designed city cars.

The new car had a rear-mounted engine, on the pattern of the Volkswagen Beetle, just like its bigger brother the 1955 Fiat 600. Several car makers followed the now uncommon rear engine configuration at the time and were quite successful. The Neckar version of the 500 was manufactured in Heilbronn under a complicated deal involving NSU, and was introduced in October 1961. Steyr-Puch produced cars based on the Fiat 500 under licence in Graz, Austria.

Despite its very small size, the 500 proved to be an enormously practical vehicle with large sales throughout Europe. Besides the two-door coupé, it was also available as the "Giardiniera" estate; this variant featured the standard engine laid on its side, the wheelbase lengthened by 10 cm (3.9 in) to provide a more convenient rear seat, a full-length sunroof and larger brakes from the Fiat 600.

new 500

Driven by the tremendous success of the Smart Fortwo, especially in Italy, Fiat began examining a variety of small car concepts "to regain its small-car crown,"— developing an "intense interest at producing a Smart (Fortwo) competitor" — and concluding that "most customers want more than just the Smart's two seats."

Derived from the 2004 Fiat Trepiùno 3+1 concept (designed by Roberto Giolito), the 500's styling recalls Fiat's 1957 Fiat 500, nicknamed the Bambino — a model that was designed and engineered by Dante Giacosa with more than 4 million sold over its 18-year (1957-1975) production span. In 2011, Roberto Giolito of Centro Stile Fiat received Compasso d'Oro industrial design award for Fiat 500.

Manufactured in Tychy, Poland and Toluca, Mexico, the 500 is marketed in more than 100 countries worldwide, including North America, where the 500 marked Fiat's market return after 27 years. With the millionth Fiat 500 produced in 2012; and production reaching 2 million in 2017, after 10 years, the 500 has won more than 40 major awards, including the CAR Magazine Car of the Year (2007) and the World's Most Beautiful Automobile.

500e

The Fiat New 500  is a battery-electric city car. It was unveiled in 2020, in Milan, Italy. it was scheduled to be launched at the Geneva Motor Show, but that event was canceled amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The New 500 car is manufactured at the Mirafiori plant in Turin and will be sold alongside the conventionally-powered 500 that was introduced in 2007, which will continue to be manufactured in Tychy, Poland.

The New 500 has a 320 km  range on the regular European WLTP test cycle, rising to 400 km  on the more favourable WLTP urban cycle. It is powered by an 116 hp electric motor, fed by a 42 kWh lithium-ion battery pack. The preceding battery-electric Fiat 500e, based on the 2007 model, was sold only in the United States from 2013 and had a much smaller range and battery pack.

The New 500 sits on a totally new platform and is slightly bigger than its 2007 predecessor. Compared to the earlier 500 (2007), the New 500 is longer,  wider, and  taller, with a 2 cm  increase in wheelbase. The older 500, originally introduced in 2007, is equipped with an internal-combustion engine or a mild hybrid drivetrain and will remain on sale. The New 500 can accelerate from 0–50 km/h in 3.1 seconds and 0–100 km/h in 9.0s. Top speed is limited to 150 km/h.

1300/1500

The Fiat 1300 and Fiat 1500 are a series of front-engine, rear-drive automobiles manufactured and marketed by Fiat from 1961 to 1967, replacing the Fiat 1400 and Fiat 1200 coupé, spyder and cabriolet. The 1300 and 1500 were essentially identical to each other except for their engine displacement, as indicated by their model names, and were offered in sedan/saloon, station wagon, convertible and coupé body styles which shared little mechanically with the other body styles except the 1500 engine.

The 1500 offered a 75 hp engine, lightweight construction, front disc brakes and rear alloy drum brakes.

The 1300/1500 and their derivatives were also assembled by Yugoslavia's Zastava and Fiat's German subsidiary, Neckar Automobil AG, as well as in South Africa. The floorpan of the 1500 C was used as a basis for the 1500s replacement, the Fiat 125, while another model, the Polski Fiat 125p, made by the Polish FSO, was created by mating the body of 125 and mechanicals (engines, gearbox, transmission, suspension) of 1300/1500. In the Italian range, the 1300 was replaced by the Fiat 124 in 1966, and the 1500 by the Fiat 125 a year later. In total, 1,900,000 units were produced worldwide.

The 1300/1500 were conventional cars, with longitudinally, front-mounted engines powering the rear axle via a four-speed manual transmission with a column gearchange. The engines employed were two versions of the same design, differing mainly in bore:

• Fiat 1300 - 1295 cc  OHV 4-cyl inline 60 hp  at 5000 rpm
• Fiat 1500 - 1481 cc  OHV 4-cyl inline 73 hp  at 5400 rpm

850

The Fiat 850  is a small rear-engine, rear-wheel-drive car manufactured and marketed  from 1964 to 1973.

Its technical design was an evolution of the successful Fiat 600.  The engine of the 850 was based on that of the Fiat 600, but had its capacity increased to 843 cc. The 850 came in two versions: "normale" (standard) with 34 hp  and engine code 100G.000 and "super" with 37 hp  and engine code 100G.002. The maximum speed was approximately 125 km/h. While it was not a large step forward in technical development, it possessed a certain charm with its large rolling eyes and its short tail, in which the engine sat.

The 850 family included several body styles sharing core technical components:

• Fiat 850 Special — Revised version of the 850 sedan, launched in 1968. It shared the 47 hp  engine of 850 Coupé, and offered front disc brakes, sport steering wheel and improved trim. With a 25 percent increase in power, plus disc brakes nestled behind 13" wheels, it was a "sport sedan" in the vein of the BMW 2002, albeit on a smaller scale. Engine code 100GB.000.
• Fiat 850 Familiare — The Familiare was a boxier and slightly larger successor to the Fiat 600 Multipla. It featured space for seven passengers in three rows, suitable for groups including children and thin adults, but is too small to accommodate seven typical adults in comfort.

The 850 Familiare continued in production till 1976 long after the saloon version of the 850 had been replaced by the Fiat 127. In 1976 the Fiat 900T was introduced, retaining most of the body panels of the 850 Familiare, but featuring the 903 cc engine from the Fiat 127 (although, in this application, still mounted behind the rear axle): the 900T benefited from significant enhancements in 1980, being now renamed 900E. At least in the UK the 900 series camper vans were badged as FIAT Amigo. Production stopped in 1985.

• Fiat 850 Coupé — The Coupé was introduced in 1965 at the Geneva Motor Show and had the original 843 cc  engine producing 47 hp. The maximum speed at that time was 135 km/h. Engine code 100GC.000.
• Fiat 850 Spider — At the same time as the Coupé, Fiat also introduced the convertible sporty two-seater Spider, with the original 843 cc engine tuned to produce 49 hp (37 kW) which allowed it to reach a top speed of 145 km/h. The body was designed and built by Bertone in its Grugliasco, Turin plant. The folding fabric roof stowed under a rear metal body panel. The Bertone design featured smooth, simple lines and details, including recessed headlamps equipped with plexiglass covers angled to match the adjacent fenders/wings — and dihedral side panels similar to Bertone's 1963 Chevrolet Testudo. The Spider's engine code was 100GS.000.

124

The Fiat 125 is a large family car manufactured and marketed by Italian company Fiat from 1967 to 1972. Derivatives were built under license outside Italy until the 1990s. As launched the car was unusual in blending saloon car passenger accommodation with sports car performance, a combination which would be more widely adopted by the European volume auto-makers in the decade ahead.

Following its introduction in 1966 with a publicity stunt, with Fiat filming the dropping of the car by parachute from a plane, the 124 won the 1967 European Car of the Year. As a clean-sheet design by Oscar Montabone, the chief engineer responsible for its development, the 124 used only the all-synchromesh gear box from the Fiat 1500. The 124 featured a spacious interior, advanced coil spring rear suspension, disc brakes on all wheels and lightweight construction.

A 5-door station wagon variant (named 124 Familiare on its home market) as well as the 124 Sport Spider variants debuted at the 48th Turin Motor show in November 1966.  A few months later, at the March 1967 Geneva Motor Show, the 124 Sport Coupé completed the range. The two Sport models were powered by an all-new 1.4-litre dual overhead camshaft engine producing 90 PS at 6,500 rpm.

Throughout the 1960s and 1970s, Fiat sought to extend its worldwide reach by entering into various collaborative agreements with smaller manufacturers (mostly in developing nations) by licensing the 124 design following its discontinuation in mainstream Western European markets. The best known (and most produced) of all the 124 derivates is the Russian-built Lada, which has to date, sold over 15 million units.

-Russia: In 1966, Fiat entered into a collaborative agreement with the Soviet government to establish car manufacture in the Samara region of Russia. 

-India: The Fiat 124 was also introduced in India by Premier Automobiles Limited. In 1981 Premier began the process of acquiring the production tooling for the facelifted SEAT 124 D after authorisation from Fiat.

-Spain: In the frame of the licence agreement between SEAT and Fiat, it was produced and sold in Spain with the name SEAT 124 from 1968 to 1975.

-Bulgaria: The Fiat 124 was also produced under the name Pirin-Fiat in Lovech, Bulgaria, on the basis of complete knockdown (CKD) kits between 1967 and 1971.

-Turkey: The Fiat 124 was also produced by Tofaş under the names "Murat 124" between 1971-1977 and "Serçe" ("sparrow" in Turkish) between 1984 and 1994, in Bursa, Turkey. 134,867 Murat 124s were produced.

-Korea: The Fiat 124 was also produced under the name Fiat-KIA 124 by Asia Motors in South Korea, between 1970 and 1975. In total 6775 units were assembled.

-Egypt: From 2002 to 2007, Lada-Egypt company built at least 9,000 cars (2,200 in 2006) in the shell of VAZ-2107 (Riva), and it continues in 2012.

124 spider

The Fiat 124 Sport Spider was designed by Pininfarina and styled in-house by Tom Tjaarda. The 124 Sport Spider, 124 Sport Coupé and 124 sedan share much of their running gear – and, in the case of the coupé, platforms. The Sports Spider uses a shorter platform along with a shorter wheelbase, and in contrast to the Pinifarina styled and manufactured spider, Fiat designed and manufactured the coupé in-house. The car was manufactured by Fiat (with a Pininfarina body) in Turin until October 1981, when Pininfarina took over manufacture in their San Giorgio Canavese plant. Serial numbers started over from zero, while the eleventh digit in the Vehicle Identification Number was switched from an 8 to a 5. The Fiat Spider 2000 ended manufacture in July 1982, and after the Italian summer holidays production of Pininfarina-badged cars commenced in its place.

The four-cylinder engine used in the spider and coupé is a double overhead cam, aluminum crossflow head version of the sedan's pushrod unit. It started in 1966 with a capacity of 1438 cc progressively increasing to 1608 cc in 1970 (although this was reduced to 1,592 cc in 1973), 1,756 cc in 1974 and finally 1,995 cc in 1979. The Fiat Twin Cam engine was designed by ex-Ferrari engineer Aurelio Lampredi. The model ended in 1985 after almost 200,000 spiders alone had been manufactured, with 75% for the US market. There were nine models of the spider.

The 124 name was revived in 2016 through a joint venture with Mazda, using the new Mazda MX-5 platform. After considering possibly marketing the result as an Alfa Romeo Spider, the car was brought to the market as a Fiat. It was unveiled at the Los Angeles Auto Show in November 2015 and made available in late 2016. The engine is a turbocharged 1.4 MultiAir with 160 HP from the Fiat range.

2016-present

Early in 1969, Fiat S.p.A. took a 50% stake in Ferrari. An immediate result was an increase in available investment funds, and work started at once on a factory extension intended to transfer production from Fiat's Turin plant of the Ferrari engined Fiat Dino. New model investment further up in the Ferrari range also received a boost.

Less positive was the effect on industrial relations at Ferrari's Maranello plant. In June a visiting journalist witnessed a group of workers suddenly running out of a workshop in response to the blast of a whistle: this was part of an industrial stoppage originating at the main Fiat plant in Turin, and contrasted with the relatively smooth state of production that the writer had witnessed at competitor plants nearby.

While increased Fiat influence was quickly felt in the development, production and marketing of road cars, the racing department remained initially little touched by Fiat's new status within the company as chief investor.

In June 2002 Fiat sold 34% of Ferrari and bought back 90% of the shares again in 2010.

In October 2014 Fiat Chrysler Automobiles announced its intentions to separate Ferrari from FCA; as of the announcement FCA owned 90% of Ferrari. On January 3, 2016, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles N.V. and Ferrari N.V. were separated. A share of 10% in the Ferrari company is still owned by Piero Ferrari, the second and only living son of Enzo Ferrari,

dino

The Dino road cars came to be because of Enzo Ferrari's need to homologate a V6 engine for Formula 2 racing cars. In 1965 the Commission Sportive Internationale de la FIA had drawn up new rules, to be enacted for the 1967 season. F2 engines were required to have no more than six cylinders, and to be derived from a production engine, from a road car homologated in the GT class and produced in at least 500 examples within 12 months.^[2][3][4] Since a small manufacturer like Ferrari was in the mid 60s did not possess the production capacity to reach such quotas, an agreement was signed with Fiat and made public on 1 March 1965: Fiat would produce the 500 engines needed for the homologation, to be installed in a GT car which remained to be specified.

Dino was the nickname of Enzo's son Alfredo Ferrari, who had died in 1956 and was credited with the concept for Ferrari's Formula 2 V6 racing engine.

The two bodies showed very different lines, as they had been designed and were manufactured for Fiat by two different coachbuilders: the Spider by Pininfarina, and the Coupé by Bertone—where it had been sketched out by Giorgetto Giugiaro. Curiously the Spider type approval identified it as a 2+1 seater.

Spider and coupé bodies were produced respectively by Pininfarina and Bertone. 2.0-litre and early 2.4-litre cars were assembled by Fiat in Rivalta di Torino. Starting from December 1969 the Fiat Dino was assembled in Maranello on Ferrari's production line, alongside the 246 GT. Between 1966 and 1969 there were 3,670 2.0-litre coupés and 1,163 2.0-litre spiders made; with only 420 built, the 2400 Spider is the rarest of the Fiat's Dinos. Of the total 7,803 Fiat Dino produced, 74% were the popular coupés and only 26% were spiders.

Fiat launched a take-over bid in October 1969. It was accepted by Lancia as the company was losing significant sums of money, with losses in 1969 being GB£20 million. This was not the end of the distinctive Lancia marque, and new models in the 1970s such as the Stratos, Gamma and Beta proved that Fiat wished to preserve the image of the brand it had acquired. Autobianchi, bought by Fiat Group just a year before, was put under the control of Lancia.

During the 1970s and 1980s, Lancia had great success in rallying, winning many World Rally Championships.

During the 1980s, the company cooperated with Saab Automobile, with the Lancia Delta being sold as the Saab 600 in Sweden. The 1985 Lancia Thema also shared a platform with the Saab 9000, Fiat Croma and the Alfa Romeo 164. During the 1990s, all models were closely related to other Fiat models.

130

The Fiat 130 is a large six cylinder executive car produced by Italian car manufacturer Fiat from 1969 to 1977. It was available as a 4-door saloon and as a 2-door coupé. The saloon was launched at the 39th Geneva Motor Show in March 1969, replacing the previous largest and most exclusive Fiat saloon, the Fiat 2300. It was a thoroughly modern car, with four-wheel independent suspension (modified MacPherson struts front and rear, with torsion bars in the front and coil springs in the rear).

Production of the saloon ended in 1976 with no direct replacement, and with 15,093 produced (including 4 Familiares (station wagon/estate versions) converted by Officine Introzzo of Como) The Coupé continued until the following year, and 4,294 were built in total. Using the "128 type A" motor as a basis, a new crossflow V6 engine, with a 60° vee angle and rubber-toothed-belt driven twin overhead camshafts was developed for the model by Aurelio Lampredi. It became known as the "130 type A" engine with a capacity of 2,866 cc and a power output of 140 bhp at 5,600 rpm.

130 coupé

Identified as type "BC" on their chassis, the 130 Coupé appeared in 1971 at Geneva motor show exhibiting a completely new 2-door body and a completely new interior. Both exterior and interior styling were designed by Paolo Martin at Pininfarina. The car won a design prize, attributed to Pininfarina, and this helped Pininfarina begin a new life after years relying on the "Fiat 1800/Peugeot 404/Austin A60" concepts. Pininfarina unsuccessfully proposed following the Fiat 130 Coupé proposals with the Maremma in 1974 (2-door shooting brake) and the Opera in 1975 (4-door saloon). Paolo Martin was not involved in these Fiat 130 Coupé variations, as he left the company soon after the design prize in 1971.

Fiat 130 Coupé production figures:       1971: 347          1972: 1746          1973: 1344          1974: 617           1975: 197          1976: 221          1977: 19          Totals: 4491

128 coupé

In november 1971 Fiat introduced the 128 Coupé, also called 128 Sport, a 2-door, 4-seat coupé based on a shortened 128 chassis. It was produced until 1975, but in latter years sales were dropping off considerably in favor of the mid-engined X1/9. Since Fiat had to pay a commission to Bertone for every X1/9, it was decided to provide some internal competition in the form of the updated hatchback coupé 128 3P. "3P" stands for Tre Porte, or "Three Doors" in Italian. The 128 3P used the existing design back to the B-pillar, with some detail modifications to the grille and headlights. The pricier "SL" (for Sport Lusso) was distinguished by quadruple round headlamps, a specific grille, steel sport wheels without hubcaps, chromed window surround trim, door handles and fuel cap, and black decorative striping along the sills and across the tail panel.

The Coupé version was available with two different engines (1100 and 1300) and in two different trim levels (S and SL) for a total of four variants. The two engines were developed from the units found in the 128 saloon and 128 Rally respectively. The 1100  produced 64 PS, while the 1300 produced 75 PS. Top speed was over 150 km/h and 160 km/h  respectively.

127

The Fiat 127 is a supermini car produced by Italian car manufacturer FIAT from 1971 to 1983. It was introduced in 1971 as the replacement for the Fiat 850. Production of the 127 in Italy ended in 1983 following the introduction of its replacement, the Fiat Uno, although the nameplate continued to be used on cars imported from Brazil.

The Fiat 127 was launched as a two-door saloon in April 1971. A three-door hatchback, using an identical body profile but with a full-depth rear door and folding rear seat, was launched in March of the following year; this would prove to be the most popular version of the 127. This was Fiat's first supermini-sized hatchback. In June 1974, slightly over three years after the model's introduction, Fiat reported that the one millionth 127 had been completed at the Mirafiori plant in Turin, after just over three years in production.

The Series 2 version of the 127 debuted in May 1977. It featured a restyled front and rear and larger rear side windows without the curved beltline of the original. The Series 2 also offered the option of the 1049 cc engine.

Despite a completely new replacement being only a year away, the Series 3 was launched in 1982. Body panels are all as before, except for a longer bonnet required to clear the larger headlights. The 1301 cc Fiat Fiasa engine replaced the earlier 1050 in the Series 3 Sport.

x1/9

The X1/9 was developed from the 1969 Autobianchi A112 Runabout concept, with styling by Bertone under chief designer Marcello Gandini.

Even though the Runabout was named for the Autobianchi A112, it was powered by a version of the brand new Fiat 128 SOHC engine. The Runabout featured a distinctive wedge shape and took many styling cues from contemporary power-boat design. Though the more extreme features of the Runabout such as the C pillar mounted headlights and the small wind-deflector windscreen were lost for the production car, many aesthetic features of the Autobianchi Runabout are readily identifiable on the X1/9.

Fiat's prototype coding used X0 for engines, X1 for passenger vehicles and X2 for commercial vehicles. The X1/9 was thus the ninth passenger car developed using the nomenclature. The car was intended to replace the 850 Spider, another Bertone design, not the larger and pricier 124 Sport Spider whose production continued for much of the X1/9's life.

The original 1.3-litre, 4-speed X1/9 can be distinguished from the later 1.5-litre, 5-speed model by its wrap-around steel split bumpers with rubber blocks, and the shallower engine compartment lid. In 1982, shortly after the introduction of the 1500 model, complete production was assumed by Bertone with models subsequently badged as the "Bertone" X1/9. Bertone models featured revised footwells redesigned to enhance legroom and sitting comfort for persons taller than the original design's target.

130 maremma

The idea for this model was the fruit of the imagination of none other than the renowned automobile designer Sergio Pininfarina – in the early '70s, he was particularly focused on the shooting brake concept, aiming to give the world a luxury wagon with a sports coupé twist. The Maremma debuted at the 1974 Geneva Motor Show and was featured on the cover of the Italian automobile magazine Quattroruote, posed on a beach in the French Riviera; the press release prepared by Pininfarina claimed that the Fiat 130 Maremma will change the ingrained image of the traditional estate car. The Maremma stood out for its unique body style, even if it did have the same mass-produced lamps and bumpers as the 130 Coupé as well as the exact same construction right up to the post.

The car had the same 3.2-litre V6 engine as the coupé version of the Fiat 130 that could generate 167 horsepower and 249 Nm of torque – these were pretty solid numbers for the '70s, but they were still way behind the Ferraris that Agnelli loved. The car never made it to production and the Maremma created especially for Gianni Agnelli was registered in his name on April 11, 1975, and the head of Fiat drove it for three years. In September 1978, the Maremma went to its current owner, and disappeared from the scene for 35 years until the 2013 Auto dell’Avvocato show in Turin.

131

The Fiat 131 is a family sedan manufactured from 1974 to 1984 after its debut at the 1974 Turin Motor Show. Available as a two-door and four-door saloon and 5-door estate across a single generation, the 131 succeeded the Fiat 124.

The 131 was also marketed as the Fiat Mirafiori, after the Turin suburb where the cars were manufactured. Initially, the 131 was offered with 1.3 L and 1.6 L overhead valve engines and the range received revisions in 1978 and 1981. Production reached 1,513,800. The 131 came with a choice of a 1,297 cc (1.3 L) or 1,585 cc (1.6 L) OHV inline-four engines, both from the engine family first introduced on the Fiat 124. The initial range comprised eleven different models. Station wagons were built by SEAT in Spain, but were labelled Fiats for all non-Spanish markets.

The 131 got a minor facelift in 1978. New DOHC, or "Twin Cam" (TC) engines arrived, and these models were badged as Supermirafiori. The biggest change exterior-wise for the Series 2 was larger rectangular shaped front lights (quad round headlights in the US), new bumpers, new bigger rear lights and new interior trim including a chunky, single-spoke steering wheel.

ritmo

the fiat ritmo – design icon?

The Fiat Ritmo is small, front-engine, front-wheel drive family car manufactured and marketed by Fiat, launched in April 1978 at the Turin Motor show and offered in 3- and 5-door hatchback and cabriolet body styles – from 1978 to 1988 with two facelifts. Styled by Sergio Sartorelli at Fiat's Centro Stile in Turin, export versions for the UK, USA and Canada were marketed as the Strada. In 1979, SEAT Ritmo production began in Spain, with a facelift in 1982, the SEAT Ronda.

The name Ritmo derives from the Italian for "rhythm", and Strada derives from the Italian for "road." Production reached a total of 1,790,000 and ended in early 1988 it was replaced by the Fiat Tipo. Fiat began designing the Ritmo hatchback – as a replacement for the 128 sedan – in 1972, following the body style of its 127 supermini as European manufacturers began launching small family hatchbacks, notably the Volkswagen Golf in 1974.  The exterior has plastic bumper fascias integrated into the styling which combined strong round shapes with overall sharp lines, achieving a drag coefficient of Cd=0.38. The plastic bumpers also resisted damage from impacts of speeds of up to 6 km/h.

The initial four-cylinder engine range included 1.1-litre (60 PS), 1.3-litre (65 PS) and 1.5-litre (75 PS) petrol engines, inherited from the Fiat 128, although the engines were noticeably quieter in the more insulated Ritmo.

In October 1982, the Ritmo was reengineered and restyled to improve its competitiveness against rivals, which included the MK3 Ford Escort and the first front-wheel drive Opel Kadett.

By the 1970s, Alfa Romeo was again in financial trouble, with the company running at about sixty percent of capacity in 1980. 

Fiat, which offered to start a joint venture with Alfa, withdrew its plan when Ford put in an offer to acquire part of Alfa Romeo and restructure the company, while increasing its stake over time. However, Fiat chose to put in a bid to acquire the entirety of Alfa Romeo and offer job guarantees to Italian workers, an offer that Ford was unwilling to match. It also did not hurt any of the parties involved that an acquisition by Fiat would keep Alfa Romeo in Italian hands. In 1986, the deal was concluded with Alfa Romeo merged with traditional rival Lancia into Fiat's Alfa Lancia Industriale S.p.A. Already in 1981, Alfa Romeo's then-President Ettore Massacesi had stated that Alfa would never use Fiat engines — the engines being, to a large extent, Alfa Romeo's identity — but would be happy to cooperate fully with everything else.

Models produced from the 1990 onwards combined Alfa's traditional virtues of avant-garde styling and sporting panache with the economic benefits of product rationalisation.

panda

Introduced at the March 1980 Geneva Motor Show, the Panda was internally designated as Type 141 and was designed by Giorgetto Giugiaro and Aldo Mantovani of the newly formed Italdesign. From its inception, the Panda was designed as an inexpensive, easily maintained, utilitarian, and robustly simple car.  Introduced to the press in December 1979; the first generation went on sale in Italy in late February, ahead of its Geneva première. Fiat CEO Carlo De Benedetti's design brief specified a straightforward 'container' with a spacious and spartan interior, weighing and costing no more than the Fiat 126 it was replacing — and having a similar design approach as the Citroen 2CV or Renault 4. Notably, in the late 1950s, the head of Renault, Pierre Dreyfus, had called for the Renault R4 to have an egalitarian approach, like blue jeans, "which people can wear in any situation if you do away with the pretension of snobbism and social conformity."

On 26 February 1980 Fiat presented production models to President Sandro Pertini, in the gardens of Rome's Quirinal Palace, and the car officially debuted in Geneva on 5 March — carrying the name Panda, after Empanda, the Roman goddess and patroness of travelers.^[5] At the time of its introduction, the World Wildlife Fund had resisted Fiat's using the Panda name, but acquiesced when Fiat made a substantial financial contribution. As local custom allowed the writing of a check on any surface, Fiat delivered the contribution, written on the hood of an actual Panda.

Mechanically the first Pandas shared engines and transmissions with the Fiat 127 and, in certain territories, the air-cooled 652 cc two-cylinder powerplant of the Fiat 126. Rear suspension used a solid axle suspended on leaf springs. Later versions added mechanical improvements while retaining a robust simplicity throughout its model life.

argenta

The Fiat Argenta is a large family car produced from 1981 to 1985. It was a comprehensive update of the Fiat 132 and the last mass-produced Fiat with rear-wheel drive until the 2016 124 Spider. The change to a name came about as Fiat was changing their naming strategy, changing from three-digit numbers to more meaningful names.^[1] This model was available in sedan/saloon bodystyle only. The Argenta came with a choice of four different engines, of which one was a diesel. The diesel option has a noticeable hump on the bonnet to clear the larger engine. Not all engines were available in all of the Argenta's markets. 

In June 1983, the Argenta was facelifted. The grille was renewed with the then corporate five-bar grille, new front end, slimmer new bumpers, and with an anti-roll-bar mounted on the rear axle. The car remained in production until 1985 when it was replaced by the Croma.

uno

The Fiat Uno is a front-engine, front-drive, four-passenger supermini manufactured and marketed by Fiat. Launched in 1983, the Uno was produced over a single generation (with an intermediate facelift, 1989) in three and five-door hatchback body styles until 1995 in Europe — and until 1 January 2014, in Brazil. Designed by Giorgetto Giugiaro of Italdesign, the Uno strongly recalled the high-roof, up-right packaging of Giugiaro's 1978 Lancia Megagamma concept, in a smaller configuration.

With over 8,800,000 built, it is the eighth most produced automobile platform in history, after the Volkswagen Beetle, Ford Model T, Fiat 124, 1965–1970 GM B platform, 1981–1997 GM J platform, 1961–1964 GM B platform, and 1977–1990 GM B platform.

In April 1985 the hot hatch version of the first series Uno – the Uno Turbo i.e. – was launched as a three-door only derivative. The Turbo i.e. model used a Ritmo/Strada-derived 1.3 128-series engine.

The Fiat Uno name was resurrected for project Type 327, the Brazilian-built "Novo Uno" (New Uno). The new Uno is engineered at Brazil and co-designed with Turin's Centro Stile Fiat, and is basically a more urban interpretation of the Fiat Panda style on a Fiat Palio. It is larger and roomier than the first, but smaller and cheaper than the second platform. The car has two options of engines: the 1.0 Fire Evo (74 hp) and the 1.4 Fire Evo (87 hp), both able to use ethanol, gasoline or a mix of both fuels.

A Brazilian Fiat Uno was tested by Latin NCAP in 2011 and has been rated as highly unsafe, scoring only one star for adult occupants and two stars for children.^[38] Another test made in 2013 rated zero stars.

croma

The Fiat Croma name was used for two distinct large family cars by Fiat, one a five door liftback manufactured and marketed from 1985 to 1996, and after a nine-year hiatus, a crossover station wagon manufactured and marketed from 2004 to 2010.

tipo

The Fiat Tipo (Type 160) is a compact car, designed by the I.DE.A Institute design house, and produced by the Italian manufacturer Fiat between 1988 and 1995.

The Tipo was initially available only as a five-door hatchback. The car was made entirely out of galvanized body panels to avoid rust, and was built on a completely new Fiat platform, which was later used on Fiat, Alfa Romeo, and Lancia models.

It also stood out because of its boxy styling that gave it innovative levels of packaging, rear passenger room being greater than that in a rear wheel drive Ford Sierra, but in a car that was of a similar size to the smaller Ford Escort. This type of design was comparable to the smaller Fiat Uno, which was launched five years before the Tipo.

For 1989, the Tipo won the European Car of the Year award and 1989 Semperit Irish Car of the Year in Ireland. The car has been extremely popular in Brazil. It outsold the Volkswagen Gol, which had been the best selling Brazilian car for over twenty years. Only the Tipo, the Fiat Uno Mille, and Fiat Palio have also ever outsold the Gol.

 In December 1989, FIAT entered in Maserati's history. Maserati and Innocenti were separated; Innocenti Milano S.p.A., the company that sold Innocenti cars, continued its business under a 51% FIAT Auto ownership. All of the Modena and Lambrate plants went to a newly created company, the still existent Maserati S.p.A.; 49% of it was owned by FIAT Auto and 51% was controlled by De Tomaso through the old company, Officine Alfieri Maserati.

On 19 May 1993, 17 years after having rescued it from liquidation, Alejandro De Tomaso sold his 51% stake in Maserati to FIAT, which became the sole owner.

In July 1997, FIAT sold a 50% share in the company to Maserati's long-time arch-rival Ferrari (Ferrari itself being owned by FIAT). In 1999, Ferrari took full control, making Maserati its luxury division. A new factory was built, replacing the existing 1940s-era facility.

The steps taken by the new parent company resulted in the improved Quattroporte Evoluzione which was introduced at the March 1998 Geneva Motor Show.

The last links to the de Tomaso era were cut in 2002, when the 3200 GT was replaced by the Maserati Coupé and Spyder; evolved from the 3200.

 In 2005  Maserati was split off from Ferrari and partnered with Alfa Romeo. All owned by the Fiat group.

multipla

The Fiat Multipla (Type 186) is a compact MPV produced by Italian automaker Fiat from 1998 to 2010. Based on the Bravo/Brava, the Multipla was shorter and wider than its rivals. It had two rows of three seats, where its competitors had two across front seating. The Multipla is shorter than the three-door Bravo/Brava on which it was based, while offering increased seating and cargo volume. Sales commenced in Italy in November 1998. In common with a number of other modern Fiats, the Multipla reused the name of an earlier vehicle, in this case the "Multipla" variant of the Fiat 600 produced during the 1950s and 1960s.

The Multipla was assembled and marketed in China from 2008 to 2013 under license by Zotye Auto as the Zotye M300 Langyue, using knock-down kits from Italy. Zotye marketed a total of 220 all electric versions of the M300.

Multipla sales began in Italy in November 1998, with most other markets receiving it a year later. The Multipla sold well with Italian buyers, but sales elsewhere were less successful. The Multipla underwent a major facelift in March 2004, to shed its original styling for a more restrained look. 

oltre

The "Oltre Fiat" show car was presented at the 2005 Bologna Motor Show in a spectacular display; this unique model confirms the Fiat Group's technological excellence even in the large four-wheel drive and off-road segment. It is derived from the Iveco LMV (Light Multirole Vehicle), the new military off-road vehicle that embodies cutting edge technical features.

It is equipped with an Iveco F1C Common rail diesel engine, with a variable geometry Turbo and intercooler. The 3-litre engine has 4 cylinders in line and delivers a maximum power output of 185 bhp at 3700 rpm, and peak torque of 456 Nm at 1800 rpm. Combined with a six-speed automatic transmission, the engine gives this extraordinary vehicle a top speed of over 130 km/h. And finally, the Oltre-Fiat show car weighs about seven tonnes, ready for the road and exploiting all its load capacity. It can seat four or five people, depending on the interior outfit, with an overall payload of about three tonnes.

specials

In early 2019, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) sought a merger with French automaker Renault, and reached a provisional agreement with the company. However, the behaviour of the French government during negotiations led to the abandonment of the deal; The Economist reported that "for FCA this portended future interference." Nissan also had various concerns of the impact of the proposal on its alliance with Renault.

Subsequently, FCA approached PSA. The merger, officially agreed in December 2019, was to create the world's fourth-largest carmaker by global vehicle sales with expected annual cost savings of €3.7 billion, or approximately $4.22 billion.

On 21 December 2020, the European Commission announced its approval of the merger, while imposing minimal remedies to ensure competition in the sector.

The name Stellantis is exclusively used to identify the corporate entity, while group brand names and logos remain unchanged.

Abarth & C. S.p.A. is an Italian racing and road car maker and performance division founded by Italo-Austrian Carlo Abarth in 1949. Abarth & C. S.p.A. is owned by Stellantis through its FCA Italy S.p.A. division. Its logo is a shield with a stylized scorpion on a yellow and red background.

Carlo Abarth was sporting director of the Cisitalia factory racing team starting in 1947. 1948 saw the financial downfall of Cisitalia, spurred by the investments needed to put the 202 coupé into production. The following year the manufacturer folded, and founder Piero Dusio flew to Argentina. Carlo Abarth, funded by Armando Scagliarini, took over Cisitalia's assets and on 31 March 1949 Abarth & C. was founded in Bologna. From the Cisitalia liquidation Abarth obtained five 204 sports cars (two complete Spiders and three unfinished), a D46 single seater and various spares. The 204s were immediately rechristened Abarth 204 A. Abarth built and raced sports cars developed from the last Cisitalia cars.

On 9 April 1951 the company's headquarters were moved to Turin; Abarth began his well-known association with Fiat in 1952, when it built the Abarth 1500 Biposto on Fiat mechanicals.

205a

This is a Vignale-Michelotti masterpiece. This was the first street car built by Karl Abarth, after the Cisitalia-Abarth 204. This car followed the decision to build a gran turismo berlinetta for a wealthy clientele: a brand new chassis was built, along with an aluminium coach. The 205-101 had a heavily tuned dry sump Fiat 1100 B engine with a Cisitalia head, two Weber 32 DR SP carburetors and a Magneti Marelli MVE4 magneto. This engine was said to produce around 80 hp.
The three specimens made had chassis numbers 205-101/102/103. The first one was completed in march 1950, then joined the Coppa Intereuropa on 23 march 1950. The 205-101 arrived ended the race 1st in 1100 class, driven by Guido Scagliarini (co-owner of Abarth & C.). 

Only three Abarth 205s were made and all have survived and are in the hands of caring owners.

1500 biposto

The Abarth 1500 Biposto was an experimental coupe designed by Franco Scaglione, who worked for Bertone at the time. It was displayed at the 1952 Turin Motor Show. Following the Turin Show, it was purchased by Packard and brought to Detroit, where it was used for design inspiration.

The Biposto was given to motoring journalist Dick Smith in mid-1953 as his prize for suggesting a new Packard advertising slogan. Smith sparingly drove the car for two decades, before putting it into storage. It did not reappear until put up for auction in 2003 where it was acquired by historic racer, car collector and restorer Chris M Drake.

It features a futuristic design consisting of a central headlight, similar to the earlier Tucker Torpedo, and fins in the rear. The design is believed to have paved the way for the Alfa Romeo BAT series of concept cars. Under the hood was a Fiat 1.5-litre, 75-bhp engine which got the new Abarth model to a top speed of 180 km/h.

1100 ghia

This Abarth 205A 1100 Sport was shown at the 1953 Turin Salon. It appeared on the Ghia stand alongside the similar Dodge Firearrow that Ghia had previously built for Chrysler. The body design is thought to be the work of Giovanni Michelotti with heavy influences from Virgil Exner and Giovanni Savonuzzi. It was built on the last of four Abarth 205 competition chassis and used mechanical components from the new Fiat 1100 that was also previewed at the Turin Salon. After the show the Abarth was sold to William 'Bill' Vaughn of New York. Vaughn built a variety of Specials in the 1950s and he showed the Abarth at the New York Auto Show in 1954 under the name of the Vaughn SS Wildcat. The 2015 Pebble Beach Concours was the first time the Abarth was seen in public since that show.

215a coupe and  216a spyder

The Abarth works are equipped mainly for batch fabrication processes; the factory employs 110 people plus 12 administrative staff. Initial development work on a new induction system is undertaken on a test bed, but thereafter-and particularly so with the exhaust system most of the experimental work is carried out in carefully controlled road performance tests along the autostrade. This would seem to be expensive, but the final results appear to justify the methods. Following up this specialist bodywork as well as obtaining increased performance from his modification to the Fiat 600 power unit, Abarth has produced two most attractive bodies for the 600 chassis in conjunction with Bertone. The first, a coupe (Type 215A) was introduced at Geneva and attracted much attention. At Turin an open two-seater Spyder version was exhibited, designed Type 216A.

abarth record bertone

 In 1956 Bertone created extremely streamlined designs for two record-breaking Abarths, which took their inspiration from the aerodynamics of similar German pre-war cars, with highly interesting results from a technical and aesthetic point of view. The two prototypes set an impressive ten world records for the H class on the high speed track at Monza: the most important being 4000 km at an average speed of 156.36 km/h, and 10,125.56 km covered in 72 hours. The car was fitted with a four-cylinder 743 cc. engine derived from the Fiat 600.

allemano 2200 coupe

when Abarth chose to develop his own interpretation of the Fiat 2100 saloon, he turned to Turin-based Carrozzeria Allemano. Allemano was established in 1928 and worked with the likes of Ferrari, Alfa Romeo, Lancia, and Cisitalia. It is thought that just 28 examples of the Abarth 2200 (so named due to the increased displacement of the Fiat 2100) were produced, with a small number also bodied by Carrozzeria Ellena.

The 2,162 cc inline six-cylinder engine with three Weber 38DCOE carburettors produces 135 bhp. The 2200 has a four-speed manual transmission, front transverse leaf-spring suspension, rear coil springs, and four-wheel hydraulic disc brakes.

2000 sport spider 

Abarth 2000 Sport is an iconic Italian racing car which won its class at the 1000 km of Monza in 1971 and finished 11th overall. It was homologated for FIA Group 4 on 1 April 1969 with homologation number 252, and participated in a number of car races from 1969 to 1973. At least 50 cars were constructed. The small and sultry ‘2000 Sport Spider’ is without doubt one of the prettiest sports-racing cars ever designed. It was driven by an extraordinary roll call of racing legends, including Peter Schetty, Arturo Merzario, and Toine Hezemans, all of whom helped cement its place in the history books. 

2000 scorpione concept

1969

Created in the early days of the wedge era, the concept started off with a chassis borrowed from Abarth 2000 Sport Spider SE and then Pininfarina worked its magic to turn it into a piece of art. Notice the wraparound windshield and the absence of A-pillars creating a 180-degree cockpit view. There’s also a central pop-up headlight bar with six separate lights, while the rear end seems unfinished and hosts a glass canopy providing a spectacular view of the engine. It only has a small 2.0-liter four-cylinder Fiat engine upgraded by Abarth to deliver a healthy 220 hp.  With a dry weight of just 670 kg  it doesn’t need to be extremely powerful in order to be seriously fast.

Carlo sold Abarth to Fiat on 31 July 1971. The acquisition was not made public until 15 October. As Fiat was not interested in the Reparto Corse racing operations, these were taken over by Enzo Osella. Osella obtained cars, spares, technicians and drivers (amongst them Arturo Merzario), and continued the racing activity founding the Osella racing team. Thus ended for Abarth the days of sport prototype and hill climb racing. Under Fiat ownership, Abarth became the Fiat Group's racing department, managed by engine designer Aurelio Lampredi.  Abarth prepared Fiat's rally cars, including the Fiat 124 Abarth Rally and 131 Abarth.

In 2000s, Fiat used the Abarth brand to designate a trim/model level, as in the Fiat Stilo Abarth. On 1 February 2007 Abarth was re-established as an independent unit with the launch of the current company, Abarth & C. S.p.a., controlled 100% by Fiat Group Automobiles.