Fiat History

1899: Fiat, Fabbrica Italiana Automobili Torino, was formed.

1908: Fiat Automobile Co. (USA) was founded.

 

1919-1926: Fiat 501, 1460cc I4.

1922 501

1924: Ernest Eldridge (GB), driving the Fiat special Mephistopheles fitted with a 21.7-litre Fiat airship engine, set a land speed record of 234.98km/h (146.01mph).

21.7 litre, 6-cylinder

Mephistopheles is well named, still spitting fire, water and oil from every nook and cranny.

1934: Fiat Balilla.

1936: Fiat Topolino.

1955: Fiat 600, rear engined, I6, water cooled.

1957-1975: The tiny New 500, rear engined, 500cc, 2-cyl., air cooled, was presented in Turin (4 July 1957); it went on to became a phenomenon.

1964-1973: Fiat 850, rear engined, I4, 817cc - 903cc.

1969: Fiat 128, front engined and front wheel drive, 1.1 - 1.3-litres.

1969: Lancia was taken over by Fiat.

1971: Fiat 127, front engined and front wheel drive.

1973: Mid-engined Fiat X I/9 coupe debut at the Geneva Motor Show.

1979: Fiat Auto S.p.A. was set up to include the Fiat, Lancia, Autobianchi, Abarth, and Ferrari marques.

1980: The Fiat Panda is a small front wheel drive hatchback dating from the 1980s. A surprising option is a four wheel drive model - just the thing for shopping in the snow.

A Panda, not a dog

The rear drive is yet another bit of add-on four wheel drive engineering by Steyr Daimler Puch and they get a little badge on the back. Is there no manufacturer with whom they have not collaborated?

Fiat Panda (c1989) 4×4, hatch back, 4 seats, 2 doors,

1108cc, petrol, 4-cyls,

transmission 5m, part-time four wheel drive,

suspension indep-coil/live, brakes disc/drum,

tyres 145R13, fuel-tank 30 litres.

1982: Fiat Uno.

1984: Alfa Romeo acquired.

1989: Fiat Tipo.

1990: Fiat Tempra.

1993: Maserati acquired.

1993: Fiat Punto.

1994: Fiat Ulysse SUV.

1995: Fiat Barchetta, Bravo and Brava.

1997: Fiat Palio.

1998: Fiat Seicento city car, and the radically styled Multipla people mover.

2000: Fiat Doblo wagon/van, Siena.

2001: Fiat Stilo

2003: The new Punto and Panda.

2005: Croma, and new 600 (the 50th anniversary)

2006: Sedici, 4x4xTUTT.

2007: The retro new Fiat 500, front engined (1.3 d / 1.2 - 1.4 p) and front wheel drive, l 3550mm, w 1650mm, h 1490mm, and wb 2300mm.

 

2009: Fiat formed an "alliance" with (bail out of) Chrysler.

2011 January 1: There was a demerger of Fiat SpA with 'Fiat SpA' (cars) and 'Fiat Industrial SpA' (trucks, ag., etc.) listing separately on the stock exchange.

 

2012 Fiat Panda, 875cc 2-cyl to 1368cc 4-cyl petrol, and 1248cc diesel, front-WD and 4x4 versions, £7.5K to £13.4K.