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Autobianchi Primula Coupé - stylish Italian innovation

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Created on May 29, 2025

Reading time 7min

Written by:

Bruno von Rotz

Photos:

Bruno von Rotz

Archiv

Bruno von Rotz

Archiv

Autobianchi Primula Coupé (1966) - passt gut in den Jachthafen

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Autobianchi Primula Coupé (1966) - eine extravagante Erscheinung

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Autobianchi Primula Coupé (1966) - Radstand nur 230 cm

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Autobianchi Primula Coupé (1966) - Schrägheck mit kleiner Kofferraumklappe

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Autobianchi Primula Coupé (1966) - Heckdesign ohne Firlefanz

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Autobianchi Primula Coupé (1966) - grosse Glasflächen rundum

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Autobianchi Primula Coupé (1966) - Warten auf das Kursschiff

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Autobianchi Primula Coupé (1966) - bereit für die Passagiere, die mit dem Schiff ankommen

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Autobianchi Primula Coupé (1966) - mit 158 cm relativ schmal

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Autobianchi Primula Coupé (1966) - das kompakte Coupé für die Schlossherrin?

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Autobianchi Primula Coupé (1966) - gedrungen, kurze Überhänge

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Autobianchi Primula Coupé (1966) - italienischer Wagen vor Schweizer Schloss

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Autobianchi Primula Coupé (1966) - standesgemässe Vorfahrt

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Autobianchi Primula Coupé (1966) - wirkt durchaus edel

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Autobianchi Primula Coupé (1966) - läuft über 140 km/h

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Autobianchi Primula Coupé (1966) - 378,5 cm lang

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Autobianchi Primula Coupé (1966) - perfekt für die schmale Landstrasse

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Autobianchi Primula Coupé (1966) - ein Aussenspiegel muss genügen

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Autobianchi Primula Coupé (1966) - an Übersichtlichkeit fehlt es nicht

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Autobianchi Primula Coupé (1966) - 158 cm breit

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Autobianchi Primula Coupé (1966) - 135 cm hoch

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Autobianchi Primula Coupé (1966) - für die Fahrt zum Schloss

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Autobianchi Primula Coupé (1966) - in Fahrt

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Autobianchi Primula Coupé (1966) - trotz Schrägheck keine grosse Heckklappe

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Autobianchi Primula Coupé (1966) - gemäss Werk 145 km/h schnell

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Autobianchi Primula Coupé (1966) - das quirlige Coupé lässt nichts anbrennen

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Autobianchi Primula Coupé (1966) - grosszügig verglast

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Autobianchi Primula Coupé (1966) - man fühlt sich gleich willkommen

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Autobianchi Primula Coupé (1966) - ein erstaunlich wertiges Interieur für das kleine Auto

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Autobianchi Primula Coupé (1966) - Cockpit mit zwei grossen Rundinstrumenten

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Autobianchi Primula Coupé (1966) - schönes Nardi-Holzlenkrad

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Autobianchi Primula Coupé (1966) - der überlange Schalthebel für kurze Wege vom Lenkrad

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Autobianchi Primula Coupé (1966) - grosse Veglia-Instrumente für Geschwindigkeit und Drehzahl

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Autobianchi Primula Coupé (1966) - eindeutig als Nardi-Lenkrad erkennbar

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Autobianchi Primula Coupé (1966) - Wassertemperatur und Benzinstand werden im Tachometer angezeigt

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Autobianchi Primula Coupé (1966) - auch der Drehzahlmesser ist von Veglia

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Autobianchi Primula Coupé (1966) - Typenschriftzug im Interieur

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Autobianchi Primula Coupé (1966) - klar beschriftete Schalter

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Autobianchi Primula Coupé (1966) - Lüftungsrosetten

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Autobianchi Primula Coupé (1966) - Kunststoffsitze

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Autobianchi Primula Coupé (1966) - der Kühler ist ganz normal vor dem querstehenden Motor positioniert

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Autobianchi Primula Coupé (1966) - das Getriebe ist "in Linie" am Vierzylinder angeflanscht

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Autobianchi Primula Coupé (1966) - quer eingebauter Frontmotor

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Autobianchi Primula Coupé (1966) - Typenschild

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Autobianchi Primula Coupé (1966) - grosser Kühlergrill

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Autobianchi Primula Coupé (1966) - das Markenzeichen auf dem Kühlergrill

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Autobianchi Primula Coupé (1966) - schlichte Rundscheinwerfer

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Autobianchi Primula Coupé (1966) - die Speichenräder gab es ab Werk

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Autobianchi Primula Coupé (1966) - formschöne Türgriffe

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Autobianchi Primula Coupé (1966) - Heckklappen-Verriegelung

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Autobianchi Primula Coupé (1966) - klare Beschriftung auf dem Heck

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Autobianchi Primula Coupé (1966) - Typenschriftzug auf dem Heck

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Autobianchi Primula (1965) - dreitürige Variante

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Autobianchi Primula (1965) - Durchsichtszeichnung

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Autobianchi Primula (1965) - auf Testfahrt

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Autobianchi Primula (1965) - die Gepäckabdeckung kann entfernt werden

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Autobianchi Primula (1965) - familienfreundliche Limousine

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Autobianchi Primula (1965) - für den Ausflug zu Viert mit Hunden

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Autobianchi Primula (1965) - für Frauen und Hunde

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Autobianchi Primula (1965) - Gepäck kein Problem

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Autobianchi Primula (1965) - gradlinig gestaltet, hübsch anzuschauen

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Autobianchi Primula (1965) - mit grosser Heckklappe

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Autobianchi Primula (1965) - Blick auf den Fahrerarbeitsplatz

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Autobianchi Primula (1965) - mit Bandtacho in der ersten Ausführung

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Autobianchi Primula (1965) - Blick ins Innere am Genfer Autosalon 1965

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Autobianchi Primula (1965) - quer eingebauter Frontmotor

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Autobianchi Primula (1965) - Blick in den Motorraum

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Autobianchi Primula (1965) - der quer eingebaute Motor treibt die Vorderräder an

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Autobianchi Primula (1965) - Antrieb des Kilometerzählers

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Autobianchi Primula (1965) - Abmessungen

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Autobianchi Primula Coupé (1966) - das Coupé hat hinten zusätzliche Ausstellfenster

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Autobianchi Primula Coupé (1966) - die sportliche Variante verzichtet auf die grosse Klappe

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Autobianchi Primula Coupé (1966) - Cockpit mit Runduhren

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Autobianchi Primula Coupé (1966) - Innenraum

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Autobianchi Primula Coupé (1966) - stolz am Stand präsentiert

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Autobianchi Primula Coupé (1966) - Blick in das sportliche Coupé

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Autobinachi Priumula Coupé S (1970) - Cockpit

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Autobinachi Priumula Coupé S (1970) - edles Interieur

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Autobianchi Primula 65 C (1970) - bei der viertürigen Variante sind die optischen Veränderungen von schräg vorne geringfügig

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Autobianchi Primula 65C (1968) - mit drei Türen

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Autobianchi Primula 65C (1968) - der Innenraum der dreitürigen Version

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Autobianchi Primula 65C (1968) - der quer eingebaute Frontmotor

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Autobianchi Primula Coupé (1968) - mehr Hubraum und Leistung - Genfer Autosalon 1968

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Autobinachi Priumula Coupé S (1970) - Silhouette mit neu gestalteten Heckleuchten

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Autobianchi Primula Coupé (1966) - Verbrauch bei 8,2 Liter pro 100 km gemäss CUNA-Norm

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Autobianchi Primula Coupé (1966) - am Jachthafen

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Autobianchi Primula Coupé (1966) - Schrägheck-Coupé im Jachthafen

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Autobianchi Primula Coupé (1966) - langer Schalthebel

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Autobianchi Primula 65 C (1968) - 3-türige Version

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Autobianchi Primula (1965) - Armaturenbrett

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Summary

In the mid-sixties, Fiat only offered rear-wheel drive. But BMC had shown with the Mini and its larger alternatives that front-wheel drive had considerable advantages. Instead of presenting a competitor to Fiat, Autobianchi was allowed to step into the breach in 1964. An innovative car was created, but remained below its potential on the market and is therefore very rare today. This report tells the story of the Autobianchi Primula and shows the car in historical and current images.

This article contains the following chapters

Innovation boost from Fiat subsidiary
Compact dimensions thanks to front-wheel drive
Self-supporting body with tailgate
Enthusiastic press feedback
With Touring to the Coupé
On the road with the "Bellezza"
Further development with more powerful engines

Estimated reading time: 7min

Preview (beginning of the article)

With the Mini and the larger ADO16 vehicles Austin/Morris 1100/1300, BMC had pointed the way to the future. This did not go unnoticed by the gentlemen at Fiat, and so the Turin team considered a response to the British challenge. The Autobianchi Primula was presented to the public at the Turin Motor Show in the fall of 1964. "Primula" can be translated as primrose, which also includes primroses. In any case, the name comes from botany. The Autobianchi Primula owes its name to Dante Giacosa (1905-1996), Fiat's chief engineer at the time. At that time, the large Turin-based car brand only built rear-wheel drive vehicles, with the engine in the rear of the Fiat 500 and 650 and in the front of the Fiat 1100. Fiat and Giacosa watched the success of the British Minis and their larger brothers Austin/Morris 1100 (ADO16 series) with suspicion, especially as the Italian licensee of the ADO16, the Innocenti company, was also poaching in Fiat territory with the IM3.

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