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Autobianchi Primula - study object or bestseller?

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Created on November 16, 1965

Text:

Heinz Kranz

Photos:

Archiv

57

Archiv

57

Autobianchi Primula (1966) - four-door version

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Autobianchi Primula (1965) - horses are also interested in the innovative estate car

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Autobianchi Primula (1965) - in the test during the curve chase

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Autobianchi Primula (1965) - goes down on its knees when braking, but stays on track

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Autobianchi Primula (1965) - the two-door version

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Autobianchi Primula (1965) - in a sales brochure

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Autobianchi Primula (1965) - at speed in the photo studio?

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Autobianchi Primula (1965) - plenty of space in the convertible trunk

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Autobianchi Primula (1965) - with transverse front-mounted engine and front-wheel drive

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Autobianchi Primula (1965) - on a test drive

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Autobianchi Primula (1965) - on a winter test drive

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Autobianchi Primula (1965) - three-door version

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Autobianchi Primula (1965) - three-door version

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Autobianchi Primula (1966) - two-door version

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Autobianchi Primula (1965) - with large tailgate

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Autobianchi Primula (1965) - practical to load

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Autobianchi Primula (1965) - straightforward design, pretty to look at

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Autobianchi Primula (1965) - with open tailgate

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Autobianchi Primula (1965) - the luggage cover can be removed

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Autobianchi Primula (1965) - foldable rear seat bench for more luggage space

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Autobianchi Primula (1965) - with tape speedometer in the first version

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Autobianchi Primula (1965) - View of the driver's workplace

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Autobianchi Primula (1965) - Dashboard

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Autobianchi Primula (1965) - Driver and passenger seat

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Autobianchi Primula (1965) - View of the interior at the 1965 Geneva Motor Show

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Autobianchi Primula (1965) - Rear seat

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Autobianchi Primula (1965) - Odometer drive

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Autobianchi Primula (1965) - View into the engine compartment

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Autobianchi Primula (1965) - the transversely mounted engine drives the front wheels

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Autobianchi Primula (1965) - transversely mounted front engine

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Autobianchi Primula (1965) - with open tailgate

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Autobianchi Primula (1965) - Type lettering with flower

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Autobianchi Primula (1965) - practical compartment under the seat

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Autobianchi Primula (1965) - Tools and breakdown triangle under the seat

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Autobianchi Primula (1965) - Transparency drawing

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Autobianchi Primula (1965) - Transparency drawing

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Autobianchi Primula (1965) - family-friendly sedan

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Autobianchi Primula (1966) - with four doors and space for the whole family

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Autobianchi Primula (1965) - for outings for four with dogs

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Autobianchi Primula (1965) - for women and dogs

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Autobianchi Primula (1966) - also attractive for young people with a large circle of friends

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Autobianchi Primula (1966) - the sedan has to do without the rev counter

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Autobianchi Primula (1965) - luggage no problem

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Autobianchi Primula (1965) - Layout and dimensions

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Autobianchi Primula (1965) - Dimensions

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Autobianchi Primula (1965) - Dimensions

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Autobianchi Primula (1968) - four-door version with large tailgate

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Autobianchi Primula 65C (1968) - with three doors

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Autobianchi Primula 65C (1968) - the interior of the three-door version

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Autobianchi Primula 65C (1968) - the transversely mounted front engine

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Autobianchi Primula Coupé (1966) - the Coupé has additional opening windows at the rear

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Autobianchi Primula Coupé (1966) - the sporty version dispenses with the big mouth

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Autobianchi Primula Coupé (1966) - also for opera-goers

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Autobianchi Primula Coupé (1966) - A look inside the sporty coupé

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Autobianchi Primula Coupé (1966) - Interior

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Autobianchi Primula Coupé (1966) - Cockpit with round clocks

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Autobianchi Primula Coupé (1966) - sportier design with rev counter

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Summary

The Autobianchi Primula was not the first front-wheel drive saloon, but the design by Fiat's chief designer Dante Giacosa is regarded as the technical blueprint for most front-wheel drive compact cars of the modern era. The Primula was particularly practical in the hatchback version, but offered no better use of space than competitor vehicles, as the magazine 'hobby' made clear in a test at the end of 1965. This article reproduces the original wording of the test report at the time and shows the car in many archive photos and in the sales literature of the time.

This article contains the following chapters

What role does the Primula play?
Primula or Fiat 1300?
Technical innovations
Resilient but noisy engine
Good workmanship - moderate comfort
Active safety
Not good enough?

Estimated reading time: 6min

Preview (beginning of the article)

The "Primula" took six long years to mature. Is its concept still valid or have its compact counterparts from England and France overtaken it? Or is even the Fiat 1500 more modern? The Primula is new to our streets, but the first prototype of this car was seen in Milan as early as 1959. This may explain the fact that this car is not as consistently set up for the short front-wheel drive unit as the Austin 1100, for example. The compactness of the Primula is therefore only the result of the estate rear end, which has a rear overhang of 780 mm compared to 995 mm (with the notchback) on the Fiat 1500, while the 1500 is only 3 cm longer from the front bumper to the rear axle despite a wheelbase that is 12 cm longer.

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