And then there was the Fiat Fiorino
04/16/2016
Fiathas just unveiled the new Fiorino, which of course brings back a lot of memories for me!
The Fiorino was not only the perfect car for florists and painters, but also for photographers. A car with a very special height and an easily accessible roof allowed, of course before the drone era, various shots from a bird's eye view, well, let's say with an elevated angle. It was also ideal to prepare the equipment in the car when it was raining, as there was plenty of headroom for my height. As an aerodynamic wall in the wind and very susceptible to crosswinds, the high-sided compact station wagon wasn't the fastest means of transportation, but it was certainly the most practical and cheapest at the time.
The idea at the time was to use a Porsche 944 for all longer journeys and the mule in the form of the Fiorino for work around the house. The used Porsche cost CHF 34,000 and the Fiat another CHF 5,000 - an investment that more than paid off over a period of around five years.
The 127-based Fiorino was extremely simply built, but not really torsionally rigid, so I soon had the problem of the rear doors jamming. Fortunately, they never opened by themselves while driving. It was logical that the lack of top speed had to be compensated for in the bends and this was absolutely possible, as the "container" was much better than any of my colleagues could believe. We often shifted gears without taking our foot off the gas. This saved some time, but at some point the pistons flew around my ears. The fist-sized hole in the engine block indicated that the engine was badly damaged. However, a used replacement was quickly available for little money.
I will probably never forget one of the many stories from my younger years for the rest of my life. In my ambitious search for the ultimate thunderstorm lightning shot, I drove to nearby Ächerli, a hill on the Stanserhorn with an unobstructed view over Lake Sarnen, several times at night when there were thunderstorm reports. The car was positioned so that I could take photos through the open rear doors to protect myself and the valuable camera (a SINAR 4x5" at the time) from rain and moisture. Once, however, such a storm came up that it was impossible to take any more photos. The hatches were quickly closed. The Fiat was then subjected to a high-speed wind tunnel test without being secured. The car was bent and stretched in every possible direction. There was no escape for around an hour, half the road fell victim to the storm and I had to fight my way home, without having achieved anything, and the Fiorino also had to prove itself as an off-road vehicle.
Winter landscapes were another issue. The front-wheel drive made a lot of things possible, but once I got stuck in the snow during a turning maneuver. Thanks to a woollen blanket and the plastic floor mats, I was able to free myself - there were no cell phones back then - so I was spared the long walk to get additional help.
Only a new Mercedes 300 TE was able to replace the Fiat and the Porsche in one, but without the possibility of taking photos from the high roof.
Incidentally, the first Fiat Fiorino based on the 127 was built from 1977 to 1987, followed by a second generation based on the Uno, which was sold until the year 2000.
After a break, a new edition appeared in 2008, which has now been revised and is still aimed at those who are looking for an inexpensive and undemanding universal vehicle that can do everything.
