125 years of FIAT
07/01/2024
Eight wealthy and visionary gentlemen, including Giovanni Agnelli, founded the company "Societa per la construzione e il commercio delle automobile - Torino" in Turin on July 1, 1899. It was to become FIAT ("Fabbrica Italiana Automobili Torino") only a short time later; the date usually given for this name change is July 11, 1899. At that time, there were probably less than 100 cars driving through Turin, so the plan was correspondingly visionary.
After a few licensed models, the company began to produce its own designs in 1900. The Fiat 3 1/2 HP with a two-cylinder engine, a car for racing and mountain driving, was followed in 1901 by the first four-cylinder with 12 hp, and in 1904 the output was increased to 24 and finally 60 hp.
In 1906, the Fiat technicians installed a 179 hp engine in a car and achieved a top speed of 206 km/h, finally reaching 300 hp and 248 km/h in 1911.
The "Monster of Turin" is known to have reappeared and can be seen again and again at Goodwood and the like.
Record-breaking vehicles and racing cars played a lesser role in the history of Fiat, as did luxury vehicles. The Turin-based car manufacturer gained great significance through its cars for the masses.
The Fiat Topolino, the Fiat 500, the Fiat 600, the Fiat 850, the Fiat 128, the Fiat Ritmo, the Fiat Panda, the Fiat Uno and the Fiat Multipla are the cars that probably come to mind first when people ask about Fiat models produced in large quantities.
But there were always niche models at Fiat that showed that Fiat could build more than just small cars. The Fiat Otto Vu, for example, was an eight-cylinder sports car that one would have expected more from Ferrari than from Fiat. Together with Ferrari, the Fiat Dino was created as a coupé and spider.
In any case, Fiat always had a heart for young people, as evidenced by the Fiat 850 Spider and Coupé, the Fiat 124 Spider, the Fiat X 1/9, the Fiat Barchetta and the Fiat Coupé of the 1990s.
Incidentally, the model matching the current anniversary also existed at the end of the sixties, it was called the Fiat 125 and was based on the Fiat 124.
Fiat has long since abandoned its former full-range strategy, but unlike many other historic car brands, the Turin-based car company has at least survived. We would like to congratulate them on their 125th birthday and have also published two new reports on the Fiat Multiplaand the Fiat 124 Spider (aka Pininfarina Spidereuropa) to mark the occasion. We have also put together a car connoisseur quiz on 125 years of Fiat . And on the brand page you will find over 100 reports and articles on Fiat.
