Benvenuti amici!
As we await the return of Bryan Thompson & his very special FIAT Abarth 500 personal build, CC5C continues to do our best to provide something different from what you may find elsewhere. FIAT corporate news is offered all over the internet. We know… we likely read it where you read it. But places to read about North American life experiences behind the wheel of a FIAT, as a daily driver as well as an integral source of family entertainment, are not readily available. This is a void we are pleased to fill for you. Another void we strive to help fill is the living history of FIAT as a major player in the automotive world.
FIAT is known for endlessly churning out tiny runabouts for city dwellers. Deservedly so. Since 1936, the Italian automaker has been responsible for many of the city car innovations the world enjoys… no matter which brand badge appears on bonnet or grille. FIAT is also known for humorous television spots.
But that is not all FIAT does… and does well. FIAT also does performance well.
FIAT S.p.A. began life in motorsport when Italy hosted its first car tour. Nine Fiats crossed the finish line that year. By 1902, driver Vincenzo Lancia won the Sassi-Superga uphill race in the famous FIAT 24 hp Corsa model. This was the first coach to be designed & built for the purpose of racing (rather than the traditional race version of a production coach). In fact, the production model did not hit Italian roads until the following year… and was built until 1905. As per usual, FIAT chose to be a leader.
But in the years between the two big wars, FIAT (along with other coach design houses) was hard at work. Agnelli's deep passion for design, engineering and winning would lead to a growing marketshare as well as motorsport versions (FIAT 501 S & FIAT 501 SS, FIAT 514MM & FIAT 514 S) of popular coaches, like the FIAT 501 and the FIAT 514.
The coupe was designed by Franco Scaglione of Bertone and was quickly purchased by Packard… yes, that Packard… to be used for design inspiration. It is not difficult to understand why any automaker worth its salt would not feel inspired by this, then, futuristic looking road rocket.
Of course, the relationship between don ABARTH & FIAT S.p.A. would become famous and mutually beneficial. ABARTH-badged coaches would continue the FIAT tradition of Road'n'Track innovation and winning races. ABARTH & Co. would go on to build some 30 fast FIATs and earn a reputation for motorized madness… a reputation still celebrated today.
As we await the return of Bryan Thompson & his very special FIAT Abarth 500 personal build, CC5C continues to do our best to provide something different from what you may find elsewhere. FIAT corporate news is offered all over the internet. We know… we likely read it where you read it. But places to read about North American life experiences behind the wheel of a FIAT, as a daily driver as well as an integral source of family entertainment, are not readily available. This is a void we are pleased to fill for you. Another void we strive to help fill is the living history of FIAT as a major player in the automotive world.
FIAT is known for endlessly churning out tiny runabouts for city dwellers. Deservedly so. Since 1936, the Italian automaker has been responsible for many of the city car innovations the world enjoys… no matter which brand badge appears on bonnet or grille. FIAT is also known for humorous television spots.
But that is not all FIAT does… and does well. FIAT also does performance well.
FIAT S.p.A. began life in motorsport when Italy hosted its first car tour. Nine Fiats crossed the finish line that year. By 1902, driver Vincenzo Lancia won the Sassi-Superga uphill race in the famous FIAT 24 hp Corsa model. This was the first coach to be designed & built for the purpose of racing (rather than the traditional race version of a production coach). In fact, the production model did not hit Italian roads until the following year… and was built until 1905. As per usual, FIAT chose to be a leader.
1902 FIAT 24hp Corsa
The, then, President of FIAT (whom would become the famous owner of the largest coach builder in Italy), Giovanni Agnelli, also represented the company on the racetrack, driving a FIAT 8 hp in the second Italian car tour... and set a record in that race. Eighty of these fine automobiles were built in 1901.
1901 FIAT 8hp
FIAT continued to flourish and, in 1908, even made their first move to the North American market. Their product was sold as a luxury and the sticker price reflected the fact. Still, the FIAT Automobile Company of America experienced success/popularity. Unfortunately, war would soon ravage the European landscape and FIAT was forced to change its manufacturing focus… the company would pull out of the US market in 1917.But in the years between the two big wars, FIAT (along with other coach design houses) was hard at work. Agnelli's deep passion for design, engineering and winning would lead to a growing marketshare as well as motorsport versions (FIAT 501 S & FIAT 501 SS, FIAT 514MM & FIAT 514 S) of popular coaches, like the FIAT 501 and the FIAT 514.
1923 FIAT 501 S
1929 FIAT 514 S
1930 FIAT 514MM
Of course, FIAT could not deny giving Dante Giacosa a crack at creating a track version of the original FIAT 500 'Topolino'. The revered engineer & designer lamented the change in focus of his employer. Although his success (and genius) would ultimately be attributed to his clever small car solutions, he burned for the chance to design & build race cars. In fact, in 1946, he was commissioned to create a one-seater track demon for Cisitalia. Using FIAT mechanicals, his solution would be the Cisitalia D46 Monoposto.
1937 FIAT 500 Topolino SIATA Gran Sport
'37 Topolino-based SIATA 750 Gran Sport Zagato
1946 Cisitalia D46 Monoposto Giacosa
Fast-forward to 1952. World War II ended and FIAT returned to the work of small car innovation & performance. That year, FIAT introduced the FIAT Otto Vu (or 8V). This sports car was in production until 1954, as FIAT Corporate reasserted its focus to creating affordable city cars for the masses. But that did not stop the Otto Vu from finishing first in the Italian 2 liter GT class until 1959.
1952 FIAT 8V
In 1949, a highly decorated… and retired… motorcycle racer began designing/manufacturing performance parts (including exhausts) for FIAT. But 1952 was the year Karl 'Carlo' Abarth chose to build the ABARTH 1500 Bioposto, using FIAT (apparently 8V) mechanicals. The coupe was designed by Franco Scaglione of Bertone and was quickly purchased by Packard… yes, that Packard… to be used for design inspiration. It is not difficult to understand why any automaker worth its salt would not feel inspired by this, then, futuristic looking road rocket.
1952 ABARTH 1500 Biposto
1958 The original FIAT 500 ABARTH
1958 FIAT ABARTH 750 Zagato
1967 FIAT ABARTH 1000TC
1971 Autobianchi A112 ABARTH
FIAT 124 ABARTH
By 1971, the ABARTH & Co. alliance brought FIAT S.p.A. so much success on the track, the automaker bought the Austro-Italian company. don Carlo would serve as CEO for some time following the buyout, but he eventually returned to Austria. There, he passed away… leaving a brilliant legacy and inspiring engineers, designers, coach builders and drivers to this day.
Bertone designed FIAT X1/9
FIAT kept a flame burning with the 131 ABARTH
FIAT S.p.A. certainly experienced its ups-and-downs. The '80s would prove to be a challenging time for the Agnellis. Yes, they had holdovers from the '70s (the 126, 127 & 128 are celebrated examples) and 1980 did spawn the beloved FIAT Panda. But there seemed to be no more mad scientists in Italy. The world it was a-changing and the company was a-changing with it. In the '90s, FIAT revived the Cinquecento (500) & the Seicento (600). Betwixt those revivals, the automaker introduced the Punto. These were relatively safe city cars… but not for long.
Soon, FIAT would update the Panda and create a 4x4 version. The Punto would become Grande/EVO and, in 2007 FIAT reintroduced the 500 in a familiar style (designed by Roberto Giolito). A year later, the automaker would revive the ABARTH & Co. brand (with the Punto ABARTH). The mad times of FIAT returned with these changes. With the good ol' days back, small Italian city cars buzzed their way back to the track. Stilos & Lineas race off road and on it. The Panda 4x4 put Italian rallying back on the map. Soon, the FIAT 500X will join the Panda in dirt'n'mud the world over. Yee-Haw!
FIAT Stilo
FIAT Linea
FIAT Panda 4x4
Now, the Italian car enthusiast in you may be wondering where the Lancias, Alfas, Maseratis & Ferraris are. After all, those brands are held by FIAT S.p.A. and have carried on the aged-old tradition of track ready coaches. But they aren't FIATs… simple, affordable, small runabouts.
"It is more fun to drive a slow car fast than a fast car slow."
With FIAT competing in the North American-based Pirelli World Challenge and the Mongol Rally as well as hosting Trofeo ABARTH and partnering with FIA for F4, the racing heritage of our daily drivers proudly lives on. These (and other) activities promise better product and innovative technology at an 'everyman and everygal' price.
FIATs are tiny & humble, because they compensate for nothing.
Vivere.Amare.Guidare.
Ciao!
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