125 YEARS … AND COUNTING !
2024 marks the 125th anniversary of two of the automotive world ’ s most familiar marques : Fiat and Renault . Giles Chapman reveals why neither are showing any signs of slowing down .
The mighty c . 1904 Fiat 130HP , winner of the 1907 French Grand Prix , and will participate in this year ’ s RM Sotheby ’ s London to Brighton Veteran Car Run .
RIght : The Fiat ’ s epic victory at the 1907 French Grand Prix , depicted in a painting by Guy Lipscombe , which hangs in the Royal Automobile Club ’ s Pall Mall clubhouse .
Every major car manufacturer has some notable highlights along its timeline . The modish term for this today is ‘ storied ’ but most of us in awe of motoring history prefer the more burnished sounding ‘ rich heritage ’. Fiat ’ s , which this year reaches its 125th birthday , is richer than most .
The striking thing is how closely it ’ s touched so many lives , in contrast to , say , Aston Martin or Bugatti . Who hasn ’ t driven a Fiat , even if that was a 500 to pass your driving test , a hired Uno on holiday , or a Ducato van for deliveries ? And the Italian giant has helped entire countries to found motor industries of their own : Spain ’ s Seat began as licence-produced Fiat cars , and even Russia ’ s legendary Lada was built on the Fiat 124 , toughened-up for life on the Steppes . That 124 in all its versions is , at 15.4million examples delivered , the second best-selling single car design ever , behind the original Volkswagen Beetle .
Yes , Fiats do indeed make for statistical phenomena . The 130HP taking part as an invitational entry in this year ’ s RM Sotheby ’ s London to Brighton Veteran Car Run is no different , although its figure is more impressive for the power it signifies and not really the number produced , because that is a very paltry … three . What ’ s more , this is the first time this car has ever set foot on UK soil !
Fabbrica Italiana Automobili Torino or , in English , the ‘ Italian Automobile Factory of Turin ’, was established by businessman Giovanni Agnelli in 1899 , with a number of influential partners . One of them was Senator Roberto Biscaretti di Ruffia , whose son Carlo later founded the Museo Nazionale dell ’ Automobile
32 The London to Brighton Veteran Car Run