The huge company first directed its focus to a ‘ people ’ s car ’ in 1936 with its tiny Topolino , and through the 1957 Nuova 500 , 1972 126 , 1980 Panda , 1991 Cinquecento and 2007 500 , has never really been away . There have been countless other models , from people-carriers to luxury saloons , hatchbacks to cabriolets ; over more than 60 years of the European Car Of the Year award , Fiats have won 12 times . Which ones did your friends and family own ? A thrifty 850 or a cheeky Punto ? A built-by-robots Strada or a familyfriendly Multipla ?
After acquiring Ferrari , Fiat got the takeover bug , absorbing Lancia , Innocenti , Abarth , Alfa Romeo and Maserati , and its trucks business becoming the foundation of Iveco . In 2009 , it effectively took over Chrysler in the USA , and then became the ringmaster of the gigantic Stellantis conglomerate worldwide , which includes other European groups such as Peugeot-Citroën and Vauxhall-Opel .
So happy first century-and-a-quarter , Fiat ; you ’ ve come an awfully long way and with the phenomenal 130HP on the Veteran Car Run today for the first time , you ’ ve proved to be a winner almost from the start …
Top : Fiat ’ s legendary Lingotto factory in Turin , once the largest car factory in the world , and complete with a rooftop test-track ! Above : Fiat Uno Turbo 2 . Below : Brand new Fiat 124 Coupé and 850 models , ready for the road .
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