| Fiat 128 | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Overview | |
| Manufacturer | Fiat |
| Also called | Nasr 128 GLS 1300 (Egypt) SEAT 128 (Spain) Zastava 101/128/Skala (Yugoslavia) |
| Production |
|
| Assembly |
|
| Body and chassis | |
| Class | Small family car (C) |
| Body style | |
| Layout | Front-engine, front-wheel-drive |
| Related | Fiat X1/9 |
| Powertrain | |
| Engine | |
| Transmission | 4-speedmanual |
| Dimensions | |
| Wheelbase | 2,445 mm (96.3 in) |
| Length | 3,850 mm (151.6 in) |
| Width | 1,590 mm (62.6 in) |
| Height | 1,340 mm (52.8 in) |
| Kerb weight | 750–770 kg (1,653–1,698 lb) |
| Chronology | |
| Predecessor | Fiat 1100 R |
| Successor | |
TheFiat 128 is asmall family car which was manufactured and marketed byFiat from 1969 to 1985. Thebodystyles were a two- or four-doorsedan, three- or five-doorstation wagon as well as two- or three-doorcoupé.
With engineering byDante Giacosa and engine design byAurelio Lampredi,[4] the 128 was noted for its relatively roomy passenger and cargo volume — enabled by a breakthrough innovation to thetransversely-mounted front-engine, front-drive layout which became the layout "adopted by virtually every other manufacturer in the world" for front-wheel drive.[5] Fiat promoted in its advertising that mechanical features consumed only 20% of the vehicle's volume.[4] The 128 running gear and engine, reconfigured for arear mid-engine, rear-wheel-drive layout, were used in theFiat X1/9 sports car.
NamedEuropean Car of the Year in 1970,[6] over three million were ultimately manufactured.[7]
In 2012 automotive journalist Jamie Kitman called the 128 a "pioneer of the small cars we drive today."[8]
With engineering byDante Giacosa and engine design byAurelio Lampredi,[4] the 128 was noted for its relatively roomy passenger and cargo volume — enabled by a breakthrough innovation to thefront-engine, front-drive layout which became the layout "adopted by virtually every other manufacturer in the world" for front-wheel drive.[5]Giorgetto Giugiaro noted that in 1970, Volkswagen completely dismantled a Fiat 128, recognizing it as the reference for their forthcomingGolf.[9]
Fiat promoted in its advertising thatEnzo Ferrari drove a 128 as his personal vehicle."[4]
Fiat built an entirely new plant inRivalta di Torino, north-west of Turin, specifically to manufacture the new 128.[10] In all, 2,776,000 sedans and wagons were built in Italy, plus 330,800 coupés and 3Ps.[11]
Front-wheel drive had previously been introduced to small, inexpensive cars byBMC, firstly with theMini in 1959 and then with the larger1100/1300 series in 1962. During the mid-1960s, Fiat set about designing a new car to compete with the latter. The BMC design ofAlec Issigonis had the transmission and engine sharing a single oil sump — despite disparate lubricating requirements — and located the engine's radiator at the side of the engine, away from the flow of fresh air and drawing heated rather than cool air over the engine. The layout often required the engine to be removed to service the clutch.[12]
The Fiat 128's arrangement had numerous differences. As engineered byDante Giacosa, it featured a transverse-mountedengine with unequal-length drive shafts and an innovative compact clutch release mechanism (designed byEttore Cordiano[13][14]) — an arrangement which Fiat had strategically tested on a previous production model for a full five years, thePrimula from its less market-critical subsidiary,Autobianchi.[15] The layout enabled the engine and gearbox to be located side by side without sharing lubricating fluid while orienting an electrically controlled cooling fan toward fresh air flow. By using the Primula as a test-bed, Fiat was able to sufficiently resolve the layout's disadvantages, including uneven side-to-side power transmission, uneven tire wear and potentialtorque steer, the tendency for the power of the engine alone to steer the car under heavy acceleration.
The compact and efficient layout — a transversely-mounted engine with transmission mounted beside the engine driving the front wheels through an offset final-drive and unequal-length driveshafts — subsequently became common with competitors[4] and arguably an industry standard.[16]
The layout was sufficiently flexible that Fiat reconfigured the 128 drive-train as a mid-engined layout for theFiat X1/9.
The all new 1.1 litreFiat SOHC engine, engineered by noted engine designerAurelio Lampredi, featured an iron block mated to an aluminum head along with a belt-driven single overhead camshaft.[4]
The 128 was styled similarly to the 124 and 125 and featured rack-and-pinion steering, Pirelli 145R13 Cinturato or 145R13 Michelin ZX radial tyres, front disc brakes, independent rear suspension with a transverse leaf spring, and a strut-type front suspension with integral anti-roll bar.[4]
Initially, the 128 was available as a two-door or four-door sedan. At the 1970Turin Motor Show a three-doorstation wagon model called "Familiare" was added to the line-up.[10] On launch, the car was only available with a 1116 cc engine with 55 PS (40 kW; 54 hp), or 49 hp (37 kW) in USA.[17]: 486 [4]
The 128 sedan and estate underwent a small refresh in 1972, featuring revisions on the grille, bumpers, dashboard and steering wheel plus addition of a brake servo.[17]: 540 1974 saw the launch of the 128 Special, with rectangularheadlights, chrome accents, extra equipment, better seats and upholstery, plus availability of a 1290 cc engine, producing 60 PS (44 kW; 59 hp).[17]: 556
In 1976, the sedan and stationwagon received a properfacelift with a new front and rectangular headlights for all versions, new bumpers with incorporated indicators, redesigned tail lights for the sedan and a new dashboard, as well as modifications to the engines and gearbox in order to reduce the fuel consumption. At this time, the wagon was renamed "Panorama" and received a single rear side window of a somewhat smaller area than the earlier split unit.[17]: 576
Production of all 128s except that of the base 1,100 cc powered model ended in 1979 after the introduction of theFiat Ritmo/Strada in 1978. In 1980 production of the small three-door station wagon Panorama was dropped from the range and 128 production finally ended in 1985.[11]
The British "Motor" magazine tested a Fiat 128 in April 1970, shortly after its UK launch. The car had a top speed of 85.4 mph (137.4 km/h) and accelerated from 0-60 mph (97 km/h) in 15.5 seconds. An "overall" fuel consumption of 27.5 miles per imperial gallon (10.3 L/100 km; 22.9 mpg‑US) was recorded. This put it fractionally behind the contemporaryMorris 1300 on maximum speed but usefully ahead on acceleration. The two were closely matched on fuel economy, where both were outrun by theFord Escort 1300 Super also included in the comparison, here in its four-door version. The Fiat's £876 manufacturer's recommended price was not too far above the Morris 1300's £830 and the Escort's £838. The testers commended the Fiat's interior space and excellent performance. Wind and road noise were low, but engine noise was not.[18] The 128 went on sale on the UK market around the same time as theRootes Group'sHillman Avenger, and shortly before theVauxhall Viva was transformed from its second generation to its third generation. The market leader in this sector at the time wasBritish Leyland's1100 and 1300 range. Sales of imported cars in the UK were in the first stages of a sharp rise in their market share at the beginning of the 1970s, with Fiat and likes ofDatsun,Renault andVolkswagen being particularly successful.
| Fiat 128 Rally | |
|---|---|
 1972 Fiat 128 Rally | |
| Overview | |
| Production | 1971–1974 |
| Dimensions | |
| Wheelbase | 2,448 mm (96.4 in)[19] |
| Length | 3,876 mm (152.6 in)[19] |
| Width | 1,590 mm (62.6 in)[19] |
| Height | 1,390 mm (54.7 in)[19] |
| Kerb weight | 820 kg (1,808 lb)[19] |
TheFiat 128 Rally was a sporty, 1.3-litre-engined version of the 128 two-door saloon, introduced at the 41stGeneva Motor Show in March 1971[20] and produced up to 1974.[21] However, the model, uniquely in the 4-door body style, was introduced to the South African market alongside the 2-door coupé from 1974 onward, as a locally-built model until its replacement in 1978 with the updated "South Africa-only" Rally model based on the 128 second series sedan. The 1978 South African update was based on the 4-door "Comfort" model (2nd series) but equipped with a twin choke carburettor and a redesigned inlet manifold to give it more power than the standard models, recording 53.4 KW (73 HP) power. In the interior, the model featured "sporty" bucket front seats with head restraints. Color-coordinated stripping accentuated the front seats as part of the "sporty" flair. Externally, the model came with three-color "waistline" stripes on either side of the vehicle, rectangular halogen spotlights fitted on the front bumper, front and boot spoilers, wider tires (165/70 SR3), and in three body colors, namely, bright red, yellow, and white.
Compared to the regular 128's 1,116 cc four-cylinder engine, the Rally's type128 AR engine had been bored out 6 mm to 86 mm—while keeping the 55.5 mm stroke—for a total displacement of 1,290 cc (79 cu in).[20] There was also a twin-chokeWeber 32 DMTRcarburettor, revised valve timing and a slightly higher 8.9:1compression ratio. Engine output was now 67DIN-rated metric horsepower (49 kW; 66 hp) at 6,200 rpm and 88 DIN-rated newton-metres (65 lb⋅ft) of torque at 4,000 rpm.[19]Other mechanical improvements were the addition of avacuum servo, an engine protection plate, better tyres, new gear ratios for the 4-speed transmission, a higher capacity battery and analternator in place of thedynamo.[19]
%2c_Dutch_licence_registration_AL-01-63_pic4.JPG)
Several exterior features set the Rally apart from other 128s. At the front, there was a black radiator grille, carrying the round Fiat emblem typical of the marque's sports cars; split bumpers joined by a tubular steel bar; andhalogen headlamps and bumper-mounted auxiliary lamps. A curious feature of the South African-specific 128 Rally was that it was based on the four-door sedan rather than the two-door. Otherwise, it was identical in appearance to the overseas model. At the rear of the 128 Rally, dual round tail lamps replaced the square ones found on the regular two-door 128. As part of the sporty look, stripes adorned the side sills, while "Rally" badging ornamented the front bonnet and boot lid.
The interior was upholstered in black leatherette, and the dashboard housed upgraded instrumentation: a tachometer was standard equipment, and water temperature and oil pressure gauges took the place of the ashtray, relocated to the centre console. Front sports seats with headrests and a two-spoke sports steering wheel replaced the standard items.[22]
At the October 1972 update of the 128 model range, the Rally received new upholstery (leatherette with cloth seat centres) and a black plastic protection to the front bumper tube.[21]
| Fiat 128 Coupé Fiat 128 3P Berlinetta | |
|---|---|
 1972 Fiat 128 Coupé SL 1100 | |
| Overview | |
| Production |
|
| Body and chassis | |
| Body style | 2-doorcoupé 3-doorhatchback coupé (128 3P) |
| Dimensions | |
| Wheelbase | 2,223 mm (87.5 in)[23] |
| Length | 3,808 mm (149.9 in)[23] |
| Width | 1,560 mm (61.4 in)[23] |
| Height | 1,310 mm (51.6 in)[23] |
| Kerb weight | 810–820 kg (1,786–1,808 lb)[23] |
At the 53rdTurin Motor Show of November 1971 Fiat introduced the 128 Coupé, also called 128 Sport, a 2-door, 4-seat coupé designed in-house. Compared with the 128 saloon, the coupé had a 23 cm (9.1 in) shorterwheelbase (at 2,223 mm [87.5 in]),[24] andtracks 20 mm wider at the front and 45 mm narrower at the rear.[25]
The Coupé version was available with two different engines (1100 and 1300) and in two different trim levels (S and SL) for a total of four variants.[24] In its base "S" trim, the coupé had single rectangular front headlamps, and wheels and hubcaps from the saloon. The pricier "SL" (for Sport Lusso) was distinguished by quadruple round headlamps, a specific grille, steel sport wheels without hubcaps, chromed window surround trim, door handles and fuel cap, and black decorative striping along the sills and across the tail panel. Inside it gained a leatherette-wrapped steering wheels, perforated leatherette upholstery, extended four-gauge instrumentation, loop pile carpeting and black headlining.
Suspension was the familiar all-independent 128 layout—save for the front anti-roll bar, which had been replaced byradius rods.[25] The braking system consisted ofdiscs at the front anddrums at the rear; it was made more efficient by fitting smaller diameter front discs and the front and thevacuum servo first used on the 128 Rally.[24]
The two engines were developed from the units found in the 128 saloon and 128 Rally respectively, and both were fitted with twin-choke carburettors and a two-pieceexhaust manifold. The 1100 (1,116 cc) produces 64 PSDIN (47 kW; 63 hp) at 6,000 rpm and 81 N⋅m (60 lb⋅ft) at 3,800 rpm, while the 1300 (1,290 cc) produces 75 PS DIN (55 kW; 74 hp) at 6,600 rpm and 92 N⋅m (68 lb⋅ft) at 3,800 rpm.[23] Top speed was over 150 and 160 km/h (93 and 99 mph) respectively.[23]
The 128 Coupé was produced until 1975, but in latter years sales were dropping off considerably in favor of the mid-enginedX1/9. Since Fiat had to pay a commission to Bertone for every X1/9, it was decided to provide some internal competition in the form of the updated hatchback coupé 128 3P Berlinetta.[11] "3P" stands forTre Porte, or "Three Doors" in Italian; it appeared in June 1975 and remained in production until 1980. Designed by Paolo Boano of Fiat Centro Stile, the 128 3P used the existing design back to the B-pillar, with some detail modifications to the grille and headlights.
Because of emissions regulations that became valid in October 1975, the 128 3P engines were changed. The 1100 engine now offered 65 PSDIN (48 kW; 64 hp) at 6,000 rpm and 87 N⋅m (64 lb⋅ft) at 4,100 rpm. For the 1300 engine, output was now 73 PS DIN (54 kW; 72 hp) at 6,600 rpm and 100 N⋅m (74 lb⋅ft) at 3,900 rpm.[17]: 570
The 128 3P was also assembled by SEAT in Spain as theSEAT 128 – Spanish cars were fitted with engines from the 124.
.jpg)
In Argentina, the 128 was produced from 1971 to 1990 bySevel Argentina as a four-door sedan or five-door wagon, theFiat 128 Rural, the latter unique to Argentina.[26] Several trims and versions were available, including the IAVA sport series. In 1983 the car received a facelift with new headlamps, tail lamps and front grille, which was marketed as theFiat Super Europa.
In Colombia, the Fiat 128 was produced by "Compañía Colombiana Automotriz" in Bogota between 1973 and 1980. It was only built as a 4-door sedan. Between 1973 and 1978, it was marketed asFiat 128 L, with a 1.3-liter, 4-cylinder engine. Starting in 1978, a version with a 1.1-liter engine called theFiat 128 San Remo was also offered[citation needed].
Until 2009,CKD kits from Zastava were manufactured by Egypt'sNasr car company as theNasr 128.[1]
The Yugoslavian hatchback variant of the 128, the Zastava 101, was assembled byFSO in Poland through CKD kits from Zastava and was marketed as theZastava 1100p between 1973 and 1982. A total of 58541 cars were assembled in Poland.[27][28]
The 128 formed the basis of theZastava 128 (four-door sedan) andZastava 101 (three-door and five-door hatchbacks) ranges of cars manufactured by the "Zastava Automobili" company inYugoslavia (laterSerbia). The 128-based Zastavas were available throughout Europe in the '70s. In Britain, three variants were offered: a three-door hatchback (Zastava Yugo 311/313), four-door saloon (Zastava Yugo 411/413) and a five-door hatchback (Zastava Yugo 511/513). The car remained popular until the end of production and was the Yugoslav automaker's most affordable model.
Regular production ended in November 2008 after Fiat purchased the Zastava factory in Kragujevac, however production of the pick up variantZastava Poly continued in very limited numbers at theZastava Special Automobiles factory (156 cars built in the last year) until December 2010.[29]
.jpg)
The idea of a pickup version of the Fiat 128 first came to fruition on the recommendation of Fiat's local manufacturing operation in South Africa. The model was intended to be a "South Africa-only" model, but it soon inspired similar but distinct models overseas, like the Zastava variant in Yugoslavia. By Dr. Mario Barbieri's account, then managing director of Fiat South Africa,"Fiat South Africa put forward suggestions for the pick-up to Turin head-office, and development work began according to local specifications. The first prototype was ready in September 1977. During a recent visit to Italy, South African Fiat dealers examined this vehicle and contributed some ideas to its suitability for our market, such as a fuel tank capacity of over 50 liters."[30]
The pickup was derived from the 128 station wagon and was rated for a payload of 500 kg (1,100 lb). As per dealer demands, the fuel tank was enlarged to 52 L (13.7 US gal).[31]
In Spain,SEAT manufactured the 3P coupé as theSEAT 128 3P. It was available with two engine options from the124 engine family, the 1.2-litre and the more powerful and well-known 1430 engine from theSEAT 1430. Was marketed as "Three Times SEAT" in order to underline its triple combination of sportiness, versatility, and design. The SEAT 128 never enjoyed great commercial success, however. 31,893 128s were made between 1976 and 1980.
In Sri Lanka, the Fiat 128 was manufactured by theUpali Motor Company until 1978[citation needed]. This car was commonly known as theUpali Fiat in Sri Lanka.
TheFiat X1/9 is a two-seatermid-enginedsports car designed byBertone and manufactured byFiat from 1972 to 1982 and subsequently by Bertone from 1982 to 1989.
Designed around theFiat SOHC engine and transmission from thefront wheel drive Fiat 128, the X1/9 relocated the transverse drive train and suspension assembly from the front of the 128 to the rear of the passenger cabin, directly in front of the rear axle, giving amid-engined layout. With a transverse engine and gearbox in amid-mounted, rear-wheel drive configuration, the X1/9 was noted for its balanced handling.
TheMoretti Motor Company ofTurin,Italy produced the Fiat 128-basedMoretti 128 in coupé and cabriolet versions.[32]
Built in the plants of viaMonginevro in a semi-handmade way (these custom-built cars were not assembled in a chain) and in a very limited number (less than a hundred), it cost about 1,500,000 lire in 1969. The interior was very neat and could be customized with many accessories (sports steering wheel, electric windows, leather upholstery ...). In 1975, the two models underwent a slight restyling (new black bumpers, wider) and equipped with the 1290 cm3 - 60 HP engine of the contemporary Special sedan.[33]
Sears XDH-1 is an experimentalelectric car built for Sears, Roebuck and Company by their DieHard battery supplier Johnson Controls (Globe Union) in 1977 to celebrate the 10th anniversary of its DieHard brand of car batteries. The car was a Fiat 128 Coupé equipped with 20 DieHard (12-inch deep cycle marine) batteries, and anelectric motor.[34]
TheESV 2000 is anExperimental Safety Vehicle that Fiat developed in 1972 based on its 128 model. It had a totally new 5-door hatchback design, with an extra strong passenger cell, but used the mechanicals of the standard 128 with 1290 cm3 engine. TheESV 2000's weight was 360 kg (794 lbs) higher than that of the original 128.[17]: 552
It's the recipe for technical orthodoxy that has since been adopted by the entire industry.
| Related companies |
|  | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Current models |
| |||||||||||
| Historic models (List) |
| |||||||||||
| Concept models | ||||||||||||
| Racing cars | ||||||||||||
| Modified Racing cars | ||||||||||||
| Abarth cars | ||||||||||||
| Armored vehicles | ||||||||||||
| People | ||||||||||||
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Other | |
