Fiat 126

Fiat 126 (1972-1987)

The Fiat 126 is a small car of the Italian automotive manufacturer Fiat, which was built from 1972 to 2000, most recently exclusively in FSM ( Polski Fiat 126p ) in Poland. He got recognition, as this car was very maneuverable, its compact design and still had plenty of space. For the design of the car Italian and Polish designers and engineers were responsible.

Production in Italy and sales in Germany

As a successor to the Fiat Nuova 500, the Fiat 126 was equipped with a two-cylinder rear engine. As an aggregate of 594.5 cc petrol engine of the Fiat 500 R was taken. This engine achieved an output of 17 kW (23 hp) at 4800 rpm ( the 594.5 cc engine was also in the sporty Abarth version 595 installed ). The four-speed transmission has an unsynchronized first gear, the top three gears are synchronized. The wheel size was 12 inches, front and rear, there were hydraulically operated drum brakes. The Fiat engines were first air-cooled, in 1987 they received with the model Fiat 126 BIS water cooling. This engine had 19 kW (26 hp) at 4500 rpm and 704 cc ( bore 80 mm, stroke 70 mm), but only built until 1991, as the Fiat 126 BIS was due to the unfavorable gas values ​​did not sell well. The water-cooled engine also turned out to be not very stable, it tended to overheat, with the consequence of defective cylinder head gaskets. By the horizontal mounting an additional rear luggage compartment could be provided to the motor. The maintenance of the engine designed by the mounting position and the tight engine compartment, however difficult, the production was used by the larger number of components also complicated. Finally, the production of the Fiat 126 BIS was discontinued in 1991, the parallel further built air-cooled version could prevail again.

In Germany upgraded Fiat 126 were under the name " Figo " ( " Fiat / Goggo " ) offered, which were equipped by the company Steinwinter in Stuttgart with engines from the Goggomobil (10 kW/13, 6 hp, 250 cc, air-cooled 2 - cylinder two-stroke engine ). This offering was given in Germany to older owner of the old driving license for category IV, the vehicles were allowed to drive up to 250 cc. They were given the opportunity to drive a modern small car.

In Germany the Fiat 126 has been marketed since the late 1970s as " Bambino ". The name " Bambino " was selected in a competition of Fiat Germany. The " Bambino ", which was sold in Italy as " staff 4", differs from the previous version mainly by the engine type 126 A1.048 A1.000 126 instead of the engine type. The motor is for the German market as opposed to the standard engine with a squared round cylinder head. The spark plugs are screwed at the " Bambino " in sleeve and not directly into the engine block. The sleeves should prevent access at leaking spark plug poisonous gases with the heated air into the interior. Visually, you can see the " Bambino " on the side protective strips made of rubber and the plastic bumper that were installed in the " staff -4 " version. The standard version remained until the facelift in 1984, the metal bumper.

The Fiat 126 was offered in 1980 as a special edition "Red", "Brown ", "Black " and " Silver", the latter being very rare. These special models had as opposed to the normal vehicles green tinted glazing and two built into the tail lights reversing lights. The rear light clusters differed significantly from the flat lighting of the other versions. Some of these special models had gray instead of black bumper strips and rods. Reversing lights were introduced in production vehicles until the facelift in 1984, here sits in the rear bumper right rearview and left a rear fog light.

In early 1992, began with the production of the successor Fiat Cinquecento, which was supposed to replace the 126. Its production was discontinued until 22 September 2000. In 1994 there was a facelift for this model, it was called " Fiat 126 elx "; except modified bumpers and doors he got from the factory donated a G- Kat, this was enough for the classification according to Euro 1 standard, but can also lead to problems if you want to allow a newer model about 1992 and in Germany. Since the built in Poland newer models do not reach the valid directives in Germany in part, it may cause the vehicle in Germany can not be allowed. In the meantime, approximately 3,500,000 units were produced, added are the various prototypes.

The Fiat 126 is now one of the best in Germany insurable cars all models of the Fiat 126 are located in all three types of insurance (liability, comprehensive insurance and collision damage waiver ) in the lowest class type 10, indicating an extremely low frequency of occurance.

Production at Steyr- Puch

The Austrian car manufacturer Steyr -Puch bought bodies of Fiat and built his own Puch engine in the body of the 126, as previously the Fiat 500, it was a two-cylinder boxer engine with 643 cc and 18 kW (25 hp). The top speed was 117 km / h instead of 105 km / h The Steyr -Puch models considered by the higher performance and greater speed than sporty, chassis and body, however, are identical. Due to low demand, production was discontinued after the short construction period of 1974/1975.

Production in Poland and Yugoslavia

In 1973 the Fiat 126 was also manufactured in Poland, where the company FSM from Bielsko -Biała to 126 produced under license. 1977, the 126 was introduced with a new engine, this does vary depending on model, up to 17 kW (24 hp) from 652 cc. From 1980, the vehicle was also built in the Polish factory in Tychy. He was known especially " Maluch " (Polish: " Small " ) in Poland. There go today many of these cars, there has Maluch about the awareness and penetration levels of the VW Beetle in Germany, in fact, the " Maluch " a genuine Volkswagen of Poland. Also high penetration levels had this variant, which is popularly known peglica ( Serbo-Croatian " little iron " ), on the Yugoslav market, where he succeeded the Zastava 600/750/850. There is also a water-cooled two -cylinder version with lying to the right cylinders was in 1987 as Fiat 126 BIS and furthermore also a convertible variant built ( Bosmal ) and a conversion from POP, thus took the Fiat 126 and the designations Pop 650 and Pop 2000. The models of POP were also available with electric drive (POP -electricity).

Engine variants

• 600 cc, 17 kW ( 23 hp - air cooled )
• 652 cc, 17 kW ( 23 hp - air cooled - the Fiat 126 Bambino 650 throttled only for the German market because of that insurance classes to 1 hp)
• 652 cc, 17.7 kW ( 24 hp - air cooled )
• 698 cc or 703 cc, 19 kW ( 26 hp - water cooled - only in the model "BIS " ) - these are but at the identical engine