AutoItalia – August 2019

auto italia 59

FIAT 130 SALOON

Early 130 may not drive
vivaciously, but it’s refined
and has sophisticated,
cosseting suspension

Luxuries like electric windows and power

steering were optional.

Production got underway in May 1969 at

Fiat's Rivalta factory. Early plans to build 250

cars a day were soon reduced to 100, with 50

being the figure more often mentioned.

Deliveries did not begin until July 1969, mainly

to Italian business leaders and the Vatican.

However, despite a clever marketing

campaign aimed at a demanding and

sophisticated clientele, acceptance was

patchy. Reports criticised the car’s lack of

urge: it seemed that 2.8 litres and 140hp

were not enough to give the 130 the

authority on the road it deserved, no matter

how exceptional its chassis behaviour and

refinement was said to be.

Fiat's anxiety that the 130 should be as

sorted as possible before exports started in

earnest meant that these early cars were

rarely seen outside the domestic market. No

right-hand drive 2.8 saloons were ever built

but, while the definitive 130 'B' 3200 was

prepared, an uprated interim version of the

there was also a ZF five-speed manual option.

Fiat put a lot of thought into the 130's

suspension design. At the front, the torsion

bars gave 6.3 inches of movement and were

damped by easy-to-service struts. These

were to be found at the rear too, but

passively 'steered' by track rods to give the

rear suspension favourable geometry in all

functions of roll and bump, controlling toe-in

effect to maximum advantage. With its fixed-

length solid driveshafts doubling as track

control arms – and splayed pressed steel

semi-trailing arms carrying coil springs – this

patented independent rear suspension

(shared with 2.4-litre Fiat Dinos) was probably

the most sophisticated to be found on any

saloon car at the time.

With standard Campagnolo alloy wheels,

vented disc brakes, rear window blinds and

two-tone horns, the 130 had the most

complete-sounding specification of any

saloon in Europe, giving credence to the

claim that it was the first Fiat to be created

with cost as a secondary consideration.