Fiat 850

Infobox Automobile


name = Fiat 850
manufacturer = Fiat
production = 1964-1973
predecessor =
successor = Fiat 127
class =
platform =
layout = RR layout
body_style = coupe/sedan
spider
station wagon
van
engine = 817 cc straight-4
843 cc straight-4
903 cc straight-4
transmission =
wheelbase =
length = Auto mm|3575|1
width =
height =
weight = Auto kg|670|0
aka =
fuel_economy =
fuel_capacity =
related = SEAT 850
SEAT/Fiat 133
similar =
designer = The Fiat 850 is a small rear-engined rear wheel drive car in the tradition of the Renault Dauphine. It was produced between 1964 and 1973.

Overview

Its technical design was an evolution of the very successful Fiat 600. The internal name for the Fiat 600 development project was "Project 100" and consequently, the internal Fiat codename for the 850 project was 100G (G for the Italian word Grande - big). The engine of the 850 was based on that of the Fiat 600, but had its capacity increased to 843 cc. The 850 came in two versions: "normale" (standard) with 34 hp (25 kW) and "super" with Convert|37|hp|kW|0|abbr=on. The maximum speed was approximately Auto kmh|125|0. While it was not a large step forward in technical development, it possessed a certain charm with its large rolling eyes and its short tail, in which the engine sat.

Variants

The 850 family included several body styles with similar technical components underneath.

* "Fiat 850 Special"

:Revised version of the 850 sedan, launched in 1968. It shared the Convert|47|hp|kW|0|abbr=on engine of 850 Coupé, and offered front disc brakes, sport steering wheel and improved trim. With a 25 percent increase in power, plus disc brakes nestled behind 13" wheels, it was a "sport sedan" in the vein of the BMW 2002, albeit on a smaller scale.

* "Fiat 850 Familiare"

:The Familiare was a boxier and slightly larger heir to the Fiat 600 Multipla. It featured space for seven passengers in three rows, which made it suitable for groups including children and thin adults. It was too small to accommodate in comfort seven large adults.:The 850 Familiare continued in production till 1976 long after the saloon version of the saloon had been replaced by the Fiat 127. In 1976 the Fiat 900T was introduced, retaining most of the body panels of the 850 Familiare, but featuring the 903 cc engine from the Fiat 127 (although, in this application, still mounted behind the rear axel): the 900T benefitted from significant enhancements in 1980, being now renamed 900E. Production finally ended in 1985.

* "Fiat 850 Coupé/Sedan"

:The Coupé was introduced for the first time 1965 on the Geneva Motor Show and had the original 843 cc engine tuned to produce Convert|47|hp|kW|0|abbr=on. The maximum speed at that time was Auto kmh|135|0.

* "Fiat 850 Spider"

:At the same time as the Coupé/Sedan, Fiat also introduced the convertible sporty two-seater "Spider", with the original 843 cc engine tuned to produce Convert|49|hp|kW|0|abbr=on which allowed it to reach a top speed of Auto kmh|145|0 . The body was designed and built by Bertone. The folding roof section made of fabric could be stowed away completely under a rear flap. The Bertone design also featured smooth, essential lines and simple yet elegant details, such as the headlamps tilted to follow the lines of the wings, and the dihedral side panels inspired by Bertone's 1963 Corvair Testudo.

* "Abarth 1600 OT"

:An Abarth version of the Fiat 850 was made. Even thougth the Abarth O.T 1600 had the same body as the Fiat 850, they had only a few things on common. The O.T 1600 featured a 4cylinder 1592 cc DOHC engine and either a 4 speed manual or close-ratio 6 speed manual gearbox. The fuel was delivered by two double Weber 45 mm carburettors. The engine was still in the rear, but was now putting out Convert|155|hp|kW|0|abbr=on and Auto Nm|144.3 at 7600 rpm, but the red-line was at a staggering 9000 rpm. :The body had been reinforced to cope with the dramatic power increase. The fenders had been made bigger to cope with extend wheel gauge and bigger tires which was mounted on lightweight rims. The suspension had been toughened to handle the extra power and increase handling performance. To make sure that the Abarth O.T 1600 could stop again, it now featured disc-brakes on all wheels. Furthermore the interior had been updated with i.e. racing seats. :But taking a family car and tripling the power can give some issues. The huge engine could easily overheat when doing urban driving. Under heavy breaking and in windy conditions the car could also tend to be unstable. The noise from the engine also made it impossible to have conversation. Due to the location of the engine and the bigger tires at the back, the car could tend under steer.

::Data:::*Engine layout: RR layout::*Drive: Rear wheel drive::*Compression ratio: 9,5:1::*Engine data: DOHC 4 cylinder 8V::*Weight: Auto kg|790|0

::Performance:::*0-100: 7,2 sec::*Top speed: Auto km/h|211|0::*1/4 mile: 15,4 sec

Note: At the time of their introduction into the United States, the Sedan, Coupé, and Spider were marketed with a reduced capacity, high compression (raised from 8.8:1 to [9.2/9.3/9.5:1?] requiring premium octane fuel) 817 cc / 49.8 ci engine, in order to beat US emissions regulations at the time which applied only to engines equal to or larger than 50 cubic inches.

In order to separate the sportier variants Coupé and Spider from the basic version, apart from the increase of engine performance, the equipment was also extended and adapted to the higher expectations. Both received sport seats, a sport steering wheel and round speedometer; Spider even received a completely rearranged instrument panel. The previous drum brakes were replaced by better disc brakes. In 1968, Fiat revised the successful Spider and Coupé again and gave them an even stronger engine with 903 cc and Convert|52|hp|kW|0|abbr=on. They were called Sport Spider and Sport Coupé. The Sport Spider body stayed essentially the same, but with a restyled front. The headlamps were set into the wings and the turn indicators were set below the bumpers. The same year saw the launch of several special versions of the Spider: the vinyl-clad metal-roofed Racer, and the Berlinetta, a convertible with a removable hard-top. Today, they are considered classics.

There was a transporter model as a successor of the "Fiat 600 Multipla", which was later renamed to "900T" and likewise received the larger capacity of 903 cc.

The production of the Coupés was stopped in 1971, of the sedan in 1972, and of the Spiders in 1973, after altogether nearly 2.3 million models were sold world-wide. Under the name SEAT 850, it was however further produced for some years in Spain, also in a four-door variant. As a successor the Fiat 127 was brought to the market in 1971 which combined the 903 cc push-rod OHV engine with the FIAT 128 transmission and suspension components in a fashionable fast- and later hatch-back 2-door sedan.

The Fiat 850 was also produced under the name Pirin-Fiat in Lovech, Bulgaria, on the basis of complete knock down (CKD) kits between 1967 and 1971.

External links

* [http://fiat850.free.fr/ Fiat 850 & Siata Spring fan site with strips, documentation and collectors]