Fiat Cinquecento
Encyclopedia
The Fiat Cinquecento was a city car
designed by Giorgetto Giugiaro
launched by Fiat
in late 1991 to replace the Fiat 126
. It was the first Fiat model to be solely manufactured in the FSM
plant in Tychy
, Poland
, which had been sold to Fiat by the Polish state, and where production of the Polish variant of the Fiat 126
, the Polski Fiat 126p, was still running. Production of the Cinquecento ended in 1998, when it was replaced by the Seicento
. Despite its name, its lowest displacement was 704 cc.
The Cinquecento was available in one body style only, a small, angular 3-door hatchback
, with a favorable drag coefficient
of only 0.33 that bore similarities to the Lancia Y10. It featured several advances compared to older Fiat city cars, including independent suspension
both in the front and in the rear similar to the FIAT Tipo, front disc brake
s, side impact bars along with crumple zone
s incorporated in the design and galvanized
body panels to fend off corrosion
. Steering was by rack and pinion
, and although power steering
was never offered, the car could be ordered with a number of extras, including central locking, power windows, sunroof
(or full-length retractable canvas roof in the Soleil version) and even air conditioning
.
car. Whereas the 126 was sold with a rear and later a mid mounted engine, the Cinquecento now featured a front mounted engine.
It was initially available with two engine choices, with the 1.1 L FIRE or "sporting" joining the lineup later. Interestingly, while the 704 cc engine was mounted longitudinally
, the bigger units were fitted transversely
, making the little Fiat one of the few cars in the world available with both configurations at the same time.
Cinquecento, it underwent a major refurbishment (although the engine still employed a carburettor), which resulted, among other changes, in the crankshaft
revolving in the opposite direction than in the 126p BIS!
. (This engine dates back to the initial 633 cc unit as introduced in the 1955 FIAT 600.) It was fitted with single point fuel injection
and was the base engine in most markets. Due to fiscal limitations, the displacement of this unit was limited to 899 cc in 1993, with a slight reduction of output, now producing 39 PS. This engine is derived from that used in the Fiat 127. While it still retains OHV chain drive pushrod layout it now has hydraulic tappets. Also now uses twin coil distributorless ignition.
In 1994, Fiat introduced the Cinquecento Sporting, featuring the 1108 cc SOHC FIRE
54 PS engine from the entry-level Punto
of the same era, mated to a close-ratio gearbox. Other additions were a drop in standard ride height, anti-roll bars, 13" alloy wheels, plus colour coded bumpers and mirrors. The interior saw a tachometer added, along with sports seats, red seatbelts and a leather steering wheel and gear knob.
It is the Sporting model which gave birth to a rallying
trophy and a Group A
Kit-Car version.
also produced and sold an electric variant of the Cinquecento called the Elettra. The car was offered with either a Lead-acid
or NiCd batterypack, providing a ranges of 62 mi (99.8 km) and 93 mi (149.7 km) respectively. Unlike purpose built electric cars, the Cinquecento Elettra used two battery packs, one in the engine bay and one under the rear seats, replacing the fuel tank. Although selling for 140,000 francs
(~US$159,000), the Cinquecento Elettra enjoyed relative popularity in Italy
, France
and Switzerland
.
Unlike true Abarth models, there were no engine upgrades available from the factory and the car could not be purchased as a whole separate model. The Abarth parts were to be added by the purchaser at the time of ordering, hence why it is common to see cars with only some of the Abarth extras.
. However instead of the car becoming the next small Fiat
city car, a version of the design ended up being put into production by the South Korea
n Daewoo Motor
as their Matiz
.
City car
A city car is a small car intended for use primarily in an urban area.City cars are sold worldwide and most automotive industry manufacturers have one or two in their line-up. In North-America city cars are often referred to simply as "subcompacts" alongside the superminis. These kind of cars...
designed by Giorgetto Giugiaro
Giorgetto Giugiaro
Giorgetto Giugiaro is an Italian automobile designer responsible equally for a stable of supercars and several of the most popular everyday vehicles driven today...
launched by Fiat
Fiat
FIAT, an acronym for Fabbrica Italiana Automobili Torino , is an Italian automobile manufacturer, engine manufacturer, financial, and industrial group based in Turin in the Italian region of Piedmont. Fiat was founded in 1899 by a group of investors including Giovanni Agnelli...
in late 1991 to replace the Fiat 126
Fiat 126
The Fiat 126 is a city car introduced in October 1972 at the Turin Auto Show as a replacement for the Fiat 500. Most were produced in Bielsko-Biała, Poland as the Polski Fiat 126p until 2000...
. It was the first Fiat model to be solely manufactured in the FSM
Fabryka Samochodów Małolitrażowych
The Fabryka Samochodów Małolitrażowych was Polish automobile factory born from an agreement between the FSO and Fiat in 1970s for the construction of a new model, the Polski Fiat 126p, Polish version of Fiat 126. For the project a new manufacturing plant was opened in Tychy...
plant in Tychy
Tychy
Tychy is a city in Silesia, Poland, approximately south of Katowice. Situated on the southern edge of the Upper Silesian industrial district, the city borders Katowice to the north, Mikołów to the west, Bieruń to the east and Kobiór to the south...
, Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
, which had been sold to Fiat by the Polish state, and where production of the Polish variant of the Fiat 126
Fiat 126
The Fiat 126 is a city car introduced in October 1972 at the Turin Auto Show as a replacement for the Fiat 500. Most were produced in Bielsko-Biała, Poland as the Polski Fiat 126p until 2000...
, the Polski Fiat 126p, was still running. Production of the Cinquecento ended in 1998, when it was replaced by the Seicento
Fiat Seicento
The Fiat Seicento is a city car produced by the Italian company Fiat, introduced in late 1997 as a replacement for the Fiat Cinquecento. The Seicento did not differ much from its predecessor, retaining the same engines, chassis and general dimensions, although it did gain a minor 9 cm in length...
. Despite its name, its lowest displacement was 704 cc.
The Cinquecento was available in one body style only, a small, angular 3-door hatchback
Hatchback
A Hatchback is a car body style incorporating a shared passenger and cargo volume, with rearmost accessibility via a rear third or fifth door, typically a top-hinged liftgate—and features such as fold-down rear seats to enable flexibility within the shared passenger/cargo volume. As a two-box...
, with a favorable drag coefficient
Drag coefficient
In fluid dynamics, the drag coefficient is a dimensionless quantity that is used to quantify the drag or resistance of an object in a fluid environment such as air or water. It is used in the drag equation, where a lower drag coefficient indicates the object will have less aerodynamic or...
of only 0.33 that bore similarities to the Lancia Y10. It featured several advances compared to older Fiat city cars, including independent suspension
Independent suspension
Independent suspension is a broad term for any automobile suspension system that allows each wheel on the same axle to move vertically independently of each other. This is contrasted with a beam axle, live axle or deDion axle system in which the wheels are linked – movement on one side affects...
both in the front and in the rear similar to the FIAT Tipo, front disc brake
Disc brake
The disc brake or disk brake is a device for slowing or stopping the rotation of a wheel while it is in motion.A brake disc is usually made of cast iron, but may in some cases be made of composites such as reinforced carbon–carbon or ceramic matrix composites. This is connected to the wheel and/or...
s, side impact bars along with crumple zone
Crumple zone
The crumple zone is a structural feature mainly of automobiles. Crumple zones have also been incorporated into railcars in recent years.They are designed to absorb the energy from the impact during an accident by controlled deformation. This energy is much higher than is commonly recognized...
s incorporated in the design and galvanized
Galvanization
Galvanization is the process of applying a protective zinc coating to steel or iron, in order to prevent rusting. The term is derived from the name of Italian scientist Luigi Galvani....
body panels to fend off corrosion
Corrosion
Corrosion is the disintegration of an engineered material into its constituent atoms due to chemical reactions with its surroundings. In the most common use of the word, this means electrochemical oxidation of metals in reaction with an oxidant such as oxygen...
. Steering was by rack and pinion
Rack and pinion
A rack and pinion is a type of linear actuator that comprises a pair of gears which convert rotational motion into linear motion. A circular gear called "the pinion" engages teeth on a linear "gear" bar called "the rack"; rotational motion applied to the pinion causes the rack to move, thereby...
, and although power steering
Power steering
Power steering helps drivers steer vehicles by augmenting steering effort of the steering wheel.Hydraulic or electric actuators add controlled energy to the steering mechanism, so the driver needs to provide only modest effort regardless of conditions. Power steering helps considerably when a...
was never offered, the car could be ordered with a number of extras, including central locking, power windows, sunroof
Sunroof
An automotive sunroof is a fixed or operable opening in an automobile roof which allows light and/or fresh air to enter the passenger compartment. Sunroofs may be manually operated or motor driven, and are available in many shapes, sizes and styles...
(or full-length retractable canvas roof in the Soleil version) and even air conditioning
Air conditioning
An air conditioner is a home appliance, system, or mechanism designed to dehumidify and extract heat from an area. The cooling is done using a simple refrigeration cycle...
.
Engines
Unlike the rear-wheel drive 126, the Cinquecento was a front-wheel driveFront-wheel drive
Front-wheel drive is a form of engine/transmission layout used in motor vehicles, where the engine drives the front wheels only. Most modern front-wheel drive vehicles feature a transverse engine, rather than the conventional longitudinal engine arrangement generally found in rear-wheel drive and...
car. Whereas the 126 was sold with a rear and later a mid mounted engine, the Cinquecento now featured a front mounted engine.
It was initially available with two engine choices, with the 1.1 L FIRE or "sporting" joining the lineup later. Interestingly, while the 704 cc engine was mounted longitudinally
Longitudinal engine
In automotive engineering, a longitudinal engine is an internal combustion engine in which the crankshaft is oriented along the long axis of the vehicle, front to back....
, the bigger units were fitted transversely
Transverse engine
A transverse engine is an engine mounted in a vehicle so that the engine's crankshaft axis is perpendicular to the long axis of the vehicle. Many modern front wheel drive vehicles use this engine mounting configuration...
, making the little Fiat one of the few cars in the world available with both configurations at the same time.
704 cc
The smallest engine, intended for sale in Poland only, was a 704 cc ohv two-cylinder unit, delivering 31 PS. Cinquecento inherited this unit from the 126p BIS, an evolution of the 126p which was cancelled when the Cinquecento production started. In order to be fitted in the front-wheel driveFront-wheel drive
Front-wheel drive is a form of engine/transmission layout used in motor vehicles, where the engine drives the front wheels only. Most modern front-wheel drive vehicles feature a transverse engine, rather than the conventional longitudinal engine arrangement generally found in rear-wheel drive and...
Cinquecento, it underwent a major refurbishment (although the engine still employed a carburettor), which resulted, among other changes, in the crankshaft
Crankshaft
The crankshaft, sometimes casually abbreviated to crank, is the part of an engine which translates reciprocating linear piston motion into rotation...
revolving in the opposite direction than in the 126p BIS!
903/899 cc
The bigger engine was the 903 cc 40 PS version of the veteran ohv four-cylinder engine, which saw service in many small Fiat models, starting with Fiat 850Fiat 850
The Fiat 850 is a small longitudinal-rear-engined rear wheel drive car which 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...
. (This engine dates back to the initial 633 cc unit as introduced in the 1955 FIAT 600.) It was fitted with single point fuel injection
Fuel injection
Fuel injection is a system for admitting fuel into an internal combustion engine. It has become the primary fuel delivery system used in automotive petrol engines, having almost completely replaced carburetors in the late 1980s....
and was the base engine in most markets. Due to fiscal limitations, the displacement of this unit was limited to 899 cc in 1993, with a slight reduction of output, now producing 39 PS. This engine is derived from that used in the Fiat 127. While it still retains OHV chain drive pushrod layout it now has hydraulic tappets. Also now uses twin coil distributorless ignition.
1.1 FIRE (Sporting)
Fully Integrated Robotised Engine
The FIRE is a series of automobile engines from Fiat. It was designed by Italian design firm Rodolfo Bonetto . It is constructed by robot assembly plants to reduce costs....
54 PS engine from the entry-level Punto
Fiat Punto
The Fiat Punto is a supermini produced by the Italian manufacturer, Fiat, since 1993.-1st generation :Internally codenamed Project 176, the Punto was announced in September 1993 and launched in late 1993 as a replacement for the ageing Fiat Uno. The Fiat Punto was voted European Car of the Year...
of the same era, mated to a close-ratio gearbox. Other additions were a drop in standard ride height, anti-roll bars, 13" alloy wheels, plus colour coded bumpers and mirrors. The interior saw a tachometer added, along with sports seats, red seatbelts and a leather steering wheel and gear knob.
It is the Sporting model which gave birth to a rallying
Rallying
Rallying, also known as rally racing, is a form of auto racing that takes place on public or private roads with modified production or specially built road-legal cars...
trophy and a Group A
Group A
In relation to motorsport governed by the FIA, Group A referred to a set of regulations providing production-derived vehicles for outright competition. In contrast to the short-lived Group B and Group C, the Group A referred to production-derived vehicles limited in terms of power, weight, allowed...
Kit-Car version.
Elettra
From 1992-1996 FiatFiat
FIAT, an acronym for Fabbrica Italiana Automobili Torino , is an Italian automobile manufacturer, engine manufacturer, financial, and industrial group based in Turin in the Italian region of Piedmont. Fiat was founded in 1899 by a group of investors including Giovanni Agnelli...
also produced and sold an electric variant of the Cinquecento called the Elettra. The car was offered with either a Lead-acid
Lead-acid battery
Lead–acid batteries, invented in 1859 by French physicist Gaston Planté, are the oldest type of rechargeable battery. Despite having a very low energy-to-weight ratio and a low energy-to-volume ratio, their ability to supply high surge currents means that the cells maintain a relatively large...
or NiCd batterypack, providing a ranges of 62 mi (99.8 km) and 93 mi (149.7 km) respectively. Unlike purpose built electric cars, the Cinquecento Elettra used two battery packs, one in the engine bay and one under the rear seats, replacing the fuel tank. Although selling for 140,000 francs
Swiss franc
The franc is the currency and legal tender of Switzerland and Liechtenstein; it is also legal tender in the Italian exclave Campione d'Italia. Although not formally legal tender in the German exclave Büsingen , it is in wide daily use there...
(~US$159,000), the Cinquecento Elettra enjoyed relative popularity in Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
and Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
.
Abarth
Fiat offered optional extras from the factory labelled with the Abarth name. The Abarth extras for the Cinquecento consisted of cosmetic changes only. A front apron with fitted fog lights, a rear apron, side skirts and a rear spoiler with a fitted 3rd brake light. There were also a set of 13" Speedline 5-spoke alloys wheels available instead of the standard Sporting alloys.Unlike true Abarth models, there were no engine upgrades available from the factory and the car could not be purchased as a whole separate model. The Abarth parts were to be added by the purchaser at the time of ordering, hence why it is common to see cars with only some of the Abarth extras.
Fiat Cinquecento concepts
In the mid 1990s, a number of concept cars based on the Fiat Cinquecento were developed by a number of design houses including one that featured half of the car's interior and a running board to place a bike. Another of these designs was the Lucciola, a proposal for a new Cinquecento by Giorgetto GiugiaroGiorgetto Giugiaro
Giorgetto Giugiaro is an Italian automobile designer responsible equally for a stable of supercars and several of the most popular everyday vehicles driven today...
. However instead of the car becoming the next small Fiat
Fiat
FIAT, an acronym for Fabbrica Italiana Automobili Torino , is an Italian automobile manufacturer, engine manufacturer, financial, and industrial group based in Turin in the Italian region of Piedmont. Fiat was founded in 1899 by a group of investors including Giovanni Agnelli...
city car, a version of the design ended up being put into production by the South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
n Daewoo Motor
GM Daewoo
GM Korea Company is South Korea's second largest automobile manufacturer and is a division of the General Motors Company. GM Korea's roots go back to the former Daewoo which was split from its parent company, Daewoo Group, in 2001...
as their Matiz
Daewoo Matiz
-M100 :The production of Daewoo Matiz started in 1998 and it was sold in South Korea and many European markets with the code name M100. The exterior design is based on the Lucciola, a Fiat Cinquecento concept by Italdesign Giugiaro which had been rejected by Fiat. The 0.8-litre gasoline engine and...
.
In popular culture
- One appearance of a Fiat Cinquecento is in the British sitcom The InbetweenersThe InbetweenersThe Inbetweeners is a British sitcom which aired for three series from 2008 to 2010 on E4. Created and written by Damon Beesley and Iain Morris, the show follows the life of suburban teenager Will , and three of his friends at the fictional Rudge Park Comprehensive. The Inbetweeners Movie was...
in which main character Simon Cooper owns a yellow, fictional brand known as a Fiat Cinquecento Hawaii. Its appearance and features (including a tape deck and a red side door) are frequently ridiculed by the characters.
External links
- ClubCento - the UK 'Cento owners club
- Fiat Scotland - Scottish Club & Forums catering for the Cinq/Sei range and more
- http://www.fiatforum.com/ fiat forum - for talk on all things fiat