1976 Fiat 126 SALOON
Chassis no. 126A4493485

Summer Motoring Online|30 June 2021, 13:00 CEST|Geneva

1976 Fiat 126 SALOON
Chassis no. 126A4493485

• Charming successor to the Nuova 500
• Delivered new to Switzerland
• Last serviced in 1985 at 20,000 kilometres (current reading 37,500 kilometres)
• Requires re-commissioning/restoration

* Please note that this motor car will be available for viewing by prior appointment in Switzerland.

Footnotes

Introduced at the 1972 Turin Motor Show, the FIAT 126 superseded the immensely successful Nuova 500 that had been the Italian manufacturer's smallest model since its introduction in 1957. The 126 kept to the 500's basic formula: two-box body with rear-mounted rear-drive engine and independent suspension all round, while bringing the styling bang up to date. Designed by FIAT Centro Stile's director Sergio Sartorelli, the new body was slightly larger and offered improved safety and greater interior space. The twin-cylinder air-cooled engine was increased in capacity from 499cc to 594cc and produced 23bhp (up from the 500's 18 horsepower) which improved the car's all round performance and raised its top speed to over 105km/h. For most purchasers, though, economy was more of a concern and the FIAT 126 did not disappoint, averaging 5.2 litres per 100 kilometres (54 miles per gallon). The engine was further enlarged (to 652cc) at the end of 1977 and again (to 704 cc) in the extensively revised FIAT 126 Bis hatchback in 1987. The Bis engine was a horizontally-opposed twin, whose layout and under-floor location facilitated the adoption of the hatchback tailgate.

Production of the FIAT 126 was undertaken in several other countries, including Austria, Yugoslavia and Poland, where production of the Polski FIAT 126p continued until 2000. Indeed, of the 4,673,655 FIAT 126s sold, 3,318,674 were manufactured in Poland.

An old sticker at the back of this car suggests that it was delivered via FIAT Suisse in Zurich, Switzerland. It was first registered on 29th October 1976 to Erika Wangler in Zurich. Currently displaying a total of 37,500 kilometres on the odometer, the car comes with its Betriebsanleitung (operating instructions) and service book recording that the last service was carried out on 12th March 1985 at circa 20,000 kilometres. Finished in Verde Brillante (bright green) with beige interior, the car has not been driven for some considerable time and failed to start when inspected. It will need to be thoroughly checked over and carefully re-commissioned before returning to the road.

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