The Fiat 126 (Type 126) is a four-passenger,
rear-engine,
city car
The A-segment is the 1st category in the passenger car classification system defined by the European Commission. It is used for city cars, the smallest category of passenger cars defined.
A-segment sales represent approx. 7-8% of the market in ...
manufactured and marketed by Fiat over a twenty-eight year production run from 1972 until 2000, over a single generation. Introduced by Fiat in October 1972 at the
Turin Auto Show
The Turin Motor Show ( it, Salone dell'Automobile di Torino) was an auto show held annually in Turin, Italy. The first official show took place between 21 and 24 April 1900, at the Castle of Valentino, becoming a permanent fixture in Turin from ...
,
the 126 replaced the
Fiat 500
The Fiat 500 ( it, Cinquecento, ) is a rear-engined, four-seat, small city car that was manufactured and marketed by Fiat Automobiles from 1957 until 1975 over a single generation in two-door saloon and two-door station wagon bodystyles.
Launch ...
, using major elements from its design. A subsequent iteration, marketed as the ''126 Bis'', used a horizontally oriented, water-cooled engine and featured a rear hatchback.
The majority of 126s (some 3.3 million) were manufactured in the Tychy plant in
Bielsko-Biała
Bielsko-Biała (; cs, Bílsko-Bělá, german: Bielitz-Biala, szl, Bjylsko-Bjoło) is a city in southern Poland, with a population of approximately 168,319 as of December 2021, making it the 22nd largest city in Poland, and an area of . It is a ...
,
Poland
Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country in Central Europe. It is divided into 16 administrative provinces called voivodeships, covering an area of . Poland has a population of over 38 million and is the fifth-most populous ...
and were marketed as the
Polski Fiat
Polski Fiat (literally in English: ''the Polish Fiat'') was a Polish car brand. Under this brand, cars under licence of the Italian manufacturer FIAT were manufactured or assembled in Poland.
Before World War II
The brand was created in 193 ...
126p in many markets. Fiat stopped marketing the 126 in 1993 in favor of its new front-engined
Cinquecento
The cultural and artistic events of Italy during the period 1500 to 1599 are collectively referred to as the Cinquecento (, ), from the Italian for the number 500, in turn from , which is Italian for the year 1500. Cinquecento encompasses the s ...
. Total production reached approximately 4.7 million units.
In Poland, the car became a people's car,
[ and a ]cultural icon
A cultural icon is a person or an artifact that is identified by members of a culture as representative of that culture. The process of identification is subjective, and "icons" are judged by the extent to which they can be seen as an authentic ...
, earning the nickname ''Maluch'', meaning "The Little One" or "Toddler", a name that eventually became official in 1997, when 'Maluch' started appearing, badged on the rear of the car.
Inearly 2020, the 28-year production run of the Fiat 126 was counted as the twenty-sixth most long-lived single generation car in history by Autocar magazine."
History
The 126 shared its wheelbase and much of the mechanical underpinnings and layout with the Fiat 500, featuring a revised, slightly larger bodyshell designed by Sergio Sartorelli
Sergio Sartorelli ( Alessandria, 7 May 1928 – Torino, 28 November 2009) was a noted Italian automotive designer and engineer.
During his career at Carrozzeria Ghia, OSI, and finally Fiat, Sartorelli became widely known for his work on the F ...
with improved safety and interior space. The added interior space resulted from two things: the move of the starter from the top of the engine bellhousing to the side which permitted shifting the bulkhead/rear seat rearward approximately 10 cm, and the lengthening of the roof for rear-seat headroom.
The engine capacity was increased from 594 cc to 652 cc at the end of 1977 when the cylinder bore was increased from 73.5 to 77 mm. Claimed power output was unchanged at , but torque was increased from to .[
The 594 cc engines were still available in early 1983 production.
A subsequent increase took the engine size to 704 cc in the new "restyling" model Fiat 126 Bis (1987–1991), with of motive power.
The 126 was manufactured at Fiat's ]Cassino
Cassino () is a ''comune'' in the province of Frosinone, Southern Italy, at the southern end of the region of Lazio, the last city of the Latin Valley.
Cassino is located at the foot of Monte Cairo near the confluence of the Gari and Liri rive ...
and Termini Imerese
Termini Imerese (; scn, Tèrmini ) , grc, Θερμαὶ αἱ Ἱμερᾶαι , grc, Θερμαὶ Ἱμέραι , or grc, Θερμὰ (Ἱμεραῖα) ; la, Thermae Himerenses; literally "Himera's hot springs". is a town of the Metropo ...
plants, until 1979; with an overall production of 1,352,912 manufactured in Italy.
The 126 was also manufactured under licence by Zastava in Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia (; sh-Latn-Cyrl, separator=" / ", Jugoslavija, Југославија ; sl, Jugoslavija ; mk, Југославија ;; rup, Iugoslavia; hu, Jugoszlávia; rue, label=Pannonian Rusyn, Югославия, translit=Juhoslavija ...
. In Austria
Austria, , bar, Östareich officially the Republic of Austria, is a country in the southern part of Central Europe, lying in the Eastern Alps. It is a federation of nine states, one of which is the capital, Vienna, the most populous ...
, it was briefly assembled by Steyr Puch as a successor to the successful Puch 500
The Puch 500 is a city car produced by the Austrian manufacturer Puch, a subsidiary of Steyr-Daimler-Puch in Graz. It was built under licence from Fiat and was based on the Fiat 500.
The beginning
In 1954 it was decided at Steyr-Puch to resume c ...
, with assembly lasting until 1975; and production of 2069 examples. In Greece
Greece,, or , romanized: ', officially the Hellenic Republic, is a country in Southeast Europe. It is situated on the southern tip of the Balkans, and is located at the crossroads of Europe, Asia, and Africa. Greece shares land borders with ...
, there was an attempt to produce a small car named DIM
Dim may refer to:
* Dim, a rhinoceros beetle in the 1998 Disney/Pixar animated film ''A Bug's Life''
* ''Dim'' (album), the fourth studio album by Japanese rock band The Gazette
* Dim, Amur Oblast, a rural locality in Amur Oblast, Russia
* Dim, ...
whose technical layout was largely based on the 126, but only ten were produced before the project was abandoned.
The 126 did not achieve the popularity of the 500 in Western Europe, as the rear-engined layout was displaced by better packaging and handing front-engine, front-wheel drive
In automotive design, a front-engine, front-wheel-drive (FWD) layout, or FF layout, places both the internal combustion engine and driven roadwheels at the front of the vehicle.
Usage implications
Historically, this designation was used reg ...
cars. The 126 became one of the last and longest-production rear-engine small cars manufactured in Europe, survived only by the VW Beetle
The Volkswagen Beetle—officially the Volkswagen Type 1, informally in German (meaning "beetle"), in parts of the English-speaking world the Bug, and known by many other nicknames in other languages—is a two-door, rear-engine economy car, ...
whose production lasted until 1978 (2003, globally). The 126 was also the last rear-engine small car to be manufactured in Europe until the advent of the Smart Fortwo.
For a brief period in the early 1990s, a German company called POP also offered convertible versions of the 126 BIS. Two models were offered: a lesser equipped one called the "POP 650" and a more luxurious model called the "POP 2000".
Polski Fiat 126p
In Poland
Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country in Central Europe. It is divided into 16 administrative provinces called voivodeships, covering an area of . Poland has a population of over 38 million and is the fifth-most populous ...
, the car was produced under licence by Fabryka Samochodów Małolitrażowych
The Fabryka Samochodów Małolitrażowych, commonly known as FSM, was a Polish automobile factory born from an agreement between the Fabryka Samochodów Osobowych, FSO and Fiat in the 1970s for the construction of a new model, the Polski Fiat 126 ...
(FSM) (En: Small-Displacement Car Factory) in Bielsko-Biała
Bielsko-Biała (; cs, Bílsko-Bělá, german: Bielitz-Biala, szl, Bjylsko-Bjoło) is a city in southern Poland, with a population of approximately 168,319 as of December 2021, making it the 22nd largest city in Poland, and an area of . It is a ...
and Tychy
Tychy (Polish pronunciation: ; german: Tichau; szl, Tychy) is a city in Silesia in southern Poland, approximately south of Katowice. Situated on the southern edge of the Upper Silesian industrial district, the city boders Katowice to the north, ...
under the brand Polski Fiat
Polski Fiat (literally in English: ''the Polish Fiat'') was a Polish car brand. Under this brand, cars under licence of the Italian manufacturer FIAT were manufactured or assembled in Poland.
Before World War II
The brand was created in 193 ...
126p (literally in English: ''Polish Fiat 126p'') between 1973 and 2000.
Due to a relatively low price, it was very popular in Poland and was arguably the most common Polish car in the 1980s. Its very small size gave it the nickname ''maluch'' ("the small one", "small child", pronounced ). The nickname became so popular that in 1997 it was accepted by the manufacturer as the official name of the car.
At first, it was almost identical to the basic model: differences included a higher chassis, a modified grille on the back, and the front indicator lenses that were clear white in Italy, but orange in other markets. To distinguish it from the original Italian car, the letter "p" was added to its name.
Throughout the 1980s the 126p was continuously modified. First, it received upgraded brakes and new wheels from Italian Fiat, then hazard warning lights were added to meet new lighting requirements.
In 1984, the 126 received a facelift, giving it plastic bumpers (for all versions) and a new dashboard. This model was named the Fiat 126p FL. In 1985 a single rear fog light and reversing light (on opposite sides) were added to the standard plastic bumpers; an electronic ignition system and alternator replaced the undersized generator in around 1987. In 1994, the 126p received another facelift and some parts from the Fiat Cinquecento
The Fiat Cinquecento (Type 170) (, ) is a front engine front-wheel-drive, four passenger, three door hatchback city car, manufactured and marketed by Fiat from 1991 to 1998 over a single generation.
It was manufactured at Fiat Auto Poland, wh ...
; this version was named 126 EL. The 126 ELX introduced a catalytic converter.
In 1987 the 126 BIS went into production, featuring a water-cooled 704 cc engine of Polish construction. However, the original model continued to be produced for the Polish market. BIS used some parts from the Fiat Cinquecento
The Fiat Cinquecento (Type 170) (, ) is a front engine front-wheel-drive, four passenger, three door hatchback city car, manufactured and marketed by Fiat from 1991 to 1998 over a single generation.
It was manufactured at Fiat Auto Poland, wh ...
.
The factory battery in 126p had a 35- amp hour capacity, which, combined with the undersized generator, resulted in the car often not having a fully charged battery unless driven for an extended time. An upgrade to a 45-amp hour battery from the Fiat 125p (1.5 Litre engine) improved the cold start reliability.
The 126p was exported to many Eastern Bloc
The Eastern Bloc, also known as the Communist Bloc and the Soviet Bloc, was the group of socialist states of Central and Eastern Europe, East Asia, Southeast Asia, Africa, and Latin America under the influence of the Soviet Union that existed du ...
countries and for several years it was one of the most popular cars in Poland
Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country in Central Europe. It is divided into 16 administrative provinces called voivodeships, covering an area of . Poland has a population of over 38 million and is the fifth-most populous ...
and in Hungary
Hungary ( hu, Magyarország ) is a landlocked country in Central Europe. Spanning of the Carpathian Basin, it is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine to the northeast, Romania to the east and southeast, Serbia to the south, Croatia a ...
as well. It also found a minor market in Australia between 1989 and 1992, under the name FSM Niki. During that period it was Australia's cheapest car. There was a convertible version developed for the Australian market. It was also successful in Cuba
Cuba ( , ), officially the Republic of Cuba ( es, República de Cuba, links=no ), is an island country comprising the island of Cuba, as well as Isla de la Juventud and several minor archipelagos. Cuba is located where the northern Caribbea ...
where it was one of the best-selling cars of its time and an estimated 10,000 are still registered today.
The 126P also has a history in China
China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's most populous country, with a population exceeding 1.4 billion, slightly ahead of India. China spans the equivalent of five time zones and ...
: In the early 1980s, it became one of the first passenger cars to be imported to the country. The government bought 10,000 which were mainly used as taxis, but later also became available for private buyers, then a rarity in the country. In the 1980s, it was one of the best-selling cars in China, selling around 30.000 units per year.
Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, there were several experimental prototypes developed in Poland. A cargo version was designed in 1974 called "Bombel" (literally "bubble", but also a colloquial term for "small child") because of its fiberglass bubble-shaped cargo area; an off-road version propelled by caterpillar tracks and a front-wheel drive, front-engined model, with a longer front end and a flat cargo area in the rear where the original 126 had its engine. The rear of this prototype was similar to the 126 Bis which also had a rear hatch for accessing a cargo space created by mounting its flat water-cooled engine under the floor.
There was also an attempt at installing a small diesel engine (due to gasoline rationing) in the classic 126p body. It is also a popular platform for electric motor and motorcycle engine swaps.
Timeline of PF 126p
* 1972 – the FSM car factory was built in Bielsko-Biała
Bielsko-Biała (; cs, Bílsko-Bělá, german: Bielitz-Biala, szl, Bjylsko-Bjoło) is a city in southern Poland, with a population of approximately 168,319 as of December 2021, making it the 22nd largest city in Poland, and an area of . It is a ...
.
* 6 June 1973 – the first Polski Fiat 126p constructed from Italian parts. The official price was 69,000 Polish złoty
The złoty (; abbreviation: zł; code: PLN) is the official currency and legal tender of Poland. It is subdivided into 100 grosz (''gr'').Singular: ''grosz'', alternative plural forms: ''groszy'', ''grosze''. The widely recognised English form ...
s with PKO Bank Polski
Powszechna Kasa Oszczędności Bank Polski Spółka Akcyjna (also known as ''PKO Bank Polski S.A.'', ''PKO BP S.A.'') is Poland's largest bank founded in 1919. It provides services to individual and business clients. The core business activity of ...
accepting pre-payments on savings books starting 5 February 1973.
* 22 July 1973 – the official opening of the factory's production line (by the end of that year over 1500 Fiats were manufactured).
* September 1975 – production started in a factory in Tychy
Tychy (Polish pronunciation: ; german: Tichau; szl, Tychy) is a city in Silesia in southern Poland, approximately south of Katowice. Situated on the southern edge of the Upper Silesian industrial district, the city boders Katowice to the north, ...
.
* 1977 – engine capacity increased from 594 cc to 652 cc. Engine power increased to about .
* 1978 – production of types with engine capacity 594 cc ended.
* 1979 – production of Polski Fiat 126p continued only in Bielsko-Biała.
* 1981 – 1,000,000th Polski Fiat 126p produced.
* December 1984 – technical changes in the construction and body. Type ''FL'' introduced.
* 1987 – production begins of a water-cooled ''Polski Fiat 126p Bis'' version – a three-door hatchback with 704 cc capacity.
* May 1993 – 3,000,000th Polish Fiat 126p produced.
* September 1994 – body improvement, creating type "el" with parts similar to those used in Fiat Cinquecento
The Fiat Cinquecento (Type 170) (, ) is a front engine front-wheel-drive, four passenger, three door hatchback city car, manufactured and marketed by Fiat from 1991 to 1998 over a single generation.
It was manufactured at Fiat Auto Poland, wh ...
.
* January 1997 – introduction of a catalytic converter
A catalytic converter is an exhaust emission control device that converts toxic gases and pollutants in exhaust gas from an internal combustion engine into less-toxic pollutants by catalyzing a redox reaction. Catalytic converters are usually ...
.
* 22 September 2000 – production ended after a production run of 3,318,674 units. All Fiats of the last limited ''Happy End'' series were yellow or red (500 cars in red and 500 cars in yellow).
The global production of the car was 4,673,655 units: 1,352,912 in Italy, 2,069 in Austria by Fiat-Steyr, and 3,318,674 in Poland.
Political connotations
The PF 126p has special meaning for Poles and its story had a connection with Polish politics during the communist period (Polish People's Republic
The Polish People's Republic ( pl, Polska Rzeczpospolita Ludowa, PRL) was a country in Central Europe that existed from 1947 to 1989 as the predecessor of the modern Republic of Poland. With a population of approximately 37.9 million nea ...
, up to 1989). During the absolute rule of the PZPR
The Polish United Workers' Party ( pl, Polska Zjednoczona Partia Robotnicza; ), commonly abbreviated to PZPR, was the communist party which ruled the Polish People's Republic as a one-party state from 1948 to 1989. The PZPR had led two other lega ...
, a private car was considered a luxury item, due to limited availability and low salaries. In 1971 there were only 556,000 passenger cars in Poland. In a top-down planned economy
A planned economy is a type of economic system where investment, production and the allocation of capital goods takes place according to economy-wide economic plans and production plans. A planned economy may use centralized, decentralized, part ...
, decisions on whether a state-owned factory could produce a car were taken on political and not just economic grounds. The authorities themselves initially did not find the idea of private cars attractive. The first relatively cheap Polish car was the Syrena
The Syrena was a Polish automobile model first exhibited at the Poznań Trade Fair in 1955 and manufactured from 1957 to 1972 by the ''Fabryka Samochodów Osobowych'' (FSO) in Warsaw and from 1972 until 1983 by ''Fabryka Samochodów Małolitra ...
, but it was outdated and its production was limited. Limited numbers of cars were also imported from other Eastern Bloc countries. It was difficult to buy a Western car because the Polish złoty
The złoty (; abbreviation: zł; code: PLN) is the official currency and legal tender of Poland. It is subdivided into 100 grosz (''gr'').Singular: ''grosz'', alternative plural forms: ''groszy'', ''grosze''. The widely recognised English form ...
, like other currencies in communist states, was not convertible to Western funds and there was no free market in the country.
Thus, the PF 126p was intended to be the first real, popular, and affordable car, to provide mobility for ordinary families. The license was bought after the rise to power of a new PZPR
The Polish United Workers' Party ( pl, Polska Zjednoczona Partia Robotnicza; ), commonly abbreviated to PZPR, was the communist party which ruled the Polish People's Republic as a one-party state from 1948 to 1989. The PZPR had led two other lega ...
leader, Edward Gierek
Edward Gierek (; 6 January 1913 – 29 July 2001) was a Polish communism in Poland, Communist politician and ''de facto'' leader of Poland between 1970 and 1980. Gierek replaced Władysław Gomułka as General Secretary of the Communist Party, F ...
, who wanted to gain popularity by increasing consumer spending after the austerity period under Władysław Gomułka
Władysław Gomułka (; 6 February 1905 – 1 September 1982) was a Polish communist politician. He was the ''de facto'' leader of post-war Poland from 1947 until 1948. Following the Polish October he became leader again from 1956 to 1970. Go ...
. Despite the fact that it was a very small city car
The A-segment is the 1st category in the passenger car classification system defined by the European Commission. It is used for city cars, the smallest category of passenger cars defined.
A-segment sales represent approx. 7-8% of the market in ...
, it was the only choice for most families, filling the role of a family car
A family car is a car classification used in Europe to describe normally-sized cars. The name comes from the marketed use of these cars to carry a whole family locally or on vacations. Most family cars are hatchbacks or sedan (automobile), sedans, ...
. During holidays, it was common to see families of four driving PF-126s abroad with huge suitcases on a roof rack
A roof rack is a set of bars secured to the roof of a motor car. It is used to carry bulky items such as luggage, bicycles, canoes, kayaks, skis, or various carriers and containers.
They allow users of an automobile to transport objects on the ...
; sightings of PF-126s towing a small Niewiadów N126 caravan especially designed for the PF 126 were also occasionally reported.[ PF 126p production, however, was not sufficient and the PF 126p was on sale with a waiting list. Usually, families had to wait a couple of years to buy a car.][Zakrzewski, Adam (2010). pp.72-83] A coupon for a car could also be given by the authorities based on merit.
Nicknames
In Polish
Polish may refer to:
* Anything from or related to Poland, a country in Europe
* Polish language
* Poles, people from Poland or of Polish descent
* Polish chicken
*Polish brothers (Mark Polish and Michael Polish, born 1970), American twin screenwr ...
it is called ''Maluch'', which literally means "small one" or toddler (and was an official name since 1997), as well as ''mały Fiat'' ("small Fiat"), in contrast to Fiat 125p
Polski Fiat 125p is a motor vehicle manufactured between 1967 and 1991 in Poland under a Fiat license by the state-owned manufacturer Fabryka Samochodów Osobowych (FSO). It was a simplified and altered variation of the original, Italian-made Fiat ...
, called ''duży Fiat'' ("big Fiat"). In some regions, it is also called ''Kaszlak'', literally "cougher" (derived from '' kaszel'', "cough
A cough is a sudden expulsion of air through the large breathing passages that can help clear them of fluids, irritants, foreign particles and microbes. As a protective reflex, coughing can be repetitive with the cough reflex following three pha ...
", as its engine's sound resembles a cough when it is started).
In Albanian
Albanian may refer to:
*Pertaining to Albania in Southeast Europe; in particular:
**Albanians, an ethnic group native to the Balkans
**Albanian language
**Albanian culture
**Demographics of Albania, includes other ethnic groups within the country ...
it is known as ''Kikirez'', meaning a "little rooster".
In Serbian, Croatian and Bosnian it is known as ''Peglica'' (meaning "little iron
Iron () is a chemical element with symbol Fe (from la, ferrum) and atomic number 26. It is a metal that belongs to the first transition series and group 8 of the periodic table. It is, by mass, the most common element on Earth, right in f ...
").
In Slovene the 126 is also called ''Bolha'' ("flea
Flea, the common name for the order Siphonaptera, includes 2,500 species of small flightless insects that live as external parasites of mammals and birds. Fleas live by ingesting the blood of their hosts. Adult fleas grow to about long, a ...
"), Piči-poki (loosely translated as "fast-and-loud") or ''Kalimero'' on Slovenian coast after a cartoon character Calimero
''Calimero'' is an animated television series about a charming, but hapless anthropomorphized chicken; the only black one in a family of yellow chickens. He wears half of his egg shell still on his head. Calimero originally appeared on th ...
.
In Hungarian, it is known as ''kispolszki'' ("Little Polish", while the 125p is the ''nagypolszki'', meaning "Big Polish"), ''kispolák'' ("Little Pole
Pole may refer to:
Astronomy
*Celestial pole, the projection of the planet Earth's axis of rotation onto the celestial sphere; also applies to the axis of rotation of other planets
*Pole star, a visible star that is approximately aligned with the ...
") or ''kisp''ó''k'' ("Little spider"); also, the car was nicknamed ''egérkamion'', meaning "a mouse's truck".
In German
German(s) may refer to:
* Germany (of or related to)
**Germania (historical use)
* Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language
** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law
**Ger ...
the Fiat 126 was known as the ''Bambino'', the Italian word for child.
In Cuban
Cuban may refer to:
* Something of, from, or related to Cuba, a country in the Caribbean
* Cubans, people from Cuba, or of Cuban descent
** Cuban exile, a person who left Cuba for political reasons, or a descendant thereof
* Cuban citizen, a perso ...
Spanish
Spanish might refer to:
* Items from or related to Spain:
**Spaniards are a nation and ethnic group indigenous to Spain
**Spanish language, spoken in Spain and many Latin American countries
**Spanish cuisine
Other places
* Spanish, Ontario, Cana ...
it is known as the "Polqi" or "Polaquito", meaning "Little Pole
Pole may refer to:
Astronomy
*Celestial pole, the projection of the planet Earth's axis of rotation onto the celestial sphere; also applies to the axis of rotation of other planets
*Pole star, a visible star that is approximately aligned with the ...
" or "Little Polish man", in Chilean Spanish as "Bototo".
References
Bibliography
*
*
*
External links
*
{{Modern European Fiat vehicles
126
Rear-wheel-drive vehicles
Rear-engined vehicles
City cars
Hatchbacks
1970s cars
1980s cars
1990s cars
2000s cars
Cars introduced in 1972
Cars powered by 2-cylinder engines
Science and technology in Poland