FIAT / Abarth I Love This Car! - Fiat 127 reimagined


FIAT is an Italian icon founded 1899, now part of Stellantis. Its performance arm, Abarth, focuses on racing-tuned variants. Official: FIAT / Abarth

Merc1

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Fiat 127 reimagined

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The Fiat 127 was a replacement for the pretty 850, and it was built between 1971 and 1983, when it was replaced by the Uno. It followed a simple design strategy of clean shapes and lines with good proportions. This is why if you see one on the street today, particularly in a nice color, you will notice it.

Now the 127 has been reimagined for the 21st century as a big brother to the successful 500, and could theoretically be built, as it has been designed to not only look as close as possible to the original model, but to also be built on the same platform that underpins the Fiat Punto and Alfa Romeo MiTo. It is the work of David Obendorfer, who also gave us this modern Renault 4.
It is impressive how he has managed to keep the important styling cues, and not make their inclusion in the overall design in any way contrived – this is genuinely a good-looking car. What's more interesting is that, it would also make sense for Fiat to build it. Allow us elaborate.
Fiat is clearly good at making small cars, and this 127 is not only appealing aesthetically, but the Italians would not have to sink too much money into it as they could use an existing platform. The local Italian market would probably go crazy if something like this were to be built. Unfortunately, since Fiat is not at its strongest now, the odds of the modern 127 sub-compact hatch becoming a reality are extremely slim.


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Fiat seriously needs to build this!


M
 
I'm definitely with you!
However I'm feeling this will look outdated pretty quick. I could be wrong...
 
My first thought was "Fiat Ritmo"!. One of my favorite cars, when I grew up in Poland in the 80's :)
 
There must be something wrong with me because it doesn't appeal to me- it must be the cognac.
 
I quite like the quirkiness of the design, especially the C-pillar. But, back in the 1980's, when this was the AMC Gremlin it heavily reviled and lambasted. It's funny what happens when a design takes on an Italian accent.
 
Are we looking at the same car?
There must be something wrong with me because it doesn't appeal to me- it must be the cognac.

I was almost sure that most people from the US won't "get" this car.

When the original 127 was on sale, it was more-or-less a crappy thing. Not something exciting visually, yet quite simple design. The engine was 600cc if I recall correctly. It was a very cheap car designed to sell in huge volume. And it was just that, that is the reason for the 127's cult status. In a still not fast-growing european economy, it was an affordable car, that gave many people the freedom that they wanted. 9 out of 10 people you ask out on the street have at least one memory that includes a 127. Me included.

When the average US car of that time was a 5.5m sedan with a V8, most of us had to make living with a <1lt italian bucket, and oh God we had so much fun with it. My family never owned one, (father has a thing for the french automotive industry) but there were quite a few within my friends and relatives. With all honesty, if I found one in good condition I would buy it and put it in my living room next to the piano.

 
I just love it! It looks a lot like my first car... only nice! It's like a Camaro mated with an old school Polo, what could go wrong?
 
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