It is one of the classics of the national automotive industry and has become one of the models preferred by Argentine users.
the history of Fiat 600 It is extremely interesting for many reasons that we will discuss below, one of them being the innovative mechanics that incorporated its first units, marking a before and after for the Italian automaker.
world presentation
He March 10, 1955, Fiat presented a vehicle at the Geneva Motor Show that, perhaps without knowing it, had the mission of revolutionizing the global automotive industry since it became the first model of the Italian brand to have an engine attached to the rear of the vehicle.
The person in charge of the design of the 600 was Dante Giacosaa designer recognized for having also developed other models of the firm such as the 500, 125, 128, to name a few.
Arrival to Argentina
Three years after its presentation in the Old Continent, the first imported units began to arrive, although very few are known, belonging to 1955. These became highly appreciated collector’s items by collectors.
In 1960, Fiat Someca SA began to assemble the first copies of the compact with parts mostly imported from Italy, something that over the years would disappear since Fiat Argentina was going to found the manufacturing plant located in the Buenos Aires town of Dovecotein charge of manufacturing all the parts that previously arrived in our country through importation.
Engines
The rear engine idea did not change. The first 600 were offered with a 633 cc y 28 CV. Over the years, mechanics evolved towards the 693 cc, 767 cc y 797 cc.
In 1977, the 600 S that marked a big difference with respect to its predecessors, fundamentally in its engine of 843 cc which delivered a power of 40 CVbeing the configuration that pushed the most.
It should be noted that all powertrains were associated with a four-speed gearbox, except for the S, which was the first to have a five-speed manual transmission.
Why “fit”?
The ordinary citizen will know more about the 600 by the nickname of “fitito” rather than by his real name. However Where does this cute nickname come from?
There are many theories about it, but the most accepted version It is the one that was born in Italy when a commission from British Leyland visited the Fiat plant in Turin and wondered how many people could fit in the 600.
The question became a fun and delirious challenge to the Italian engineers, who searched for eleven people to enter the cabin and thus win the bet. This gave rise to the historic phrase “fitito” coming from the mouths of the English themselves.
In simple words, we can say that the term comes from the word “fit” which translated means to fit.
end of production
With the dissolution of Fiat Concord S.A. in 1980, the days of 600 they were numbered, in addition to the fact that the context of economic opening did not help due to the arrival of much more complete and competent imported vehicles.
It is so in 1982 the last unit of the iconic model was produced, reaching a total of 304,016 units sold in its 22 years of presence in our country.