Fiat 600D
Year of manufacture: 1966 Power: 32 hp Displacement: 767 cm3
Number of cylinders/valves: 4/2 Weight: 660 kg
Condition: good Catalogue number: 108
The history of the Fiat 600 dates back to the 1940s and 1950s. The original prototype had an air-cooled engine, but the version presented in March 1955 in Geneva already featured a liquid-cooled inline four-cylinder engine with a displacement of 633 cm3, including a cast iron block, aluminum cylinder head, and a three-bearing crankshaft. The engine produced up to 22 hp. The four-speed gearbox had synchronization on the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th gears. All wheels were independently suspended – the front on a lower transverse leaf spring and the rear axle was an angled swing axle with coil springs and oil dampers.
The main attributes of the Fiat 600 model were low price, simple and robust construction, and low maintenance requirements. In the same year, a Cabrio version with a folding fabric roof and the same engine was introduced.
A revolutionary model was the Fiat Multipla, introduced in Brussels in 1956, which on the Fiat 600 chassis offered seating for up to six passengers. The Multipla could also be used as a van by removing one or both rear rows of seats, and thanks to a modified gearbox, it had better climbing ability, although its top speed was reduced to about 90 km/h.
At the end of the 1950s, the Fiat 600 underwent minor design changes, including an increase in the compression ratio from 7 to 7.5, which raised the power to nearly 25 hp. Improvements were also made to the braking system.
A significant development occurred in 1960 with the introduction of the Fiat 600 D model, featuring a new 767 cm3 engine with a top speed of 110 km/h and an improved lubrication system with a centrifugal oil filter in the pulley.
The top model and highlight of the 600 series was the Abarth version, where the racing model had a 1,000 cm3 engine producing 112 hp. These cars participated in various races and were among the top of their class.
A total of 2,695,197 Fiat 600 cars were produced, and they were also sold in former Czechoslovakia, making them a common sight on roads here. Production in Italy ended at the end of 1969.
