The Italian Corrispondente # 2: Fiat 126

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The Italian correspondent spotted this nifty Fiat 126 - or, as it's often referred to, Fiat Niki - in Italy.  It's probably fair to say that the 126 is more of a spiritual descendant of the classic 500 than today's 500s are.   


Why?, you ask.  Unlike contemporary front-engined, front-wheel drive 500s, the 126 maintained the rear-engine, rear-wheel drive set-up of the classic 500 and, as such , was effectively the end of the line for Fiats such as the 600, 850 and 850 Sports.  It also shared its progenitor 500’s diminutive wheel-base, while power was provided by the same pushrod 100 Series Fiat engine that, in various capacities, was used in the 600, all 850 variants and the front wheel drive 127.  

126s were manufactured in Italy, Poland, Yugoslavia and Austria (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fiat_126).  However, the majority of them were actually built in Poland, where they attained almost cult-status and were nick-named the Maluch, meaning 'small one' or 'toddler' (ibid.).





U M P H

(uppermiddlepetrolhead.blogspot.com.au.)

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