Which car was the 1st 4 door Abarth?

[Gremlino]

Well done Albert.....who's wearing the anorak now

Was the Alfa known as the Tipo 103?

I remember seeing it at Arese myself a few years back, I'm sure it was light blue.

The original Matiz was built on Punto running gear I think, Fiat turned down a winner.....YET AGAIN 

[bellamacchina]

Yes, indeed it was tipo 103 and the light blue car! I like this kind of histories!

You were in the Alfa museum?

You can choose the anorak

[sid131]

Yes please more info very interested.

[Gremlino]

Ha,ha....I'll have the day-glo orange with white strings and toggles

Yes I went to the Alfa collection in 1998, very impressive as you would expect.
Our party of 10 were the only people there. The curator buzzed off, 2 guards wandered around outside and we had the place to ourselves for a couple of hours.....bliss! 

I have pics here somewhere of the museum, so I'll have a dig about to see what I've got stashed away.

Please post the story of these cars, I know its not 131 related but its still very interesting....well to someone like me who gets his outer garments from Millets .   

[bellamacchina]

Then I take the pink one with yellow stripes

I visited the Alfa museum twice, first time in 1991,second around 98. The first time we were the only guests so yes, I know how it feels to be between all these history alone(without your passport).
I will go into the history of the prototypes, I am interested myself too in the deeper history, I will let you know what I found as soon as possible.

[bellamacchina]

Here is the part of the story of Fiat tipo 122 in comprimated form. I hope it is interesting for you all

Project 122 started in 1959 with the chassis of the Fiat 600. Before that, Project 119 with the Fiat 1100 engine did not win the Fiat bosses approval, so Project 122 was developed. The first prototype, 1A, looked like a big Fiat 600 (almost a Seat 800) with? four doors. Later prototypes looked more and more? a? four door ?Berlina?. Fiat made about 15 plastic mock-up?s before they stopped the making of a Berlina.
At last, design 4A (made in 1960 by Mario Revelli de Beaumont) was chosen by Simca for the Simca 1000. The first Simca?s came out in September 1961. Fiat forgot the project but the success of the Simca 1000 awoke the Turin designers to make a successful replacement of the Fiat 600.? In 1964 Styling Centre Fiat introduced the Fiat 850, with the 100G (Grande) engine from the 600. During a lot of years the 850 was a successor. Over one million were made in Coach, Coup?, Spider and Wagon outfits. More than 15 coachbuilders made several 850 models.
Note that 122 was not the only project for Fiat, sold to Simca. Project 112 (1955) was very similar to the Simca Versailles. Much later, Fiat sold a? five door hatchback project to Zastava (1100/101) and made a Berlina for themselves, called the 128. Did you know the first Seat Ibiza was nearly a Fiat Uno? And the Daewoo Matiz a Fiat Seicento( I correct myself here too!)?

I hope I can do pictures soon, as the ones my friend have are very small.

I do my best to have the part of Alfa Romeo tipo 103 also sorted

[Gremlino]

Nice one Albert,

Fiat Centro Stile rule!

The tradition of passing projects over to satellite companies continues today e.g. Fiat Brazil and the Uno/Strada/Doblo projects...although these were already successful European ventures before Fiat passed them on to Sth America.

The 128 was indeed developed as a hatchback as well as a berlina, the early Zastavas were all berlinas and the hatchback did not appear until the mid 70's ( please correct me if I'm wrong ), also the early Ibiza is based on the Strada/Ritmo floor pan as they are indentical underneath ( found both cars sitting side-by-side once and compared them ).

Was the Matiz an Italdesign project?   

[bellamacchina]

Here is the promised picture of the prototype Tipo 122/540 design 4A from 1960. Already very near to the Simca 1000, isn't it.


Yes Graham, as far as I know was the Matiz from Italdesign.

[Gremlino]

Thats the pic 

The roofline looks a lot like the Fiat 1300/1500.

Thanks for confirming the Matiz's origin.