Around and About, January 1975

FIAT’S penetration of the European car market dropped from a peak of 13.7% in 1971-1972 to 11% in 1973, figures which were worrying to the Turin company, for once the rot starts it tends to accelerate. They put the deterioration down to depleted sales of the long-in-the-tooth 124 series, introduced in 1966 and of which two million have been built in Italy alone. Fortunately they have managed to announce the 124’s replacement, the 131 Mirafiori, in the nick of rime.

The 131 slots in the Fiat range between the 128 and 132, is of very conventional construction, yet if it retains fairly boxy lines they are markedly more attractive than those of the slab-aided 124. Panicked by the fuel crisis, Fiat have left the familiar twin-cam engines out of the options offered, though they admitted to we British journalists when we were introduced to the 131 in Turin that the early prototypes had run in twin-cam form and that if the European economy sorted itself out this option may be made available later. For the moment the range consists of three basic versions: two-door and four-door saloons and a five-door estate, each of which will be offered with the option of a 1297 c.c. 65 b.h.p. DIN engine or a 1585 c.c. 75 b.h.p. DIN engine, both with pushrod operated valves. The engines are new, though based on the 132 block; the single camshafts in the crankcases are driven by toothed belts, and operate the parallel-inclined valves in the alloy cylinder heads via a new design of tappet and very short pushrods. The strokes are the same in both versions, the bore being 76 mm. in the case of the 1297 c.c. unit and 84 mm. in the case of the 1585 c.c. engine. Both have twin choke carburettors. A maximum speed of 93 m.p.h, is claimed for the 1300 and 99.4 for the 1600. Exceptional thermal efficiency from a patented design of combustion chamber is said to result in excellent economy on premium fuel.

The four-speed gearbox is the existing one but the five-speed box is of a new, improved design. A General Motors automatic gearbox is available on the 1600.

On the suspension and steering side the most noteworthy improvement is the incorporation of rack-and-pinion steering. An adjustable steering column is fitted to the Specials. Front suspension is by McPherson struts, coil springs, with very long suspension movement, and an anti-roll bar, a similar design to that of the 128. At the rear the live axle has inclined coil spring/damper units and is located by four longitudinal arms and a Panhard rod. Nine-inch front disc brakes and 9 in. drums are fitted, with servo assistance and a dual system.

Innovations on the car include a centralised electrical control box in the front passenger compartment, to which three separate looms simply pAug in. Underbody protection includes wax treatment inside the box sections and a covering of PVC.

Both versions we tried—a 1300 Standard and a 1600 Special—were roomy and comfortable. There is an extra 7.4 in. of length, the width is the same and the wheelbase has grown by 2.8 in., while there is an extra 3 in. of interior width. The through-flow ventilation proved excellent, as did the seats, particularly the reclining cloth-covered ones of the four-headlamp Special, which is better trimmed and better instrumented generally. The conventional shape has allowed for a very roomy boot, too.

Handling was very predictable and generally very good, though not exceptional, the ride was smooth and the brakes more than adequate tor the performance of these push rod models, though the twin-cam versions, when they come, might benefit from even more efficiency. The reduction in wind-noise compared with the 124s and 125s was particularly noticeable on the autostradas when even the 1300 four-speed version was stable, comfortable and relatively quiet when cruising flat-out.

If the performance of this new Fiat is unexceptional enough to require much comment, the styling really is very neat and attractive and the 131 should meet Fiat’s aims of a best-seller. We look forward to the extra liveliness of the twin-cam version, fuel crisis or not.

A 1500 c.c. Spitfire