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103-773: The Fiat Ritmo is a small , front-engine, front-wheel drive family car manufactured and marketed by Fiat , launched in April 1978 at the Turin Motor show and offered in 3- and 5-door hatchback and cabriolet body styles – from 1978 to 1988 with two facelifts . Styled by Sergio Sartorelli at Fiat's Centro Stile in Turin, export versions for the UK, US and Canada were marketed as the Strada . In 1979, SEAT Ritmo production began in Spain, with

206-691: A facelift in 1982, the SEAT Ronda . The name Ritmo derives from the Italian for "rhythm", and Strada derives from the Italian for "road." Production reached a total of 1,790,000 and ended in early 1988 it was replaced by the Fiat Tipo . Fiat began designing the Ritmo hatchback – as a replacement for the 128 sedan – in 1972, following the body style of its 127 supermini as European manufacturers began launching small family hatchbacks, notably

309-466: A "pioneer of the small cars we drive today." With engineering by Dante Giacosa and engine design by Aurelio Lampredi , the 128 was noted for its relatively roomy passenger and cargo volume — enabled by a breakthrough innovation to the front-engine, front-drive layout which became the layout "adopted by virtually every other manufacturer in the world" for front-wheel drive. Giorgetto Giugiaro noted that in 1970, Volkswagen completely dismantled

412-481: A 1,995 cc DOHC four with 125 PS (92 kW; 123 bhp), ventilated front discs, a new five-speed ZF manual gearbox, revised suspension settings and strengthened components. Outwardly, the 125 TC differed only slightly from the 105 TC – it gained the chunky four-spoke 14 in alloys later seen on the Bertone Cabrio models, featured an "Abarth" red and black badge on the rear hatch, and

515-423: A 1049 cc petrol engine built by Fiat of Brazil . Through the use of a new carburetor and altered timing , power and torque figures were kept the same as those of the 1.1, up by ten horsepower over what the engine produced as installed in the 127 . The 60 CL - the fastest-selling Ritmo in the Italian market at the time - continued to use the comparable 1116 cc engine. At the 1980 Geneva Motor Show ,

618-573: A Fiat 128, recognizing it as the reference for their forthcoming Golf . Fiat promoted in its advertising that Enzo Ferrari drove a 128 as his personal vehicle." Fiat built an entirely new plant in Rivalta, north-west of Turin, specifically to manufacture the new 128. In all, 2,776,000 sedans and wagons were built in Italy, plus 330,800 coupés and 3Ps. Front-wheel drive had previously been introduced to small, inexpensive cars by BMC , firstly with

721-556: A Fiat licensee from 1948, manufacturing clones of the Italian cars. From 1979 to 1982, a Spanish version of the Ritmo, the SEAT Ritmo, was produced in Spain near Barcelona . The original SEAT Ritmo was equipped with licence-built pushrod engines from the old Fiat 124 . The end of the above partnership began in 1982, coinciding with a new SEAT logo and the launch of the "System Porsche"-engined SEAT Ronda , which remained in production until 1986. An intellectual property dispute arose and

824-525: A five-door only diesel version – marketed as the Ritmo D and available in both L and CL trim – was introduced with a 1,714 cc engine (55 PS or 40 kW or 54 bhp). To accommodate this considerably heavier engine, the steering rack was slowed down (from 3.5 to 4 turns) and the suspension adjusted. Nonetheless, a 65.5% forward weight distribution was hard to mask and both handling and braking suffered when compared to petrol-powered Ritmos. In 1981,

927-685: A four-door sedan or five-door wagon, the Fiat 128 Rural , the latter unique to Argentina. Several trims and versions were available, including the IAVA sport series. In 1983 the car received a facelift with new headlamps, tail lamps and front grille, which was marketed as the Fiat Super Europa . In Colombia, the Fiat 128 was produced by "Compañía Colombiana Automotriz" in Bogota between 1973 and 1980. It

1030-686: A large margin. According to 2011 sales, compact cars are currently the second segment in Europe after the subcompact one (which in Europe corresponds to A-segment + B-segment ), with approximately 3 million units sold. Because of the Volkswagen Golf 's definition and long standing dominance of this class it is often referred to as the "Golf segment" in much of Europe. Mainstream compact sedans began falling in popularity since 1990s, when Peugeot stopped production of 306 in 4-door saloon form, and also sharply declining since 2010s, as well as

1133-416: A new front and rectangular headlights for all versions, new bumpers with incorporated indicators, redesigned tail lights for the sedan and a new dashboard, as well as modifications to the engines and gearbox in order to reduce the fuel consumption. At this time, the wagon was renamed "Panorama". Production of all 128s except that of the base 1,100 cc powered model ended in 1979 after the introduction of

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1236-471: A new range hierarchy. Aside from the three-door, four-speed "L" versions ("60" and "diesel"), all non-sporting Ritmos now had five-speed manual gearboxes and five-door bodywork. The upper-class 85 Super version was dropped in Italy, where smaller-engined versions ruled the marketplace. The 1.1 litre 60 Super models were new to the lineup. This Ritmo (and the third series) was also built in Venezuela, only in

1339-609: A rear spoiler at the base of the rear window. That same year, Fiat also launched the Ritmo Cabrio . In September 1981, Fiat displayed the Ritmo Abarth 125 TC at the Frankfurt Motor Show . This model was not available for right-hand export markets because the position of the exhaust downpipe did not allow for a relocated steering column and system. The 125 TC was a modified and revised 105 TC with

1442-523: A rev counter; stereo system; safety seatbelts and headrests; passenger-side rear view mirror; split-fold rear seat; tinted windows; rear window wiper; rear window defroster; metallic paint; sunroof (the most expensive at L259.60). The instrumentation was incorporated in a rectangular pod with modular slots that could house various gauges and switches, either standard depending on the model or optional (e.g. digital clock and switches for hazard lights or adjustable-speed ventilation fan). Export markets also received

1545-422: A small refresh in 1972, featuring revisions on the grille, bumpers, dashboard and steering wheel plus addition of a brake servo. 1974 saw the launch of the 128 Special, with rectangular headlights , chrome accents, extra equipment, better seats and upholstery, plus availability of a 1290 cc engine, producing 60 PS (44 kW; 59 hp). In 1976, the sedan and stationwagon received a proper facelift with

1648-670: A television advertising campaign showing the robots assembling the Ritmo bodyshells to the strains of Rossini's The Barber of Seville . The exterior has plastic bumper fascias integrated into the styling which combined strong round shapes with overall sharp lines, achieving a drag coefficient of  C d =0.38. The plastic bumpers also resisted damage from impacts of speeds of up to 6 km/h (3.7 mph). The initial four-cylinder engine range included 1.1-litre (60 PS or 44 kW or 59 bhp), 1.3-litre (65 PS or 48 kW or 64 bhp) and 1.5-litre (75 PS or 55 kW or 74 bhp) petrol engines, inherited from

1751-666: A three-door hatchback (Zastava Yugo 311/313), four-door saloon (Zastava Yugo 411/413) and a five-door hatchback (Zastava Yugo 511/513). The car was until the end of its production still very popular and was the Serbian automaker's most affordable model. Production ended in November 2008 after Fiat purchased the Zastava factory in Kragujevac, however production of the pick up variant Zastava Poly continued in very limited numbers at

1854-666: A traditional saloon of this size though, with Volkswagen using the Golf as the base for its Jetta saloon, and Ford launching the Escort-based Orion in 1983. Also in the 1980s saloons became popular again in certain Western European markets, often with a different model name than the hatchback, for example the Renault 9 (Renault 11-based), Fiat Regata (Ritmo-based) and SEAT Málaga . Some carmakers later created

1957-560: A transverse leaf spring, and a strut-type front suspension with integral anti-roll bar. Initially, the 128 was available as a two-door or four-door sedan. At the 1970 Turin Motor Show a three-door station wagon model called "Familiare" was added to the line-up. On launch, the car was only available with a 1116 cc engine with 55 PS (40 kW; 54 hp), or 49 hp (37 kW) in USA. The 128 sedan and estate underwent

2060-467: A tubular steel bar; and halogen headlamps and bumper-mounted auxiliary lamps. At the rear dual round tail lamps replaced the square ones found on the regular two-door 128. "Rally" badging on the bonnet and boot lid and stripes along the side sills completed the sporty look. The interior was upholstered in black leatherette, and the dashboard housed upgraded instrumentation: a tachometer was standard equipment, and water temperature and oil pressure gauges took

2163-464: A two- or four-door sedan, three- or five-door station wagon as well as two- or three-door coupé. The 128 running gear and engine, reconfigured for a mid-engined layout, were used in the Fiat X1/9 sports car. With engineering by Dante Giacosa and engine design by Aurelio Lampredi , the 128 was noted for its relatively roomy passenger and cargo volume — enabled by a breakthrough innovation to

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2266-600: Is because premium cars are included. From 2013–2018 premium cars had separate count, and are not included in mainstream total sales. Premium brands and models are marked italic . Electric cars are included in C-segment from 2020. year. 2019 – The compact car segment in Europe sees 5% fewer deliveries in 2019, as Europe’s #2 segment is down to 2.65 million sales, or 16.9% of the total European car market, down from 18% in 2018. 2020 – Sales of compact cars in Europe are down 24% to 2.03 million in 2020, perfectly in line with

2369-720: The European Car of the Year awards, finishing narrowly behind the winning car, the Simca-Chrysler Horizon – which was similar in concept. The initial range in Italy was designated by their respective engine horsepower (PS): The CL range were the better-equipped models (with the 60 CL comprising 80% of total initial sales in Italy) and the whole range also distinguished itself by having numerous optional accessories unseen in past Fiat cars. These included: larger tyres;

2472-505: The Fiat 124 and Fiat 125 ) and Lada Samara (since 1984) were very popular in Central and Eastern Europe in the 1970s and 1980s. The modern-day Lada 's compact cars are Lada Priora and Lada Vesta . There was also the lineup of the AZLK -factory, Moskvitch (from 1947 to 2003): 400 , 402 , 408 , 412 , Izh 2125 (the first Soviet hatchback ), 2140 and Aleko . At the start of

2575-456: The Fiat 128 , although the engines were noticeably quieter in the more insulated Ritmo. Suspension was independent all-round, the braking system comprised front discs and rear drums and the wheels measured 13-inch in diameter. Gearboxes ranged from a standard four-speed manual (five-speed optional on CL models) and an optional three-speed Volkswagen -derived automatic. Its boot capacity ranged from 330 to 1,100 litres. The Ritmo finished second in

2678-575: The Fiat Ritmo/Strada in 1978. In 1980 production of the small three-door station wagon Panorama was dropped from the range and 128 production finally ended in 1985. The British " Motor " magazine tested a Fiat 128 in April 1970, shortly after its UK launch. The car had a top speed of 85.4 mph (137.4 km/h) and accelerated from 0-60 mph (97 km/h) in 15.5 seconds. An "overall" fuel consumption of 27.5 miles per imperial gallon (10.3 L/100 km; 22.9 mpg ‑US )

2781-572: The Ford Escort , Vauxhall Viva , Austin Allegro and Hillman Avenger were still only available as saloons or estates, although some cars of this size, like the BMC/BL 1100 and 1300 saloons and Italy's Fiat 128 featured front-wheel drive from their launch during the 1960s. The C-segment was revolutionized in 1974 with the launch of the Volkswagen Golf , a front-wheel drive hatchback, which

2884-497: The Mini in 1959 and then with the larger 1100/1300 series in 1962. During the mid-1960s, Fiat set about designing a new car to compete with the latter. The BMC design of Alec Issigonis had the transmission and engine sharing a single oil sump — despite disparate lubricating requirements — and located the engine's radiator at the side of the engine, away from the flow of fresh air and drawing heated rather than cool air over

2987-560: The Primula from its less market-critical subsidiary, Autobianchi . The layout enabled the engine and gearbox to be located side by side without sharing lubricating fluid while orienting an electrically controlled cooling fan toward fresh air flow. By using the Primula as a test-bed, Fiat was able to sufficiently resolve the layout's disadvantages, including uneven side-to-side power transmission, uneven tire wear and potential torque steer ,

3090-686: The Regata – the Ritmo-derived sedan. Other changes included restyled front and rear bumpers, and lower plastic panels on the doors (again, taken from the Regata). The rear bumper now housed the number plate at low level, whilst the space between the rear lights was filled with a plastic panel. The 1,714 cc diesel engine was replaced with a 1,697 cc unit from the Uno 60D, developing 60 PS (44 kW; 59 bhp). The three-door 105 TC model

3193-496: The Targa Oro and 75 models were replaced by the five-door only Ritmo Super (or Superstrada in some export markets). They brought higher specification and fittings (from chrome trimmings to a more complete instrumentation and optional central locking ), larger, 14-inch, wheels and, most significantly, revised engines with 75 PS (55 kW; 74 bhp) (1300) and 85 PS (63 kW; 84 bhp) (1500). This extra power

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3296-571: The Volkswagen Golf in 1974. Prior to its launch, the press speculated that the project codename 138 would be the final production name, however, Fiat instead gave its new car the Ritmo name, rather than another three digit number. The Ritmo was manufactured at the Cassino plant using a system developed by its subsidiary Comau , the "Robogate" system – which automated the bodyshell assembly and welding process using robots, giving rise to its advertising slogan "Handbuilt by robots", immortalised in

3399-560: The Zastava Special Automobiles factory (156 cars built in the last year) until December 2010. For South Africa only, a pickup version was also developed by Fiat in Italy to contest that country's popular "bakkie" category. It entered production in 1978. It could handle a payload of 500 kg (1,100 lb) and was based on the station wagon model. As per dealer demands, the fuel tank was enlarged to 52 L (13.7 US gal). In Spain, SEAT manufactured

3502-404: The front-engine, front-drive layout which became the layout "adopted by virtually every other manufacturer in the world" for front-wheel drive. Fiat promoted in its advertising that mechanical features consumed only 20% of the vehicle's volume. Named European Car of the Year in 1970, over three million were ultimately manufactured. In 2012 automotive journalist Jamie Kitman called the 128

3605-642: The liftback bodystyle like the Peugeot 309 , which replaced the Talbot Horizon in this sector at the end of 1985. Since the mid-1990s, premium brands usually associated with larger and more expensive cars have entered the C-segment with more affordable hatchbacks and saloons. The first such example was the Audi A3 in 1996. Subsequent cars of this type include the BMW 1 Series and Mercedes-Benz A-Class . In

3708-641: The 1,585 cc "100S i.e." The Ritmo was sold on the British market as the Strada from the autumn of 1978 until it was replaced by the Tipo in July 1988. Despite decent early sales, surprising given its unconventional styling, it was soon overshadowed by a host of new British-built and imported competitors, and by the 1980s was selling very slowly, although Fiat's overall market share in the UK increased sharply throughout

3811-406: The 1.5-litre 75 CL with a five-speed manual, a model which was initially unavailable in the domestic Italian market. The colour of the interiors was determined by the external paint, as follows: The Ritmo was criticized for its basic interior trim (e.g. no fabric on door panels). Fiat responded in 1979 with various revisions and the introduction of the Targa Oro ("gold plate") range. The latter

3914-535: The 100 S and the Turbo DS were not sold in Great Britain or Ireland, nor were any of the fuel injected models. The latter included the 75 i.e. and 90 i.e., which had lower outputs due to their catalytic converters fitted to meet tougher export markets' emission regulations. By this stage, however, Ritmo/Strada sales were declining outside Italy, not helped by its reputation for unreliability and rust, nor

4017-513: The 128 Coupé, also called 128 Sport, a 2-door, 4-seat coupé designed in-house and based on a shortened 128 chassis. It was produced until 1975, but in latter years sales were dropping off considerably in favor of the mid-engined X1/9 . Since Fiat had to pay a commission to Bertone for every X1/9, it was decided to provide some internal competition in the form of the updated hatchback coupé 128 3P. "3P" stands for Tre Porte , or "Three Doors" in Italian. Designed by Paolo Boano of Fiat Centro Stile,

4120-515: The 128 drive-train as a mid-engined layout for the Fiat X1/9 . The all new 1.1 litre Fiat SOHC engine, engineered by noted engine designer Aurelio Lampredi , featured an iron block mated to an aluminum head along with a belt-driven single overhead camshaft. The 128 was styled similarly to the 124 and 125 and featured rack-and-pinion steering, Pirelli 145R13 Cinturato or 145R13 Michelin ZX radial tyres, front disc brakes, independent rear suspension with

4223-600: The 128 was manufactured with CKD kits from Zastava in Poland and marketed as the Zastava 1100p by FSO between 1971 and 1976 . The 128 formed the basis of the Zastava 128 (four-door sedan) and Zastava 101 (three-door and five-door hatchbacks) ranges of cars manufactured by the " Zastava Automobili " company in Serbia . The 128-based Zastavas were available throughout Europe in the '70s. In Britain, three variants were offered:

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4326-478: The 128 3P used the existing design back to the B-pillar, with some detail modifications to the grille and headlights. The Coupé version was available with two different engines (1100 and 1300) and in two different trim levels (S and SL) for a total of four variants. In its base "S" trim, the coupé had single rectangular front headlamps, and wheels and hubcaps from the saloon. The pricier "SL" (for Sport Lusso)

4429-431: The 1290 cm3 - 60 HP engine of the contemporary Special sedan. Sears XDH-1 is an experimental electric car built for Sears, Roebuck and Company by their DieHard battery supplier Johnson Controls (Globe Union) in 1977 to celebrate the 10th anniversary of its DieHard brand of car batteries. The car was a Fiat 128 Coupé equipped with 20 DieHard (12-inch deep cycle marine) batteries, and an electric motor . The ESV 2000

4532-491: The 1960s, the post war economic boom had produced customers who wanted something of intermediate size. These were usually saloons during the 1950s and 1960s. The world's first hatchback , the 1958 FR layout Austin A40 Farina Countryman model that was a co-development of BMC and the Italian design house Pininfarina at a time when this was unusual. It had a lift up rear window and drop down boot lid. It

4635-617: The 1970 GS, Peugeot 304 and Renault 14 . During 1980s, Citroën replaced the GSA with the 1983 BX that was between the sizes of the small family car and large family car, in an attempt to cover both markets with single model. The Citroën ZX was the model which celebrated the entry of PSA Group (now Stellantis) in China during early 1990s. Cars of the Soviet/Russian brand Lada : VAZ-2101 , VAZ-2103 , VAZ-2106 , Lada Riva (based on

4738-534: The 1970s, the two most popular sectors of the UK market were small family cars and large family cars . From its launch in 1962, the BMC 1100/1300 was often Britain's best selling car; other locally produced compact cars included the Ford Escort , Vauxhall Viva and Hillman Avenger . Imported small family cars that were popular in the UK included the Citroën GS and Datsun Sunny 120Y . British Leyland replaced

4841-597: The 1980s due to the huge success of the smaller Uno . In North America, the Fiat Strada was introduced in January 1979 (for the same model year) to replace the 128. Available with either three or five doors, it used the same 1.5-litre SOHC engine as the X1/9 coupé, generating 69 hp (51 kW), and featured a standard five-speed manual gearbox or a three-speed automatic from Volkswagen as optional equipment. For 1981

4944-419: The 1st decade of 21st century, coupé convertibles (cabriolets) with components from these vehicles were being also built. Examples of this are the Peugeot 307 CC and later 308 CC in the first generation, third-generation Opel Astra TwinTop , second generation Ford Focus Coupe-Convertible , and Volkswagen Eos . Early successful compact family cars by French manufacturers are Citroën GS A hatch version of

5047-483: The 3P coupé as the SEAT 128 3P . It was available with two engine options from the 124 engine family , the 1.2-litre and the more powerful and well-known 1430 engine from the SEAT 1430 . Was marketed as "Three Times SEAT" in order to underline its triple combination of sportiness, versatility, and design. The SEAT 128 never enjoyed great commercial success, however. 31,893 128s were made between 1976 and 1980. In Sri Lanka,

5150-651: The BMC 1100/1300 with a variety of models: the 1969 Austin Maxi , the 1971 Morris Marina , and the 1973 Austin Allegro . A second-generation Ford Escort (jointly designed in Britain and Germany) was released in 1974. The same year, the German Volkswagen Golf front-wheel-drive hatchback was released, becoming one of the first significantly-imported small family cars in the UK market. The sporty "GTI" version of

5253-815: The European version of the Escort was replaced by the global Ford Focus MkI model. General Motors released the Vauxhall Astra Mk3 update in 1991 and the all-new Astra Mk4 in 1998. Rover Group introduced the Rover 200 Mk2 in 1989. The Rover 200 Mk3 was introduced in 1995, replacing the Honda Concerto-based Mk2 with a UK-designed car. Fiat 128 The Fiat 128 is a transverse front-engine, front wheel drive small family car manufactured and marketed by Fiat from 1969 to 1985 as

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5356-647: The Fiat 128 was manufactured by the Upali Motor Company until 1978 . This car was commonly known as the Upali Fiat in Sri Lanka. The Fiat X1/9 is a two-seater mid-engined sports car designed by Bertone and manufactured by Fiat from 1972 to 1982 and subsequently by Bertone from 1982 to 1989. Designed around the Fiat SOHC engine and transmission from the front wheel drive Fiat 128,

5459-559: The Fiat's interior space and excellent performance. Wind and road noise were low, but engine noise was not. The 128 went on sale on the UK market around the same time as the Rootes Group's Hillman Avenger , and shortly before the Vauxhall Viva was transformed from its second generation to its third generation. The market leader in this sector at the time was British Leyland's 1100 and 1300 range. Sales of imported cars in

5562-680: The Golf sparked a huge demand for "hot hatches" in the UK and many other countries. The third-generation Vauxhall Viva was produced until late 1979, when it was replaced by the Vauxhall Astra (a rebadged Opel Kadett D which was initially produced in West Germany and Belgium). The Astra was part of a late-1970s transition in small family cars from being predominantly rear-wheel-drive saloons , to becoming front-wheel-drive hatchbacks (by then increasingly popular in mainland Europe). The Austin Allegro – introduced five years earlier –

5665-416: The MK3 Ford Escort and the first front-wheel drive Opel Kadett ( Vauxhall Astra in the UK). The chassis was lighter by 70 kg (154 lb) and benefitted from better noise, vibration and harshness (NVH) control. Suspension mounts were altered and the spare tyre was moved from the engine bay to the boot, along with a relocation of the fuel tank to ahead of the rear axle. The fuel tank move resulted in

5768-522: The Rally's type 128 AR engine had been bored out 6 mm to 86 mm—while keeping the 55.5 mm stroke—for a total displacement of 1,290 cc (79 cu in). There was also a twin-choke Weber 32 DMTR carburettor , revised valve timing and a slightly higher 8.9:1 compression ratio . Engine output was now 67 DIN -rated metric horsepower (49 kW; 66 hp) at 6,200 rpm and 88 DIN-rated newton-metres (65 lb⋅ft) of torque at 4,000 rpm. Other mechanical improvements were

5871-467: The Ritmo, the sedan was offered with 1.3, 1.5 and 1.6-litre petrol engines, and diesel 1.7 and 1.9-litre or 1.9-litre turbodiesel engines. A station wagon version—badged the Regata Weekend —was launched in 1984 and a unique design feature was represented by its folding rear bumper section, which created a level loading bay. The Regata received a minor facelift in 1986 (bumpers, doors and interior) as well as fuel injection fitted for some engines – most notably

5974-400: The UK was the 1981 Triumph Acclaim , a licensed version of the four-door Honda Ballade with a Honda-designed engine. The Acclaim was replaced in 1984 by the Rover 200 . In late 1985 the Peugeot 309 became the first Peugeot to be built in the UK at the Ryton plant . Ford began the 1990s by replacing its 10-year-old Escort (and the Orion saloon version) with the Ford Escort MkV . In 1998,

6077-434: The UK were in the first stages of a sharp rise in their market share at the beginning of the 1970s, with Fiat and likes of Datsun , Renault and Volkswagen being particularly successful. The Fiat 128 Rally was a sporty, 1.3-litre-engined version of the 128 two-door saloon, introduced at the 41st Geneva Motor Show in March 1971 and produced up to 1974. Compared to the regular 128's 1,116 cc four-cylinder engine,

6180-406: The Volkswagen Golf cabriolet but was not up to Volkswagen standards in terms of quality or ability, despite the fact that the German rival was not built in-house, but by Karmann . With the introduction of the Series 2 cars, Fiat began manufacture of a RHD Ritmo Cabrio, which was offered in the UK (Superstrada Cabrio) and Ireland (Ritmo Cabrio) only in 85S (Superstrada) guise. The Bertone cabriolet

6283-470: The X1/9 relocated the transverse drive train and suspension assembly from the front of the 128 to the rear of the passenger cabin, directly in front of the rear axle, giving a mid-engined layout . With a transverse engine and gearbox in a mid-mounted, rear-wheel drive configuration , the X1/9 was noted for its balanced handling. The Moretti Motor Company of Turin , Italy produced the Fiat 128-based Moretti 128 in coupé and cabriolet versions. Built in

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6386-404: The addition of a vacuum servo , an engine protection plate, better tyres, new gear ratios for the 4-speed transmission, a higher capacity battery and an alternator in place of the dynamo ). A number of exterior features set the Rally apart from other 128s. At the front there was a black radiator grille, carrying the round Fiat emblem typical of the marque's sports cars; split bumpers joined by

6489-414: The car was named Strada II , but it was badged as the Strada. The North American version was unchanged but was finally discontinued at the end of the 1982 model year (at which time the Fiat range included only the X1/9 and the 124 Spider ). In 1983, Fiat completed the range with the Ritmo ES ("energy saving") models and the hot hatch , Ritmo Abarth 130 TC . The latter was based on the 125 TC but

6592-415: The centre of the grille, with base models featuring single round headlamps and all other, double round headlights (in Britain, all models of this generation featured twin headlamps). The bonnet no longer had an air scoop and the roof was now completely flat (with the upward sweep of the first series found to cause vortices and contribute to dust and water over the rear window). The 1,049 cc "Brazil" engine

6695-415: The earlier 125 TC), aerodynamic perspex front door wind deflectors, and lower hatchback spoiler. The powerful twin-cam was mated to a close ratio five-speed ZF manual gearbox and had superior performance to its contemporary rivals, which included the Volkswagen Golf GTI, Ford Escort XR3i, Vauxhall Astra GTE and the MG Maestro . There was a minor change in the spring of 1984, mainly consisting of

6798-482: The engine gained fuel injection for all states, meaning that power increased to 75 hp (56 kW). In spite of excellent fuel economy, a roomy interior, and comfortable ride, the Strada failed to convince enough buyers to forget reliability issues from previous Fiat models and was withdrawn from North America in 1982. Strict North American collision standards resulted in this Strada featuring extended plastic bumper bars. Spanish car maker SEAT began their history as

6901-407: The engine. The layout often required the engine to be removed to service the clutch. The Fiat 128's arrangement had numerous differences. As engineered by Dante Giacosa , it featured a transverse-mounted engine with unequal-length drive shafts and an innovative clutch release mechanism — an arrangement which Fiat had strategically tested on a previous production model for a full five years,

7004-498: The five-door version. Two models were available: the 85 and the 105TC, with the 85 only available with the automatic transmission from Volkswagen and the 105TC being a five-speed manual. Unique to Venezuela was the fact that the 105TC was not offered in a three-door version, the only option available in the rest of the world. 1985 saw a minor facelift to the Ritmo range, featuring new rectangular door handles on five-door versions (the three-door retained circular door handles), shared with

7107-440: The fuel cap being moved to the right side and under a lid instead of remaining exposed. The facelift saw the Ritmo acquire a more conventional look. For example, the round headlights no longer intersected the bumper bar but were now integrated in a separate grille, and the tail lights were similarly integrated into the body instead of inset in the rear bumper. In addition, all models now featured Fiat's new corporate five-bar emblem at

7210-400: The growing number of competitors which were appearing. However, the Ritmo's falling popularity in these markets was compensated for by the growing success of its smaller stablemate, the Uno. To spur more sales, in 1986 Fiat launched two limited editions: Early in 1988, the production of the Ritmo ended after 10 years. In its place, as the new contender in the European C-segment, Fiat launched

7313-423: The highest selling C-segment cars in Europe were the Volkswagen Golf, Škoda Octavia, Ford Focus, Mercedes A-Class, Toyota Corolla, SEAT León, BMW 1-Series, Audi A3, Citroen C4, Peugeot 308, Renault Mégane, Kia Ceed, Opel Astra, Mercedes-Benz CLA and Volkswagen ID.3. 200,000 – 300,000 sales (Best-Selling) 100,000 – 200,000 sales 50,000 – 100,000 sales Notes: Jump in segment total sales after 2019. year

7416-399: The name on estate cars / Station Wagons so it is largely forgotten. This hatchback layout was further pioneered along with the European switch to front wheel drive FF layout with the smaller 1964 (Fiat) Autobianchi Primula . The modern C-segment market in Europe can be traced back to the 1968 launch of the Renault 6 , the first successful hatchback of this size. The hatchback bodystyle

7519-466: The overall market. And while Europeans bought more small crossovers than compact cars in the first three quarters of the year, in the full-year score the pecking order is returned to “normal”, with an advantage of 17,000 sales for the compact class. This result is mostly due to a wave of VW ID.3 (self)registrations, especially in December. We expect small crossovers to become Europe’s #2 segment in 2021 by

7622-516: The place of the ashtray, relocated to the centre console. Front sports seats with headrests and a two-spoke sports steering wheel replaced the standard items. At the October 1972 update of the 128 model range, the Rally received new upholstery (leatherette with cloth seat centres) and a black plastic protection to the front bumper tube. At the 53rd Turin Motor Show of November 1971 Fiat introduced

7725-437: The plants of via Monginevro in a semi-handmade way (these custom-built cars were not assembled in a chain) and in a very limited number (less than a hundred), it cost about 1,500,000 lire in 1969. The interior was very neat and could be customized with many accessories (sports steering wheel, electric windows, leather upholstery ...). In 1975, the two models underwent a slight restyling (new black bumpers, wider) and equipped with

7828-409: The popular 60CL now ranging from L6,868,000 to L7,180,000 for the three- and five-door versions, respectively. In May 1981, the first sports version, the Ritmo 105 TC , was launched. Available only as a three-door, it was powered by a 105 PS (77 kW; 104 bhp) Fiat DOHC engine with a displacement of 1,585 cc, which was derived from that used in the 131 and 132 models. This car had

7931-785: The rear-wheel-drive saloon format of the Mk2 with a hatchback and front-wheel drive. (A saloon version called the Ford Orion was added in 1983.) Only in 1983 was the Austin Allegro replaced by the Austin Maestro hatchback. In 1984, the Vauxhall Astra Mk2 hatchback/estate/cabriolet was released, alongside a saloon version called the Vauxhall Belmont . The first significant Japanese-designed compact car in

8034-433: The rear. Suspension was the familiar all-independent 128 layout—save for the front anti-roll bar, which had been replaced by radius rods . The braking system consisted of discs at the front and drums at the rear; it was made more efficient by fitting smaller diameter front discs and the front and the vacuum servo first used on the 128 Rally. In Argentina, the 128 was produced from 1971 to 1990 by Sevel Argentina as

8137-697: The reduced sales of 4-door Ford Focus . During the late 1990s, compact MPVs increased in popularity as a competitor to the compact car, with models such as the Renault Scenic and the Citroën C4 Picasso becoming popular in Europe. By the early 2010s, demand for compact MPVs was declining, due to the rise of the compact SUV . After the Second World War, European manufacturers usually featured two vehicle types: small economy cars that were usually saloons and large saloons . By

8240-475: The same 14-inch (360 mm) wheels as the Ritmo Super, but with black centre hubcaps. British and Irish models had black and silver Speedline alloy wheels (5.5 x 14) as standard. Other distinguishing features relative to the normal range included: front fog lights integrated into the front bumper; integrated front spoiler combined with wheel arch extensions; black lower door paint; black mesh air intake; and

8343-484: The side badges featured the Abarth "Scorpion". The 125 TC version had a top speed of 190 km/h (118 mph) and it could accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) in 8.7 seconds. These cars were the last ones assembled on a separate Abarth production line, following the Fiat buyout in 1971. In October 1982, the Ritmo was reengineered and restyled to improve its competitiveness against rivals, which included

8446-405: The similarly avantgarde, Tipo , which took inspiration from the smaller Uno with its design and style. The Fiat Ritmo cabrio was originally displayed as a concept at the 1979 Frankfurt Motor Show but went on sale in mainland Europe only in 1981. It was assembled by Bertone and, coinciding with the 1982 facelift, was badged as a Bertone instead of a Fiat. It was cheaper than, and competed against,

8549-443: The tendency for the power of the engine alone to steer the car under heavy acceleration. The compact and efficient layout — a transversely-mounted engine with transmission mounted beside the engine driving the front wheels through an offset final-drive and unequal-length driveshafts — subsequently became common with competitors and arguably an industry standard. The layout was sufficiently flexible that Fiat reconfigured

8652-586: The two products. In 1982, SEAT entered into a new licensing agreement, this time with Volkswagen . In 1984, SEAT manufactured the new Giugiaro -designed and "System Porsche"-engined Ibiza , which still had Ritmo underpinnings. Moreover, mirroring the Regata, in 1985 SEAT also developed and launched the four-door Málaga sedan. All ties with Fiat underpinnings were finally severed when Volkswagen took majority ownership of SEAT in 1986 and began producing cars in Spain based on German-developed platforms. The Ritmo name

8755-454: The units found in the 128 saloon and 128 Rally respectively, and both were fitted with twin-choke carburettors and a two-piece exhaust manifold . The 1100 (1,116 cc) produced 64 PS DIN (47 kW; 63 hp) at 6,000 rpm and 81 N⋅m (60 lb⋅ft) at 3,800 rpm, while the 1300 (1,290 cc) produced 75 PS DIN (55 kW; 74 hp) at 6,600 rpm and 92 N⋅m (68 lb⋅ft) at 3,800 rpm. Top speed

8858-509: Was also sold as a two-door saloon. It was built in Italy by Innocenti as well as in the UK. For 1965 Innocenti designed a new single-piece rear door for their Combinata version of the Countryman. This top-hinged door used struts to hold it up over a wide cargo opening and was a true hatchback – a model never developed in the home (United Kingdom) market. The Countryman name has 'estate' type associations, and BMC successor company Rover used

8961-545: Was based on the Ritmo 65 (or 75 for export markets) and was distinguished by mink or black paint with gold striping and accents in the alloy wheels, foglights, dark bumper bars and velour trim interiors. From February 1979, the 75 CL range had an optional VW-derived automatic transmission – the Automatica was the only 1.5-engined version marketed in Italy. At the same time, the 60 L models for Italy and some export markets had its 1.1-litre 128 -derived engine replaced by

9064-682: Was discontinued in 2009; the name has remained retired since. Small family car In 2011, the C-segment had a European market share of 23%. The European segments are not based on size or weight criteria. In practice, C-segment cars have been described as having a length of approximately 4.5 metres (15 ft). As of 2021 C-segment category size span from approx. 4.2m to 4.6m Examples include Volkswagen Golf, Ford Focus, Citroën C4, Mercedes-Benz A-Class, BMW 1 Series, Audi A3, Škoda Scala, Honda Civic and Toyota Corolla. The most common body styles for C-segment cars in Europe are hatchbacks , and much less sedans and wagons/estates . In 2020

9167-426: Was discontinued. Better aerodynamics, lower weight, and engine optimizations combined to increase fuel mileage by around ten percent on most of the range. The 105 TC was relaunched with revised interior trim, a dashboard similar to that of the earlier Ritmo Super and an upper hatchback spoiler in place of the lower one. In Britain, seven-spoke alloy wheels replaced the earlier Speedline ones. In British advertising

9270-440: Was distinguished by quadruple round headlamps, a specific grille, steel sport wheels without hubcaps, chromed window surround trim, door handles and fuel cap, and black decorative striping along the sills and across the tail panel. Inside it gained a leatherette-wrapped steering wheels, perforated leatherette upholstery, extended four-gauge instrumentation, loop pile carpeting and black headlining. The two engines were developed from

9373-540: Was first introduced by Renault with the 1964 Renault 16 , which was elected the 1965 Car of the year in Europe . A review in the English Motoring Illustrated in May 1965 stated: "The Renault Sixteen can thus be described as a large family car but one that is neither a four door saloon and nor is it quite an estate. But, importantly, it is a little different." Even the later similar-sized cars like

9476-492: Was fitted with Recaro bucket seats in Britain and Ireland (optional in Europe) and it remained the only 1980s European hot hatch to continue utilise carburettors instead of fuel injection. Ignition timing was controlled electronically. Although appearing outwardly similar to the restyled 105 TC with its lower door and wheelarch trims, the 130 TC could be distinguished by its polished four-spoke alloy wheels (continued from

9579-463: Was front-wheel-drive, but was built in only saloon and estate body styles. Only the related Austin Maxi was a hatchback. The Hillman Avenger (marketed as a Chrysler Avenger 1976–1979 and as a Talbot Avenger 1979–1981) continued to sell well, in spite of the 1978 launch of the Talbot Horizon front-wheel-drive hatchback. The Ford Escort Mk3 went on sale in the autumn of 1980, replacing

9682-409: Was gained through slight alterations to the camshaft profile, a twin carburettor, and a twin exhaust system. Other differences included lower profile tyres ( Pirelli P8) and a close-ratio five-speed manual gearbox. The steering was also somewhat faster. By this time, the Ritmo range in Italy also included three- and five-door manual versions of the 75 CL and three-door 75 CL Automatica, with the price of

9785-601: Was hugely successful all over Europe. Within a decade, most cars of this size in Europe were front-wheel drive hatchbacks. These included the Fiat Ritmo (Strada in the UK), Ford Escort (from the MK3 model launched in 1980), Opel Kadett ( Vauxhall Astra in the UK), Renault 11 , and the Talbot Horizon (originally a Chrysler / Simca until Peugeot took over Chrysler's European division in 1979). Most manufacturers still offered

9888-457: Was only built as a 4-door sedan. Between 1973 and 1978, it was marketed as Fiat 128 L , with a 1.3-liter, 4-cylinder engine. Starting in 1978, a version with a 1.1-liter engine called the Fiat 128 San Remo was also offered . Until 2009, CKD kits from Zastava were manufactured by Egypt's Nasr car company as the Nasr 128 . The Yugoslav-exclusive hatchback variant (known as the Zastava 101) of

9991-401: Was over 150 km/h (93 mph) and 160 km/h (99 mph) respectively. The 128 3P was also assembled by SEAT in Spain as the SEAT 128 , Spanish cars were fitted with engines from the 124. Compared with the 128 saloon, the coupé had a 23 cm (9.1 in) shorter wheelbase (at 2,223 mm or 87.5 in), and tracks 20 mm wider at the front and 45 mm narrower at

10094-475: Was powered by a 1995 cc engine with power output increased to 130 PS (96 kW; 128 bhp). This was achieved by replacing the single Weber carb used in the 125 TC with twin Solex/Weber carburettors on a side-draught manifold, and via improved cam profiles. The 130 TC had a top speed of 195 km/h (121 mph) and accelerated from 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) in 7.8 seconds. It

10197-490: Was recorded. This put it fractionally behind the contemporary Morris 1300 on maximum speed but usefully ahead on acceleration. The two were closely matched on fuel economy, where both were outrun by the Ford Escort 1300 Super also included in the comparison, here in its four-door version. The Fiat's £876 manufacturer's recommended price was not too far above the Morris 1300's £830 and the Escort's £838. The testers commended

10300-517: Was replaced by the five-door Ritmo 100 S (also fitted with a 1,585 cc DOHC engine). The 130 TC Abarth benefitted from the same external changes as the other models, in addition to new wheels and interior trim. In 1986, a new diesel version was launched with a 1,929 cc intercooled turbodiesel (80 PS (59 kW; 79 bhp)), and was badged as the Ritmo Turbo DS (as a five-door only). While marketed across continental Europe,

10403-618: Was revived in Australia by the Fiat importer, Ateco , with the new Bravo sold there with Ritmo badging beginning in February 2008. This rebadging was due to the fact that, in Australia, Mazda had been using the name Bravo for its B Series pickup. Although pre-launch indication were that the Ritmo name would also be used for New Zealand, this never eventuated since Fiat were able to use the Bravo nameplate there. The new Ritmo sold slowly and

10506-527: Was sold in various European markets in petrol-engined form only (75S, 85S, 100S; some with fuel injection) until 1988. There were various special editions including the Ritmo Cabrio Chrono and Ritmo Cabrio Bianco (all white). A sedan version, the Regata , was launched in 1983 with limited success outside of Italy despite being sold more globally, including in Australia. Mechanically similar to

10609-575: Was ultimately resolved by the Arbitration Chamber of Paris in 1983, which found that the Ronda was sufficiently different from the Ritmo (much to the angst of Fiat due to rumours that its restyle was very close to that of the Ronda). As part of this dispute, SEAT showed a black Ronda with all the in-house developed components painted in bright yellow, in order to highlight key differences between

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