The Fiat 130 - A beautiful disaster. But how does it drive?

I was so happy to finally drive a 1971 Fiat 130. Was it everything I hoped for? A 2.8-litre V6 engine unique to the 130 is a very good start, but what is this commercial failure like to drive?
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[@gileshalliwell3591]

Italians at the time were happy driving a non premium brand as the risk of kidnapping was so high… Also, Fiat had always covered the market top to bottom so people weren’t as surprised to see them making the 500 and the glorious Dino Coupe! It’s only us Brits who are so hung up and shortsighted!

[@alastairward2774]

Was that what they called the years of lead? They weren't far off Northern Ireland for a while.

[@eolobrontolo9117]

​@@alastairward2774 Yes. 😔

[@ultimobici.]

@@alastairward2774You could walk into an Alfa Romeo dealer and order from the factory an Alfetta Blindatta with armour and bulletproof glass.

[@michaelbenardo5695]

Us too. Witness the VW Phaeton. They say it was a great car, but Americans refuse to pay expensive car prices for a Volkswagen. Chevrolet introduced a big V8 car in 1917 that cost what a Buick cost. Americans refused to buy it because the badge said "Chevrolet", as Chevys were and are supposed cheap.

[@thecentralscrutinizer1758]

I've always been a fan of 'square' cars rather than curvy cars. Despite this, as a kid I never really hankered after the 130 saloon but looking at it now I'm in awe. It looks absolutely magnificent. To me this is exotica.

[@yrooxrksvi7142]

What about the 130 coupè ? That's one gorgeous and understated beauty there.

[@thecentralscrutinizer1758]

@@yrooxrksvi7142 I prefer this to the coupe. I can't explain why, I just do.

[@igordewit7357]

@Retired Bore pedestrians should get off their phones,and look around when crossing a street..That way they will not get killed.

[@yrooxrksvi7142]

@@thecentralscrutinizer1758 I like both tbh

[@johndeacetis4707]

A more elegant larger styling saloon of the original fiat 125..

[@Andyface79]

I've known about this car for years and have never seen anyone do a review of it. Most people are very dismissive of it, and that's why I like this channel. You have your own opinion and offer refreshing views on cars that have been written off by the automotive press. Also being from the US, I love learning about cars that we never saw here, and how different cars are built and equipped for different markets.

[@arnonmus1]

Well summed up, I couldn't agree more, Ian's way of presenting is unique (in the most positive sense)

[@riccardocarver5317]

it was a beautiful car, better the 3,2, but impossible to find spare parts

[@giuliopedrali4794]

A mix of Italian design with simple lines of Fiat berlinas of the sixties and a bit teutonic chromes and heaviness

[@manfredschmalbach9023]

Gotta second this comment wholeheartedly. My liking of HubNut reviews does derive from the unique, intelligent and independent thinking and expressing of views and details You wouldn't hear so anywhere else.

[@nlpnt]

The front of these always reminded me of a '68-72 Chevy Nova. The interiors were very different, the Nova being an economy car and trimmed as such!

[@brendanhurley8780]

Fiats of that era were rusting when new on our forecourt. As a youngster, I remember an early 132 rusting away behind my fathers garage (along with a number of other traded in Fiats). What amazed me at the time was how the little light clusters and dash lights were illuminated by fiber optic cable from one bulb.

[@jfv65]

That was really the case for all cars of the 1970's. When you got the car new you would go and have the car rust protected using dinitrol, tectyl or waxoil. The once that were done well probably are the ones we can now still enjoy as classic cars.

[@nygelmiller5293]

@@jfv65 like my Austin Allegro! I sold it in 2001, without rust (At 21 years old. And THAT had been Z I e b a r t e d!

[@nygelmiller5293]

Fists DID have an exciting engine tonevif you put your foot down, and a silent tone if you drove gently, so you could hear the radio! Same as the MGB!

[@nygelmiller5293]

Thanks for testing this beautiful classic! But do you think I might "persuade" you, (Mafia NOT involved) to test the COUPE as well, as I do like this one, but am in the COUPE's fan club!

[@iangrice329]

Fiber optic were still used in the MK1 uno, fantastic idea. Plastic fingers were used in pandas.

[@williamegler8771]

One of the most beautiful vehicles ever but it faced the same problems as mass-market brands trying to sell expensive up-market models. It's easier to sell a base-spec Mercedes Benz to a Ford owner than a Ford to a Mercedes Benz owner. Most people aren't going to pay a premium price for a mass-market nameplate.

[@HubNut]

Some truth in that. They were pretty expensive too!

[@martijnappeldoorn8686]

Yes, like a Volkswagon phaeton, from what i’ve heard a very good car, but still a volkswagon…..

[@michaelwright2986]

That's true, indeed, but doesn't seem to apply in Japan. High-end Toyotas sell in the domestic market as Toyotas, with no need of an invented luxury brand (though I think they have introduced the Lexus brand into the JDM now). The lovely Nissan Skyline I had sells in the US as the Infiniti. I wonder why the difference?

[@GoldenCroc]

@@michaelwright2986 Home turf brands and less status snobbery are the main reasons I think. Also, US and UK are surely some of the most status obsessed western countries when it comes to cars.

[@jamesrobert4106]

​@HubNut Some cars styling does not age well. This car seems to have improved with the passage of time. A truly glorious design.

[@marcelhandsome6042]

I find this era of Fiat captivating, and intriguing I owned a 1983 Fiat 131 Mirafiori Panorama (estate) the car mechanically was first-rate, the engine was wonderful and magnificent! started the first time every time! very reliable! but was let down by bodywork door panels rusting at the sills steel was made from recycled Russian steel at the time. I replaced the car with a 1985 Fiat Uno 70S 4-door a superb small car! rust/corrosion was sorted out by that year, most cars I've owned since never gave me the same feeling or fun factor!

[@michaeltutty1540]

MacPherson invented the strut suspension for a Chevrolet project in England. When the car was shelved, he left and went to Ford, taking his patent with him. Ford used the struts first on the Consul, followed by Zephyr and Zodiac. Colin Chapman liked the idea because it added lightness, so he modified the design to be used in the rear of Lotus cars. That is one lovely car indeed. Just to show how different things are this side of the pond, this "large" car, with its 107 inch wheelbase is smaller than the smallest domestically produced Chrysler product in 1974, the Dodge Dart/Plymouth Valiant twins, which were amongst the least expensive domestic cars. Back then cars were bought by the pound, and import duties added a bunch to the prices. Still, an unusual and very lovely car indeed

[@chrisrumble2665]

Actully Earle McPherson did his original design in the U.S.

[@Banglish123]

Never heard of or seen one of these before. You can definitely see the looks of the 131 and 132 that came later.

[@colchiccoduvapassa]

the biggest resemblance is with fiat 125 that was the predecessor of 132. if you can give importance to the opinions of a child (I was 9-12 at the time) in Italy the design of 130 was not really impressive because we had seen 125 before. i was impressed by dimensions, and expecially the engine, cause 3200 cc were a lot for an italian sedan. we saw so big engines only on mercedes and jaguar.

[@linrepboras]

My first car was a Fiat 132 with a very revvy 1800cc dual overhead cam (as I recall it), in any way: It had the same type of "cruise control" (manual, lockable trottle) as the 130 and it was a kamikaze feature; Setting it on a speed on level road meant it would slow down substansially in any uphill but go wild crazy in the next downhill. Fun car on winter roads (snowy - I'm Swedish) with the weight distribution front/rear something like 80/20 (a bit subjective). The italian metal did not like Swedish climate so it slowly desintegrated spreading bit's and pieces of itself in the surroundings as we travelled between home and the univeristy where I studied. Electronics - metallurgy possibly would have been better, atleast for the Fiat.

[@spxram4793]

they got a lot of cheap soviet steel contracts in exchange for building "Toliatti" in Russia, and it was commercially decided to use it. It was a disaster, as anything from Russia still is.

[@unlearningcommunism4742]

Fiat 132 was the first car that I have ever driven. Field in my village in Serbia, 9 years old me and FIAT

[@thomas05ish]

That grill and twin headlights remind me of late 60s Vauxhall Victor . I read years ago that Hilda Baker (remember her anyone?) had a 130 but not sure if it was a saloon or coupe.

[@paulbennell3313]

When I was a kid there was a timber yard near where we lived. The owner had a silver one of these. I remember it being parked out front every day. It had blue velour seats and tinted glass. I was suprised Fiat made such a posh car. Fast forward 2 or 3 years and it had been relegated to the field at the back of the timber yard along with a Commer PB pickup truck. I went over the fence one evening for a look. The sills and wing tops had vanished and a couple of the doorskins were falling off. There were big rust holes along the top of the windscreen and around the sunroof. I found the whole business quite depressing as presumably did the owner. It had been such a beautiful car and it was only 5 or 6 years old by then. Such a shame. In spite of that I've always had a soft spot for them. Big, comfortable, respectably fast and very classy. Just my kind of motor.

[@richardsmith579]

A friend of mine had a new one when I worked in the Middle East, it had sublimely comfortable blue velour seats, it was smooth, quiet and comfortable. A truly great car.

[@protestagain]

I was about to buy one like this when I was in the military 43 years ago. Had an errand in town and ended up with a car salesman who had one like this for sale, previously owned by a ship owner. This was on a Friday, so I couldn't fix the finances just then and when I arrived on Monday, luckily it was sold, but I've always liked the sedan and especially the coupe.

[@adrianmclean9195]

You would be surprised just how many of the coupes are in Australia - running and in good condition. I love their orange interiors and the Ferrari connection engine. They are not small. Quite a lot of it, equates with the Australian standard family car basics, but obviously in a far more upmarket and more engineered way. Melbourne is a good place to see soooo many restored European cars.

[@sebastianzavattieri3973]

I reckon there would be more coupes surviving in Australia then there would sedan/berlinas. Lots of berlinas were left to rust because parts were so expensive and hard to get over here. Melbourne is home to a number of 130s luckily

[@neodonkey]

Stunningly beautiful, much more so than the coupe. Absolutely gorgeous car!

[@RobertWilliams-ur5gi]

The 130 was a rare sight on UK roads but I was lucky to see one. However, they were rust buckets. I owned a 132 which is the only car that you could hear rusting while you drove it.

[@eddiestevenson-kaatsch6306]

I had one too... sorry Ian, I know, but I've owned SO many weird and wonderful cars in my time. Mine was Mediterranean Blue, with the 3.2 engine. I think it ended up with Martin Buckley, but I might be mistaken. Mine had a rotted out exhaust, which was beyond my means to have specially fabricated (Fiat had destroyed spares, possibly out of pique). so I cobbled up a system from aftermarket cherry-bombs, expansion chambers, and cross-pipes about half-way down, which I judged was needed. The outcome was louder than standard, but what a glorious wail, just like a Ferrari ! As a 'spirited' driver back then (I drove everything nine-tenths, everywhere), I can attest that it had excellent handling and grip. In fairness, it wasn't that thirsty either, by comparison with, say, Jaguars of that time. I seem to recall I had ribbed velour seats in matching blue, and chrome bezelled round dials. Mine was one of very few, I imagine, right-hand drive examples, ever made.

[@1240enzo]

I too had a blue 3.2 130 sedan and alas yes mine rusted away. Out here in Australia, all 130 sedans and coupes were RHD so no there were more than just a few RHD examples. My brother has currently 2 sedans and two coupes. He has previously had another 2 sedans and a coupe but alas they are no more. The UK, NZ and South Africa also would have received RHD 130s.

[@Schlipperschlopper]

@@1240enzo In Russia they sold one or two to Breschnew with the V8 4.5 litre 200HP OHV engine that was in fact a Fiat construction later adapted by the soviets to their heavy government cars as 5.4 GAZ 13 and GAZ 14 engine. Originaly Fiat wanted to build a FIAT 140 V8 with that engine but due to oil crisis they "only" build the 130 V6 2.8 and 3.2 - with the huge alluminum V8 (200HP 350NM torque) the 130 flies like a Ferrari and has the rumbling sound of a Maserati V8 !

[@graemew7001]

What a delicious engine note, LPG makes it all the more of a tempting proposition and I agree, rather that than the coupe version, just for the corpse carrying capacity alone lol

[@biker_dan]

Punkah Louver is the correct name for the round vent on the dash. First introduced on submarines, then used on buses and transfered to cars. Just an interesting fact you might like. 😊😊

[@dorsetoctaviaman]

In my 2nd year Italian class for retired people, today we found the expression 'cucire la bocca a qualcuno' (to shut somebody up). I thought...very Mafia-like, and I also thought: HubNut's just reviewed the luxury Fiat with the perfect boot for disposing of grasses (English slang for an informant) - see 5:23. Mamma mia! Che bella macchina. So nice to see one intact apparently not chewed by tin-worm.

[@pit_stop77]

The 132 was my favourite in the 80's. You can see the evolution from 130 to 132/131 in it 👍

[@HubNut]

130 isn't really in that evolution as it was never replaced. It is fun to watch evolution though.

[@jaggass]

Looks like a MK2 Cortina at the back and sounds lovely as well.

[@seanoneillsongs]

I think the coupe was one of the most elegant cars of its time and, to me it looks still stunning today. Maybe I need glasses.

[@steveboatronics]

Ian, in 1982/3, I owned a beautiful 130 Berlina 3200. Metallica Blue with opulently piped tan fabric seats. It was a ‘74 (N reg) model, and I just loved it! One of my regretful mistakes was selling that car; the other was selling a ‘64 Alfa Romeo 2600 Sprint that I had in 1974. If only we could rewind the VHS Tape of Life…

[@Kai-Peter.Schellhase]

Watch The Mechanic from 1972 to see one of these at full chat. A very cool car indeed. Thanks Ian for showing it to us.👍

[@jo05dk]

I've always liked the look of the 130 sedan. It's the very definition of classy to me. ..and even young me, a kid in the 70s, thought so btw. Such a shame it didn't become a success.

[@Boa74]

It didn't but for good reasons. Fuel consumption was crazy, something like 3 km/l and it was very expensive, more than double of the 132. It was impossible to sell in Italy

[@ajpdaniels]

That mixed strip and dial dash - plus the radio and heater controls - absolute mish mash of fabulous design - wonderful

[@eeclass20]

My walk to school back in the early 70's took me past the local Fiat dealers, I only ever spotted a couple of 130 saloons and just a single 130 coupe(one of the best ever Pininfarina designs IMO). I seem to recall reading that the engine was deliberately under tuned so as not to upset Ferrari! Sadly I have never seen a 130 saloon or coupe since those school days.

[@dino2400]

Love the review !! Though I loved and owned the coupe for many years, I love the memory of seeing one in my street when I was 10-12? Even my father (also a bit of a petrolhead) went berserk. But the saloon really deserves some serious attention too, thank you !!

[@walidghlamallah1682]

It is so classic, I've never seen befor. Thank you.

[@alansorbie4038]

In 1990 or so CAR magazine ran a series of articles entitled “Lemons” which gave a brief, tongue in cheek, retrospective review of cars which never really quite hit the mark or were as good as they could have been. The Morris Marina, TR6, Mercedes w123 250 all featured. The Fiat 130 was included. I don’t recall ever seeing one on the road but it looks quite a cool motor in your video!

[@zm321]

About 10 years ago the local auto electricians in my town was working on one. It was rough and I later saw it advertised in Classic Car Weekly for under a grand!

[@SwindonSwine]

This is such a beautiful car, I agree with you that it looks more timeless than the coupé version

[@a1white]

Lovely styling on the grille. So rare to see a fiat of that age that hasn’t rusted away. In know my old Regatta didn’t last so long 😅

[@jackiron4785]

Ah, the Regatta. Not one of Fiat's best. 😢

[@a1white]

@@jackiron4785 probably not my finest purchase 😅

[@DarioAmedeoMartino]

In 1983 my father had the 3.2 liter version with manual transmission. I was just a kid, but I loved this car and its engine. It was very comfortable also compared with German premium brands. But there was issues for spare parts availability also in '83-85 and even for my father that was the owner of an official Fiat Service. He sold it after two or three years mainly for this reason and because high fuel consumption. But he always talked about Fiat 130 as a very high end car. Usually we had summer trips with a very large caravan towed by 130 and I clearly remember my father enthusiast about the stability also towing the caravan. I have very good memories related to this car! ❤

[@JakobusVdL]

Great video Ian, haven't seen one of these for many decades. The square Fiat 130 saloon looks even better than I (vaguely) recall, and it sounds fantastic! Passes the wiper test with aplomb too!! No triangle of doom, and limited valley of dispair, Forza Fiat!!!

[@johngrubb1590]

I agree never will that sound get old, beautiful sound track.

[@UberLummox]

Can't be more than 10 or 20 of these here in the US of A or Canaduh. COOL car. Thanks for the review, mang! GREAT to see so many people on bicycles there!

[@AndreiTupolev]

Perhaps the duplication of electric window switches and manual winders was because even Fiat themselves didn't trust their own electrics 🤔

[@RVPartsGerald]

Thank you Ian for bringing back fond memories of my brief career at Knibbs Fiat. The engine sound of the 130 was fantastic.

[@alunhoskins4513]

Love this car. My 1970 FIAT 500 also has that hand throttle/cruise(!) control. A little ’ring pull’ down under the dash, a bit of a reach. Pull the cable and the throttle pedal moves with it. I think it’s intention was a warming up aid rather than cruise control. Took me several years to even spot it there.

[@johndutton9739]

Another fine vid - love the almost regality of these big fiats - I remember back in the late 80s a few being in autotrader. That radio is mad. Lovely to see one on the road - great test. Thanks, really took me back.

[@thomasalbrecht5914]

Great car and great video. One remark though: the 2300 certainly wasn’t a larger version of the four-cylinder cars, it was rather much the other way around. It came out as the 1800/2100 with a 6-in-line as one of those cars that Pininfarina designed in the late 1950s by photocopy (Peugeot 404 and BMC Farinas being the others), and it was a fairly large car. It was restyled after just two years because the difference between the 1800 and the 2100 proved too small on the market to sell the bigger engine. So the 2300 got beefed up by 200 cc and got a quad headlight face, while the 1800, now called the 1800 B, retained the original design with just 2 headlamps under the characteristic eyebrows that marked the fenders from the hood. Probably in order to make producing the large body shell less uneconomical, the 1800B was then given a four cylinder sibling, the 1500L, which had the engine of the compact 1500C, in an operation similar to the Simca Chambord V8 being turned into the Ariane. That’s why I say it’s the opposite of what you say at the start. And just as the Simca Ariane, these four cylinder cars were destined to the taxi market, where they were very popular in a way that the 1800 could never have been. The six cylinders had ungodly thirst, but not equally impressive performance, although the 2300 engine made the corresponding Coupé a very capable car on motorways...

[@HubNut]

Thanks. There's an Ariane coming in a future museum tour...

[@lexvanderlaan963]

What a great video again to shine light on one of the most underestimated cars ever. I know them well, very well. My father bought one brand new back in 1973. From that moment I was addicted to these cars. It´s like a red line in my life. Till now I´ve owned about 80 saloons and I´m on coupe number 58.... the one shown here in this video was also mine and I restored it years back. I´ve had them in curious shapes and forms, Recently I got my second armoured saloon, the first one was registred on Umberto Agnelli´s name. Also a hearse version and I even lived for one year in the one of camper 130!! I guess it will continue till I take my last breath and that´s ok. You got to have to do something in life right? Cheers to all and should you seek a nice sample, contact me, Glad to help fellow 130 lovers

[@HubNut]

Wow. Thanks for the comment!

[@stuartdodman9817]

There is one of these sitting in an open barn 5min from my place. I didn't know what is was until I saw this-thank you HB!

[@jed954]

Fun to see you drive from zaltbommel to Brakel and back over the Waaldijk. Greetings from inhabitant of Zaltbommel

[@and4263]

Fabulous review of a perennial underdog, so glad you featured it and concluded that it's excellent, I'd always hoped it would be! Thankyou.

[@StevensPaul]

Few of these still here in Arizona/New Mexico. We have a 71 stored in the back of the property...it has March of 1982 Plates on it. An original Quebec car, which is somewhat odd. It's Rust free to boot 🥾👢😜!

[@danishaftab2464]

Learning so much from you. My passion for older unique car. Felt if I were road testing this grand fiat.. well done..

[@icascone]

GORGEOUS!! It is NOT "HubNut" but understand your rationale... I'm just glad you did a review on these, it seems best of both worlds (ie sports and sedan)

[@grayfool]

Never seen one. Seen a couple of coops which are very lovely. Very cool. Well done for finding this one Ian.

[@paultaylor9652]

I prefer the Fiat 131 myself being a 1980's teenager Mr HubNut. Now I've not seen one of those in many a year now, as most of them disintegrated within a couple of years from manufacture. Great video, as its nice to something very different than the normal classic car show gathering.

[@jonflude3451]

So nearly bought a dark blue 130 saloon back in the 80’s. It was beautiful. Got a p6 v8 rover instead. Great review, thanks.

[@joelwebster8227]

I was six when my dad's 130 was delivered: I loved it. The interior is much sparser in reality than in my memory. I remember the blinds, the electric windows and the amazing comfort!

[@chrisdoney8578]

Really enjoyed this vid Ian. This is the type of content that 1st attracted me to the channel 4ish years ago 👌

[@mattinieminen9826]

I have seen only one of those in Finland, and it was owned by Headconsul of Italia in Turku. And he was Eero Kestilä. Very rare vehicle indeed.🇨🇮

[@1010abcdefgh]

God that's stunning... gotta say I've always loved the 132 aswell. Friend of my brothers had a 2litre 132 with an Alfa sud exhaust system, sounded immense!!

[@georgmichaelcoermann890]

Fiat 130 was more on the margin of all salons in the 70s, I remember Vergleichtests in Auto Motor Sport magazine. When I saw the engine compartment I was thinking, there would be enough space for a small V8, combined with a manual transmission, sports road gear, that would make the Fiat 130 a real sports sedan.

[@mattw8332]

What a great road test. 😍 I am very impressed that you got to drive this Ian and I'm a bit jealous too. The 130 saloon is one of my favourite classic cars. It has a spot in my 'fantasy garage' alongside a mark 1 Citroen CX and Porsche 928 GT amongst a others. 😎 The saloons are like a stretched and widened 124 or 125 with a sinister look at the front. I think there are perhaps 6 or less of these in the UK. Pretty sure they were replaced by the 132 in 1976. I am sure that the styling of the 130 coupé influenced the design of the Ford Granada mark 2. 🙂

[@trueg66]

The fiat 132 is the successor to the fiat 125 and went into production in 1972.

[@mattw8332]

@@trueg66 Thanks for the correction. I didn't realise that the 132 was launched as early as 1972. 🙂

[@sandrodunatov485]

@@trueg66 yep correct, the 125 herself was concocted in just 6 months as the American-looking design of the initially very successful 1300-1500 went totally out of fashion in the late 60s and the all-new 132 was years in the making. So Dante Giacosa had to patch together a car (underpinnings/engine of the 1500, stretched/enlarged 124 body, same door frames as the 124) , the 125, that become a resounding success. The larger and much more ambitious 130 was an expensive luxury car designed (a long and thorough design) to compete with Mercs and Jags, but failed to impress potential buyers, despite being technically appreciated, as the "Suez" oil crisis zeroed sales of high displacement cars in Italy (VAT ended up to be set at 38% for cars over 2000 cc displacement) , same fate of the large Alfa 6 sedan. The 130 ended up to be largely the mandatory, dark-blue, state-sanctioned limo for state officials, party leaders, motorized senators, state industry execs and the like. Prime minister Aldo Moro was kidnapped in 1978 by the infamous Brigate Rosse terrorist organization while on a 1973 Fiat 130 (the escort, 6 people, were all killed, mostly in cold blood) and the car is still in existence, bullet holes and all, in a state car test center in Rome. Being large and flashy, the 130 was never popular with organized crime members (despite the inviting luggage compartment).

[@trueg66]

@@sandrodunatov485 What a wonderful addition to the video, thanks for all these facts and also for the stories. After some searching I even found a clip from a movie about the Prime Minister's kidnapping on youtube: Fiat 130 in film: Year of the gun, ontvoering Aldo Morro.

[@andypreston1524]

What a gorgeous looking car. Absolutely stunning 😊😊😊😊

[@johnchurch4705]

A friend dad in junior school had a 130 Berlina. Metallic blue with grey velour interior. First car I had been in with electric windows and automatic transmission, it was fitted with an 8 track/ radio with an electric aerial, would love one today.

[@andrewmcphee8965]

Beautiful styling, nice motor, thanks for the video, enjoyed it a lot!

[@channelfiftyfive055]

The 130S Coupe, was exquisite, but the 4-door had its own charm. A thing of beauty that looked years ahead of its time. Pity about quality control issues.. .

[@JS-1983]

That's so good looking car, i think there isn't bad angle to look at it, and yeah it sure make right noises 👍 I have to agree, this saloon looks much better than coupe, but coupe would be nice to own too, but never gonna afford either of them...

[@BigPaul62]

It's like a large Fiat 125 but that V6 sounds beautiful. I think i still prefer the look of the coupe though. It's a shame that Fiat have never made a really successful large car in the UK at least, even the excellent Croma didn't sell many.

[@Blackadder75]

it's hard to sell a car with that name . In the netherlands the name was used by a major brand of baking fat / oils. You would bake sausages in Croma, not drive in it.....

[@daniellee9015]

Absaloutly brilliant video Ian ❤👍what a beautiful car I love it beautiful piece of Italian history love that v6 noise what an amazing car brilliant

[@ciaranburke3243]

Glorious car I had posters on my wall as a kid of the coupe and saloon thanks for bringing this review years since I've seen a real one 😀👍

[@EyesWideOpen61]

I can’t believe you got your hands on one of these. My sentiments echo yours, what a cool car. I’ve only seen one at a car show

[@patrickyorke3028]

Great presentation, lovely car, almost forgotten.

[@albertseabra9226]

A gorgeous looking Car, a Fantastic Presantation. Congratulatios and Thank you for this intelligent, interesting video. Warm Regards, A.

[@Dan_druft]

The coupe is better looking with that orange draylon interior. The lines are better on the 2 door as well. I've always loved these but hardly anybody knows of them. They look great in that metallic blue.

[@eggweed_productions]

My grandfather had a rather pompous friend who had one of these (think Arthur Lowe!) Due to the links with Ferrari due to the engine designer he thought it fair to refer to his Fiat 130 as ‘the Ferrari’! Hmm. Not quite!

[@anthonyxuereb792]

One Aussie race car champ was given one of these as part of an evaluation on its release and he murdered it.

[@Stevieboy130664]

Coupe was a beauty! Saloon/sedan looked like a bigger and more imposing and special 132. I wouldn't mind either but the Coupe would be my choice. I only ever saw one in the flesh - and that was when they were nearly new.

[@LEO-os1jc]

130 coupe, was a dream..

[@ThreeCoos]

Thanks, great video - I can't remember seeing one of these before, they probably dissolved rather quickly up here in Scotland ☹

[@Bruce-vq7ni]

My Father had an (L reg) 1973 version - The later 3.2 model in blue. I recall a very different interior and dash. A dash board in black with many round dials - Like being in an aircraft cockpit - - And the thing was very quick over south Devons rolling hills - Unfortunatly at 6 years old it was already being attacked by the tin worm.

[@robertcasey1083]

Great to see,my friend actually has 3 of them,one is the actual sales brochure model...if you ever in Ireland,look him up..

[@midnightblue1874]

Man It looks magnificient, especially front part ,so simple and clean. I love it's boxiness...

[@michaelstaunton1632]

Another great video on the channel well done 👍👍

[@davidhinkson8856]

Always wanted to find out more about this car - only ever saw one in person when I was very young in the early '70s. Interesting that it has both window winders and power window switches; it'd be good if they did that on modern cars so you'd have an alternative if the window switches or motors fail!

[@trespire]

At the turn og the late '70s and early '80s, The Fiat 131 and 132 are clear in my memory as very attractive cars. I was a young lad growing up in England at that time, and Fiat had a very comprehensive range from 600 to the 132. I would wish FIAT offer today such excelent designs and a full range of cars.

[@murrieteacher]

That throttle lever was also on the 125 and 125S. And it was deactivated by foot brake application. You missed the unique radiator fan, the 4 wheel disc brakes and all the dash lights for park, low beam and high beam and also the light to say you had about a gallon of fuel left. There were lights in the glovebox, engine bay and boot. And they were (along with all fiats at that time) imported to Australia as deck cargo on submarines, which explained the rust. Grin. With a set of Bilstein shocks and a few other tweaks they were magic in the mountains. A very enjoyable video, brought back fond memories.

[@studiocalder818]

A truly fantastic car. I remember an article by Quattroruote of the time: it told of the unique 130 imported by the Italian ambassador in the USA and of the disbelief it aroused around

[@webersteve1547]

Wow, rare car, thank you for showing us

[@21stcenturyozman20]

I was offered a 130, at a good price, in the late '70s; it was well maintained, same anthracite colour as the one in this video, and rust free (we don't salt the roads in Australia). I took it on approval for a week (private neighbourhood sale) and was very impressed with its driveability. However, true to my expectations, the electricals let it down too many times (Italian auto-electrics were the continental twin of Lucas Prince of Darkness) so I decided against the purchase.

[@christopherbaglin4314]

Ooh, cords and sandals- suitably retro, Mr Hubnut!

[@antonhoward9027]

2 minutes walk from my house there are a pair of 130's that have been sitting on a drive since the 80's, one blue in remarkable condition and the other in silver in a more advanced state of decay but still amazingly intact.

[@terabyte1695]

Ian i had a 132 Gls ,loved it Great car.

[@percyob1]

Beautiful! Thanks Ian.

[@DomRivers67]

I had an orange Miriafori 131 Sport and a 132...both manual 2000 twin carb cars, both went like the clappers.....or seemed to back then, I suspect they would feel a bit pedestrian nowadays

[@johncunningham4820]

They can be something of a Money-Pit . I owned one LONG ago now . Australian Delivery . 3.2 . They DO go well and Handle REALLY well . Just some crazy design decisions in them , make them Nightmarish when things go wrong . Overall a Lovely car . Classic looks and Comfort . That Engine SCREAMS OUT for a 5-speed Manual however . That would improve the Fuel Mileage as well .

[@JakobKsGarage]

I feel exactly the same way! You always see the coupe and never the berline. So thanks!

[@peterriggall8409]

Beautiful. Would not be many of these left. Thanks to owner for preserving it.

[@mrknoklene]

Great video! 🙏

[@kevingraham2733]

I love the sound of that engine, beautiful

[@davidy80]

A friend had one of these back in the 80's, and I'm ashamed to say I'd didn't get it at the time. Forty years on, I can see it for the beautifull car it is. How about a classic Fiat in the Fleet Mr Hubnut?

[@danielrussell446]

That would be cool

[@markcollins457]

This Fiat looks surprisingly like a BMW of the Era. IT really has a great presence I have always liked a big boxy sedan.

[@mauriziotodeschi9977]

Bmw 60's 70's design italian Giovanni Michelotti

[@arnonmus1]

Thank you Ian for that test, a source of great vicarious pleasure! I agree that the design is more pleasing than that of the coupe, although the quality of some of the plastics used in the interior must have detracted from the car even in the 1960s. Were they ever produced with a manual box?

[@HubNut]

A five speed manual was a rare option.

[@johnclayden1670]

An interesting car. In 1976 I had the occasion to be driven in northern Nigeria from Kano to Maidugari and vv and can confirm that the rear seats, even during Ramadan, were comfortable indeed.