1969 Fiat 124

Fiat 124 (Saloon/estate), 1966-1974

The Fiat 124 was in production from 1966 until 1974. Styled in-house, it is a front-engine, front wheel drive saloon and estaterange seating five adults.

The 124 began as an unremarkable small family car. It was the first model to use the new twin cam engine, combined with a monocoque construction and simple body. But the 124's position in history came not for itself, but for the mobilisation it gave to the developing world. In Russia, a factory conceived by Togliatti produced the design under licence from Fiat as the lada. It would also be built in Turkey, Poland, Spain, Korea, Bulgaria ad Egypt under myriad badges and with myriad facelifts. As the Lada Riva the 124 survived well into the 21st century, and if we add together the production totals for all 124 derivatives it's almost certain that the Beetle's record of 21 million built would be eclipsed.

While almost all the foreign variants were uprated and strengthened, they lost the Fiat's original ace - its sweet drivetrain. Not only did it rv happily and pull well, but the steering was direct, the ride enjoyable, and as with so many Italian cars it drove better than its market position dictated. The 124 also begat the larger 125 - 124 drivetrains and shell mounted on the older Fiat 1500 floorpan and lengthened appropriately, as a mid range option for those seeking something more prestigious than the 124 itself.

Rivals when new would have included the Alfa Romeo Giulia and the Lancia Fulvia, though both of these would have been more expensive new. Outside of Italy, the Volkswagen Type 3, Peugeot 204 or Citroen Ami 8 might have been considered as alternatives, while in Britain the Austin1 100 and the Ford Cortina took most of the sales from the 124's target market. Today, with very few 124 saloons left, its successor the 131 might be a viable alternative - or if you must have a car that looks like the 124, perhaps the FSO 125p or the Lada Riva might be worth considering. It's worth noting however that the engineering in these cars is not the equal of the Fiat - and work may need to be done if you want them to drive as well.