Category: Description

Detailed description of the FIAT 125

The versions

During the whole production period of the italian original model of the Fiat 125 existed only two versions: the normal-model (designated as Fiat 125 N, too) with 90 HP and the 125 Special with 100 HP. Beside the higher motor power and the fifth gear, the Special offered the still more luxurious equipment.

FIAT 125 side view

Until 1971, the bodies of the normal version and the Special only differed minimally: the normal version (picture above) had no chromium-plated wheel arches, the lateral chromed border was placed on height of the doorknobs, at the Special below the doorknobs.

FIAT 125 Special side view

From 1971 on however one could better differ the two models. The Special obtained a facelift (picture below), the anterior flashers were placed below the bumpers, from the backside it was to recognize better by large and horizontal rear lamps.

The normal version remained in its original form – from my opinion the more beautiful appearance. Both cars were built until 1972 and in some cases sold until the beginning of 1973. The successor FIAT 132 rolled off the assembly line in Turin as early as May 1972.

An “official” coupé variant of the FIAT 125 did not exist in Europe, but from 1969 the 1600 engine with an output of 110 hp was installed in the 124 Spider and Coupé. Not so in Argentina: From 1972, a pretty coupé based on the FIAT 125 was offered there, optically more in the style of the 60s and a very successful mixture of the design of the FIAT 1500 Vignale Coupé and that of the 850 Coupé – the designation was “FIAT 125 Sport”.

FIAT 125 Coupé (Argentinia)

A five-door station wagon named “Familiar” and a pick-up named “Multicarga” were also manufactured in Argentina exclusively.

Facts: On a view

The power

Like the Giulia from Alfa Romeo and the 1600-2 from BMW looking unobtrusive-elegant outwardly, the 125 had a temperamentfully heart, too: the engine managed by two overhead camshafts afforded 90 HP from 1.6 litres capacity yet in the normal version.

The intellectual father of the revving machine with the wonderfully Italian sound was largely the head of engine development Aurelio Lampredi, who designed the engines at Ferrari after his work at Piaggio, Isotta Fraschini and the aircraft manufacturer Reggiane in the post-war time.

The engine of the FIAT 125 is, after that of the FIAT 124 Spider from 1966, the second variant of what connoisseurs simply call the “Lampredi engine”. The block from the FIAT 124 was used, the camshaft below which was replaced by a secondary shaft that was driven by the toothed belt and drove the oil pump and ignition distributor. For the valve train of the “Lampredi engine” this was provided with a new three-part cross-flow cylinder head made of aluminum with two overhead camshafts.

The “Lampredi engine” was manufactured for a long time in numerous variants, modified in bore and stroke, with or without turbo-charging, and used in such well-known vehicles as the FIAT 131 Abarth, Lancia Delta, Alfa Romeo 155 Q4, and for a while also in the Morgan Plus 4. The engine brought in many victories in motorsport for FIAT and Lancia (For details see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fiat_Twin_Cam_engine).

In the FIAT 125 Special, which was subsequently submitted in 1968, a different carburetor provided even more pepper: 100 HP from an identical capacity were good enough for an acceleration of about 11.2 seconds from zero to hundred and a top speed of 170 km/h – values, that still a few years before had been stricly reserved to real sports cars!

Fast but safe: like the FIAT 1500, both FIAT 125 models had disc brakes on all four wheels. There was also servo support on the 125.

The power was – like usual for this class in the sixties – transfered to the back wheels, the Special came standardly with a five speed gear box which was very rare these days. The 5th gear was as an constructed as an energy saving “overdrive”.

FIAT 125: The equipment

The concept

The FIAT 125, released in 1967, was a real “wolf in sheep’s clothing”.

While the FIAT 124, released in 1965, became serious competition for the Opel Kadett, VW 1600 and Ford 12m in the lower middle class, the much more powerful and comparatively luxuriously equipped 125 was FIAT’s direct answer to the sporty, compact models from BMW and Alfa Romeo .

The body was based on that of the successful 124 model released in 1965, but was a good 18 cm longer, with 8.5 cm benefiting the wheelbase. The floor platform of the FIAT 124 was a new design with rear coil springs, for the 125 the existing floor assembly of the FIAT 1500 from 1961 was largely used; like this one, it had a leaf-sprung rear axle.

Head of the technical design department was Dante Giacosa, who started at FIAT as early as 1926 and wrote over half a century of automotive history there. He is already the “technical father” of the first 500 from 1936 (“Topolino”). At the end of his work, he successfully brought FIAT into the era of front-wheel drive with the 128, the reliability and advantages of which he had already demonstrated in 1964 with the pioneering Autobianchi Primula.

Together with the ingenious engine designer Aurelio Lampredi, Giacosa put a real Italian character piece on the wheels with the FIAT 125, which was cleverly placed in a growing niche in the market.

The naming of the new car continued what had started a year earlier with the FIAT 124: The factory-internal model number was simply used, as was the case later with the 126, 127, 128, 130, 131, 132 and 133 (It then started with the Fiorino and the Ritmo that names were used in 1977/78.).

Lots of engine power and plenty of space for five with compact external dimensions, extensive standard equipment and an affordable price – the overall concept of the FIAT 125 attracted attention on the market. And among the specialist journalists: in the 1967 “Car of the Year” vote, the FIAT 125 took second place – behind the revolutionary NSU Ro 80 and ahead of the Simca 1100.

FIAT 125: The power

The interior

The driver’s seat of the FIAT 125 looks comparatively modern for its 1967 year of publication. Chrome elements have not been dispensed with, but otherwise the cockpit has a playful, sporty character. Everything is within reach, the wait staff is not a mystery. In addition to the glove compartment, there is a continuous shelf under the dashboard. The colors of the indicator lights correspond to the now common standards. In the 125, warning lights also light up when a tank stop is required, when the handbrake is on or the choke is pulled (jump start button for a “richer” mixture during a cold start, for the younger ones …). The brightness of the instrument lighting is adjustable.

So, in terms of user-friendliness, the car can easily compete with modern colleagues. In comparison with today’s vehicles, the clarity on all sides is downright royal – thanks to the large and steep windows and a relatively high seating position, the driver can easily keep an eye on the traffic and the ends of the vehicle.

Thanks to the fabulous use of space, the FIAT 125 offered four to five people an enormous amount of space – the passengers in the back could also stretch out comfortably.

Of course, they had also thought of smokers, because at the end of the 1960s smoking was VERY important: The lighter was right next to the clock or the rev counter, an ashtray under the radio shaft and two more in the armrests of the rear doors.

The trunk was somewhat restricted by the tank on the right (in the picture under the blanket), but with a volume of approx. 400 liters, there was enough space for holiday luggage.

FIAT 125: The Versions

The equipment

What made the Fiat 125 attractive against the competition, was its extremely low price at high power – and the many standard “extras”!

In the “palmy days” of the 125 especially the Italians and Frenchmen offered cars with complete equipments, while the German “colleagues” gleamed only by long surcharge lists. For a price of 7492.50 DM (state: 1969), the 125 offered among others:

  • Disc brakes wraparound
  • Servo brakes
  • Four doors
  • Foot-operated wish-wash
  • Interval-windscreen wipers
    (A world premiere in a European production vehicle!*)
  • Interior mirror with anti-glare position
  • Sun visors can also be swiveled to the side, with map pocket on the left and makeup mirror on the right
  • Central armrest for the back seats
  • Lockable and illuminated glove compartment
  • Reclining seats
  • Child safeguard at the back doors
  • Reversing light
  • Daily mileage indicator
  • Electric clock
  • Cigarette lighter
  • Variable dashboard light
  • Illuminated motor and luggage space
  • Rubber-covered bumpers resp. horns
  • Hand gas draft regulator
    (presumably to be able to increase the idle speed in cold weather)

* The interval wiper was invented by Robert William Kearns. He presented it to Ford Motor Co. in a converted Ford Galaxie as early as 1963. The world’s first production vehicle with intermittent windshield wipers was the Australian version of the Ford Galaxie from 1965.

With the 125 Special came additionally:

  • Five-gear-box
  • Double halogen headlights
  • Double-sound horn
  • Continuous center console (until 1971)
  • Leather sleeve around the gear lever
  • Reading lamps in the fund
  • Red reflectors on all doors
  • Chrome-plated wheel arches and fresh air intake grilles

On request, the following optional equipment was available:

  • Steel sliding roof
  • Semi-automatic transmission “Idroconvert” only on early 125,
    fully automatic transmission only on the late 125 Special
  • Alu-rims
  • Rotation meter
  • Air-condition
  • Heatable rear window
  • Athermal windows
  • Artifical leather seats
  • Full leather interior

(Some of these special equipments were not available for the entire production period and in all countries.)

FIAT 125: The interior