MG METRO TURBO
Catch me if you can
FIAT 130 COUPÉ
The Avvocato's signature
YEAR: 1972
Wanted by the “Avvocato”, the one with a capital ‘A’, and created to challenge much fancier three-litre cars, this 130 Coupé is a reference point in terms of style and build quality. Victim of the oil crisis of the early Seventies, it is now ready to bounce back as a historical car. Made to please, to last over time, and to show off Fiat’s expertise in the GT segment. Is one test driver for each car enough?
Historical background
Between design and oil crises
The mission was to compete against the most important marques in the executive saloon segment. For this reason, in 1969, after five years of development, the Fiat 130 was born. A year from the launch, however, the saloon’s sales were struggling to take off, due to the design—perhaps a tad outdated—and the diffidence of potential buyers, who didn’t consider the Turin marque prestigious enough for the production of premium cars. In March 1971, the 130 Coupé was introduced at the Geneva Motor Show, strongly advocated for by Gianni Agnelli and designed by Pininfarina—more specifically by Paolo Martin, father of the Lancia Beta Montecarlo and the Rolls-Royce Camargue (to mention a few).
It was simplicity that guided his pencil, as it often happens with timeless masterpieces. Fiat’s new creature came into the world showing off a stylistically original minimalism: zero frills and only a few, taut lines wisely traced for aesthetic purposes, as well as mechanical and structural. For instance, due to the raised position of the engine, the front box was rather cumbersome and compromised the harmony of the profile. Martin decided to lengthen the nose and bend it downwards to make the profile more pleasing to the eye. Likewise, the character line running along the side was meant to make it look slimmer. The result was a streamlined body, with a total length of 484 cm—9 cm longer than the saloon. The sharp profile was complemented by the 14” Cromodora rims that, at the time, were considered oversized. The head and tail lights, slightly oversized, lent the front and rear view a feeling of solidity.
The 130 Coupé was therefore created nearly from scratch, with no reference to the saloon or its predecessor, the 2300 Coupé, built a decade prior by Ghia following completely different stylistic trends.
Production was split between the Fiat Rivalta factory (body) and the Pininfarina factory (painting and assembly), and each vehicle was entrusted to a driver tasked with testing its proper functioning. Fiat spared no expenses for this coupé, and the first sales results were promising. The price of 4,950,000 liras, cheaper than the German competition, initially tempted the sceptics and stole more than a few customers from Mercedes and BMW. Fiat was on the right path, but due to the 1973 oil crisis the three-litre segment saw a drastic decrease in orders, and the 130 Coupé followed suit. It lasted on the market until 1977, with 4,500 vehicles produced, 980 of which had manual transmission. Virtually a limited series.
Technical specifications
- BODY STYLE: Coupé
- SEATS: 5
- LENGTH: 484.2 cm
- WIDTH: 176 cm
- HEIGHT: 138 cm
- WEIGHT: 1,555 kg
- ENGINE: Naturally aspirated V6
- DISPLACEMENT: 3,235 cc
- POWER OUTPUT: 165 hp
- FUEL TYPE: Petrol
- DRIVETRAIN: RWD
- TRANSMISSION: Manual
- SPEED: 195 km/h
Driving experience – Long distances
“A car for long distances,” said the slogan in 1972—confirmed by my friend Federico who, on pick up day, drove it to the garage of Passione Classica for about 150 km along the sunny motorways of northern Italy, warmed by the precious velvet of the upholstery and surrounded by the pungent smell of nightclubs trapped within the weave of the carpets for four decades.
This coupé is anything but frugal when it comes to consumption, and its thirsty 3,235 cc V6 has plenty of torque, keeping the car ready to accelerate, from any speed, without having to shift gears to recall power. The ZF manual transmission’s top speed of 195 km/h (5 more than the automatic) is thus easy to reach. The limited-slip differential does its job perfectly, giving the driver a nice feeling of agility in twisty roads, although it should be said that they are not quite the natural habitat of this Italian car. The 130 Coupé loves suburban roads and motorways, where the pace picks up and comfort emerges as the main quality of this model.
Its cosy seats and the high-quality materials used for the interior, such as carpeting, briar-root, and velvet (the latter derived from the fabric used in trains and therefore very sturdy), are a clear example of 1970s design. The beautiful wheel with perforated spokes and the seat pattern that is repeated on the ceiling upholstery are no exception. Considering the elegance of the passenger area, it is easy to imagine how Gianni Agnelli played an active role in Paolo Martin’s choices.
A true gem amongst the accessories, a lever that opens the passenger door, located near the steering wheel and attributed to the Avvocato himself: a touch of chivalry towards the fair sex.
Passione Classica’s Fiat 130 Coupé
Picked up from an important collector, this 130 Coupé has always lived in the northeast of Italy, between the provinces of Udine, Treviso, and Vicenza. As mentioned, it is one of the 980 produced with manual transmission—a choice that, at the time, made it about 200,000 liras cheaper, give or take.
Although the fabric of the seats was in very good condition at the time of purchase, the colour was a little faded by time in some spots (pictures available). After a long research, I decided to completely restore the seats, whose bright orange (rigorously conforming to the original), now seems to be overflowing from the luxurious passenger area. The same orange was used for the mats—custom-designed and produced—that, finished with a double stitching, has the same pattern of ceiling and seats. The result is really surprising, and a great match for the Aluminium body (code 616).
After the usual tune-up, Passione Classica’s Fiat 130 Coupé Manual took place in the collection as the last Fiat of its segment, a victim of its time, but also a witness of the excellence of a Made-in-Italy coveted and appreciated by connoisseurs.
Driving experience – Long distances
“A car for long distances,” said the slogan in 1972—confirmed by my friend Federico who, on pick up day, drove it to the garage of Passione Classica for about 150 km along the sunny motorways of northern Italy, warmed by the precious velvet of the upholstery and surrounded by the pungent smell of nightclubs trapped within the weave of the carpets for four decades.
This coupé is anything but frugal when it comes to consumption, and its thirsty 3,235 cc V6 has plenty of torque, keeping the car ready to accelerate, from any speed, without having to shift gears to recall power. The ZF manual transmission’s top speed of 195 km/h (5 more than the automatic) is thus easy to reach. The limited-slip differential does its job perfectly, giving the driver a nice feeling of agility in twisty roads, although it should be said that they are not quite the natural habitat of this Italian car. The 130 Coupé loves suburban roads and motorways, where the pace picks up and comfort emerges as the main quality of this model.
Its cosy seats and the high-quality materials used for the interior, such as carpeting, briar-root, and velvet (the latter derived from the fabric used in trains and therefore very sturdy), are a clear example of 1970s design. The beautiful wheel with perforated spokes and the seat pattern that is repeated on the ceiling upholstery are no exception. Considering the elegance of the passenger area, it is easy to imagine how Gianni Agnelli played an active role in Paolo Martin’s choices.
A true gem amongst the accessories, a lever that opens the passenger door, located near the steering wheel and attributed to the Avvocato himself: a touch of chivalry towards the fair sex.
Passione Classica’s Fiat 130 Coupé
Picked up from an important collector, this 130 Coupé has always lived in the northeast of Italy, between the provinces of Udine, Treviso, and Vicenza. As mentioned, it is one of the 980 produced with manual transmission—a choice that, at the time, made it about 200,000 liras cheaper, give or take.
Although the fabric of the seats was in very good condition at the time of purchase, the colour was a little faded by time in some spots (pictures available). After a long research, I decided to completely restore the seats, whose bright orange (rigorously conforming to the original), now seems to be overflowing from the luxurious passenger area. The same orange was used for the mats—custom-designed and produced—that, finished with a double stitching, has the same pattern of ceiling and seats. The result is really surprising, and a great match for the Aluminium body (code 616).
After the usual tune-up, Passione Classica’s Fiat 130 Coupé Manual took place in the collection as the last Fiat of its segment, a victim of its time, but also a witness of the excellence of a Made-in-Italy coveted and appreciated by connoisseurs.
Price
€ 31,000.00
The cars in my garage
