1968 Fiat 850

The rear-engine, rear-wheel-drive Fiat 850 (project code name 100G) was produced from 1964 through 1973. It was an evolution of, and based on, the Fiat 600 but had its capacity increased to 843 cc. Two versions were offered including the 'normale' with 34 horsepower and the 'super' with a slightly higher horsepower rating of 37 hp. Top speed was achieved at nearly 80 mph.

During its production lifespan, various special editions and body styles were offered, including the 850 Spider, 850 Coupe, 850 Familiare, and 850 Special. The Fiat 850 Special was launched in 1968 and shared its 47 horsepower engine with the 850 Coupe. It came with front disc brakes, 13-inch wheels, and a sport steering wheel.

For 1968, the Fiat 850 was available in the United States as a sedan, convertible, and fastback coupe. The two-door sedan was a new bodystyle for 1968. Pricing began at $1,400 for the sedan and rose to nearly $2,100 for the convertible. The styling on the sedan was different than the spider and coupe, with a vertical front panel that housed an insignia and single round headlamps. The fastback coupe, priced at nearly $1,900, had a vertical-panel front end, four round tail lamps, and a squared-off rear end. The spider had a curvaceous and round profile with recessed headlamps.

The overhead-valve four-cylinder engine displaced 49.9 cubic-inches and offered just over 40 horsepower, and was backed by four-speed manual transmission.

by Daniel Vaughan | Oct 2019