Polski Fiat 125p

In the 1960s, only passenger cars were manufactured at FSO factory in Warsaw in socialist Poland, namely the Syrena and Warszawa small car, a licensed copy of Victory. Even in the realities of a planned, socialist economy, there was a need for a new model. Although the model based on Warszawa was under development by FSO, it was decided to negotiate with the Italian Fiat , which sought to expand its international presence by creating production in the countries of the Eastern bloc ^[1] .

On December 22, 1965, a license agreement was signed on the production of medium-sized cars in Poland. The car model was specially developed for production in Poland - the body and brake system from the Fiat 125, transmission and other chassis elements from the Fiat 1300/1500 . The FSO plant has been updated to be able to cope with the assembly of a modern car. More than 100 Polish suppliers were involved in the production. Other manufacturers of Eastern European licensed models of Fiat were Zastava factories in Yugoslavia and the newly-opened VAZ in the Soviet Union. The pre-production process took almost two years, with tests of assembled cars from parts imported from Italy, which began on November 28, 1967. By the end of the year, 75 such machines were assembled ^[1] .

There were two main options that differ in engine: 1300 (1295 cc, 60 hp / 45 kW) and 1500 (1481 cc, 75 hp / 51.5 kW). Model 1300 entered mass production in 1968, and 1500 - in 1969. Production of 1,300 was discontinued in the 1980s.

Polish cars differed from Italians with four round headlights instead of four square ones, simple bumpers and grille, orange direction indicators in the front, old chassis and interior from Fiat 1300/1500. A less noticeable but significant change in the Polish Fiat was a safer, flat fuel tank, located above the rear axle, in contrast to a vertical Fiat tank on the rear right side. He also had disc brakes on all four wheels.

Unlike the Fiat 125, the car was available in the station wagon (PF 125p Kombi) and pickup, produced by Poland after the production of the Italian Fiat 125 was completed in 1972. The wagon received the British Estate Car of the Year Award in 1978.

There were several cars with original Italian 1600-cc (PF 125p Monte Carlo) and 1800-cc (PF 125p Akropolis) engines, designed mainly for racing. In a small series, an unusual version of an extended cabriolet with three rows of seats was also used, which is used by tourist offices in Warsaw for excursions.

A small restyling occurred in 1973, when the front chrome grille was replaced with black plastic, and in 1975, when a new black plastic grille appeared along with new direction indicators, enlarged horizontal taillights appeared (instead of thin vertical ones), and a slightly modernized interior. new plastic panel and steering wheel, decorative caps and modern forged wheels, new bumpers with horizontal rubber bands, replacing a pair of vertical fangs. The power of both engines was raised by 5 hp. (3.7 kW). Since 1983, the car was produced as a FSO 125p 1500/1300. In the late 1980s, the 125p received its latest update in the form of a transmission from FSO Polonez and a new instrument cluster with round dials instead of the classic Fiat speedometer.

The car was produced until June 26, 1991, and a total of 1,445,689 units were produced. By the time the design of the car was 24 years old, it used mechanical devices with minor improvements, which, in fact, was 30 years old.

Since 1978, there was a version with a completely new body - FSO Polonez , which became the successor of the car. It was produced until 2002.

In the UK and Ireland (where it has been available with the right-hand drive since 1975), the Polski Fiat was the cheapest car on the market - worth only £ 3,000 in 1991. He was well known for his style of the 1960s, as well as durable and comfortable seats, trimmed with artificial leather. Technically, the 125p was durable and reliable. The car body, however, was made of very poor quality steel and was extremely prone to rust. In addition, the power of the car was less than that of the Italians, but the handling remained with the original design.

By the time the car left, the Lada Riva , descended from the Fiat 124 , was the only similar Eastern European car available in the UK. Škoda abandoned its rear-engine row of sedans and coupes in favor of modern front-engined hatchbacks.

In Poland, among young people, Fiat 125p was called Kredens (dresser), Kant (Kant) or Bandyta / Bandzior (Bandit / Thug). The most common was the naming of Duaty Fiat (big Fiat), in contrast to the Fiat 126p which was called small Maluch / Mały Fiat . In Hungary, people used the name Nagypolski / Nagypolák (big Pole), while 126 called Kispolski / Kispolák (small Pole). In Yugoslavia, 125p was called Pezejac (126p was called Peglica ), which means “small iron”. In Czechoslovakia, it was called Polák . In Finland, the FSO 125p pickup was officially sold as the FSO Polle (horse).