“MI CHIAMO FIAT 124”: AT THE HERITAGE HUB, THE STORY OF THE ITALIAN SALOON THAT CONQUERED THE WORLD

• Starting today, the Heritage Hub in Turin is hosting “Mi chiamo Fiat 124” (“My Name Is Fiat 124”), an exhibition dedicated to a milestone in FIAT’s history and global mobility, celebrating the model’s 60th anniversary this year.
   
• Five vehicles showcase the many facets of the 124 family: from the renowned saloon and the car that starred in the legendary “Raid of the Two Capes” to the sophisticated Sport Spider and Coupé and the victorious Abarth Rally.
   
• The 124 was one of the first true “global cars”, a project that brought to the world a formula that still defines FIAT today, based on simplicity, innovation and accessibility.
  
   

TURIN, 28 SEPTEMBER 2026 - Sixty years ago, in March 1966, the Fiat 124 made its debut at the Geneva Motor Show, a modern, rational saloon destined to become one of the most important models in the Brand’s history. To celebrate this anniversary, from today until the end of November, the Heritage Hub in Turin is hosting the temporary exhibition “Mi chiamo Fiat 124”, which retraces it’s the model’s remarkable story through five vehicles from the Group’s prestigious collection, alongside an evocative selection of original period brochures. The exhibition is included in the standard admission ticket to the display venue at 80 Via Plava, which is open to the public every day except Monday. Tickets must be purchased online at the following link, with self-guided visits available on weekdays and guided tours at weekends.

Developed under the technical direction of Dante Giacosa, Fiat 124 offered a formula that appeared simple but proved extremely effective. Just over four metres long, the spacious and bright three-box saloon combined robust mechanicals with technical solutions that were advanced for its class. The 1,197 cc four-cylinder engine designed by Aurelio Lampredi produced 60 hp and featured a five-bearing crankshaft, while four-disc brakes, a rear suspension with coil springs and telescopic dampers, and a kerb weight of just 855 kg made the car modern and reliable. It was a perfect blend of practicality, innovation and quality that immediately won over the public and critics alike, earning the title of “1967 Car of the Year”.

The ability to build on a rational and versatile design to meet very different needs is one of the exhibition’s recurring themes. Alongside the Fiat 124 Saloon, the model that founded the family, visitors can see one of the 124 Specials that took part in the “Raid of the Two Capes”. Organised in collaboration with Quattroruote magazine, the 1970 expedition saw three cars travel from Cape Town to the North Cape, covering more than 40,000 kilometres in 51 days across three continents. Deserts, rough tracks, precarious bridges and extremely long distances tested both crews and cars, turning the expedition into an extraordinary real-world demonstration of the 124’s reliability.

The same engineering platform could also express a profoundly different character, evolving into versions that highlighted the sportier side of the 124 family. This is exemplified by the other three vehicles featured in the exhibition, beginning with the Fiat 124 Sport Spider, designed by Pininfarina and unveiled at the 1966 Turin Motor Show. Although it had not been conceived for competition, its sporting potential was soon recognised by private drivers, who began racing it. Alongside it, the Fiat 124 Sport Coupé, designed by the Centro Stile Fiat and previewed at the 1967 Geneva Motor Show, interpreted the same formula with a stronger performance focus, also thanks to its lively twin-cam engine, which was updated over the years with increasing capacities and power outputs. Finally, the exhibition route leads to the Fiat Abarth 124 Rally, the competition evolution of the Sport Spider that took the FIAT name to the forefront of international motorsport in the 1970s. Homologated in Group 4, it became one of the leading cars in rallying, achieving major results in the Italian, European and World championships.

The story of the 124 extends far beyond Italy. Its simple, robust and adaptable formula enabled extraordinary international success, making it one of the first true “global cars”. Produced by SEAT in Spain, LADA-VAZ in the Soviet Union, Tofaş in Türkiye and Premier in India, as well as assembled in many other countries, it reached a total of more than 20 million units worldwide over a period of more than forty years. FIAT production alone exceeded 1.5 million units, including more than one million saloons. These figures reflect not only the success of a car, but also a vision of accessible, global mobility that has long been part of the Brand’s history and continues to to shape its international strategy today, with a range designed around the needs of people, families and communities in different countries, combining accessibility, simplicity and an unmistakable touch of Italian flair.

TURIN, 28 SEPTEMBER 2026
 

Instagram @HeritageHubItaly Facebook @HeritageHubItaly YouTube @HeritageHubItaly

Per maggiori informazioni, contattare:
Team Stellantis Heritage: heritage@stellantis.com
www.stellantisheritage.com