120 Years of Fiat 3 1/2 hp

Do you know Carlo Racca, Emanuele Cacherano di Bricherasio, Lodovico Scarfiotti, Roberto Biscaretti di Ruffia, Cesare Goria Gatti, Luigi Damevino, Michele Ceriano, Alfonso Ferrero di Ventimiglia and Giovanni Agnelli senior? At least the last name might be a term for car fans, since he was the grandfather of Gianni Agnelli. Together with the other eight gentlemen, he founded the ‘Fabbrica Italiana Automobili Torino’ (Italian Automobile Factory Turin), F.I.A.T. for short in Turin on 11 July 1899, today part of the Fiat Chrysler Automobiles N.V. (FCA) group. Two smaller companies in Turin were taken over, including a bicycle producer which had already completed a car prototype called ‘Welleyes’. On this basis the first own automobiles were built.

As its first model the still young brand launched the 3 1/2 hp within the year of foundation. This vehicle has a two-cylinder engine located above the rear axle that produces 3.1 kW/4.2 hp from 679 cubic centimeters. These are transmitted to the rear wheels via a three-speed gearbox without reverse gear. Thanks to an unladen weight of only 680 kilograms, average fuel consumption was only eight liters on 100 kilometers. Marcello Alessio from Turin was responsible for the design and construction of the vis-à-vis body. According to official sources, 24 units were produced by 1900, of which at least four still exist today.

One of these four Fiat 3 1/2 hp belongs to FCA UK Ltd. and is normally on permanent loan to the National Motor Museum in Beaulieu. Together with the museum they made sure that the technology of the 120 year old vehicle is now roadworthy again. On November 3rd, the 3 1/2 hp is supposed to take the approximately 60 miles long route from Hyde Park in London to Madeira Drive in Brighton under its wheels at this year’s London to Brighton Run. Fiat supports this event as an official sponsor due to the 120th brand anniversary.

The London to Brighton Run was established when the Highway Act came into force in the UK, eliminating the need for a red flag man to run in front of every car to monitor the 4 mph speed limit. Instead, the national speed limit for some time now was 14 mph.

Images: Fiat