Fiat 127 (1986) – Into the Wild

The Fiat 127 already appeared in the early 1970s and lasted more than fifteen years. Then we are talking about one and the same model, but one that has changed a lot in those years. In ‘Facelift Friday’ we already paid extensive attention to the fact that the 127 was later not only given other noses and butts, but even redesigned flanks. The previously spotted specimens were both from the early years and therefore had a strikingly steeply rising side window, while this later specimen has straight ‘shoulders’.

This gray car has all those changes, because it is an original Dutch car from 1986. This makes it the last year in which the 127 was used here. His successor Uno had already been there for three years and printed the 127 from the Italian production lines, but that did not stop Fiat. From 1983, the car also came from Brazil for the European market, where it already came off the production line. Those Brazilian 127s – and therefore all copies of the latest batch – are recognizable by a modified nose and butt. The bonnet continues downwards, while the taillights are placed higher than on the earlier Italian examples. Furthermore, the striking plastic frame of the rear lights and license plate is missing.

So this late 127 was, in fact, already outdated when it was new, but that just makes its survival to this day even more fun. After all, it is a bit like saving a Peugeot 206+ for posterity, although we would welcome that less strongly. The people who came into possession of the Italian Brazilian since the first episode in March 1986, almost without exception, kept it for years and apparently handled it with care. The current owner has been allowed to take care of it since 2017. It is not in concours condition, but we do not see any large holes, dents or other dangers. The ‘1050’ on the side also refers to the cylinder capacity of the only available engine in this series. 50 hp, it may just be enough in 2023.