Fiat 409

The Fiat 409 is a chassis for an urban bus of the midibus type, intended for specialist coachbuilders working for municipal transport companies that did not find in Fiat's original range vehicles suited to their needs. It was also common for municipal operators to have local coachbuilders use the Fiat Bus chassis. It was available in two series. The first, a short 409 chassis from 1962, was for Italian coachbuilders making urban buses of 8.50 metres with a capacity of 69 passengers and a gross weight of no more than 14 tonnes; it used the Fiat 220H, a special bus engine lying flat under the floor at the front, a six cylinder of 9161 cubic centimetres giving 153 horsepower. The second, the 409A short and 409AU standard from 1972, served all Italian and foreign coachbuilders for buses of 11.5 to 12 metres and about 90 passengers, with the 9819 cubic centimetre Fiat 8200 of 194 horsepower. Van Hool of Belgium also used it.