Fiat 124

The Fiat 124 was a small family car that Fiat of Italy built and sold from 1966 to 1974. It replaced the Fiat 1300 and was a clean-sheet design by chief engineer Oscar Montabone, borrowing only the all-synchromesh gearbox of the Fiat 1500. It offered a roomy interior, coil spring rear suspension, disc brakes on all four wheels and light construction. The saloon led to a five-door estate known at home as the 124 Familiare, to the four-seat 124 Sport Coupé and to the two-seat 124 Sport Spider, and it won the 1967 European Car of the Year award. Fiat licensed the design widely, and the Russian-built VAZ-2101 Zhiguli, sold abroad as the Lada, accounts for most 124-derived production, which makes the platform the fifth best selling in history. The Fiat 131 replaced it in Italy in 1974.