Fiat Seicento
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The Fiat Seicento (Type 187) is a
city car The A-segment is the first category in the passenger car classification system defined by the European Commission. It is used for city cars, the smallest category of passenger cars defined. A-segment sales represented approximately 4.2% of the ...
produced by the
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company
Fiat Fiat Automobiles S.p.A., commonly known as simply Fiat ( , ; ), is an Italian automobile manufacturer. It became a part of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles in 2014 and, in 2021, became a subsidiary of Stellantis through its Italian division, Stellant ...
, introduced at the end of 1997 as a replacement for the
Fiat Cinquecento The Fiat Cinquecento (Type 170) (, ) is a front engine front-wheel-drive, four passenger, three door hatchback city car manufactured and marketed by Fiat from 1991 to 1998 over a single generation. It was manufactured at Fabryka Samochodów MaŠ...
, although it was also based on the Cinquecento. The Seicento did not differ much from its predecessor, retaining the same engines, chassis and general dimensions, although it did gain a minor 90 mm in length (total length of 3,340 mm). Like its predecessors, the Cinquecento and Polski Fiat 126, the Seicento was built in Fiat's factory in
Tychy Tychy (Polish pronunciation: ; ) is a city in Silesia in southern Poland, approximately south of Katowice. Situated on the southern edge of the Upper Silesian industrial district, the city borders Katowice to the north, Mikołów to the west, Bie ...
,
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. From March 1998 to April 2004, 1.1 million units of the Seicento had been produced. The Seicento name comes from the Italian word for 600; the Seicento is the spiritual successor to the
Fiat 600 The Fiat 600 (, ) is a small, rear-engined city car and Economy car, economy family car made by Italian carmaker Fiat Automobiles, Fiat from 1955 to 1969 — offered in two-door fastback sedan and four-door Multipla mini MPV body styles. The 60 ...
. The car was rebadged as the 600 to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the original model.


Euro NCAP performance

In
Euro NCAP The European New Car Assessment Programme (Euro NCAP) is a European voluntary car safety performance assessment programme (i.e. a New Car Assessment Program) based in Leuven, Belgium. Formed in 1996, the first results were released in February ...
crash tests, the Fiat Seicento was only awarded a 1.5 star rating, and fractionally beat the worst contenders in the history of Euro NCAP, namely the Rover 100 (a restyled Rover Metro, in turn directly based on the Austin Metro) and the original
Chrysler Voyager The Chrysler Voyager (and the long-wheelbase Chrysler Grand Voyager) is a minivan produced by the Chrysler division of Stellantis. In the current lineup, it is positioned as the lower-end Chrysler minivan, having replaced the Dodge Grand Carava ...
MPV. By comparison, another small car, the
Smart Fortwo The Smart Fortwo (stylized as "smart fortwo") is a two-seater city car manufactured and marketed by the Smart (marque), Smart division of the Mercedes-Benz Group for model years 1998–2024, across three generations — each using a rear-engi ...
, earned three stars in the crash test.


Versions


Trims/Equipment

At launch, the Seicento was available with three trim levels; a basic 'S' with black bumpers and spartan equipment and initially the 899 cc FIAT 100 series engine; the 'SX', which was a slight upgrade over the 'S' and included colour coded bumpers, electric windows, central locking and a sunroof. The 'SX' was also available as a 'Citymatic' which features clutchless manual gearchange, and a 'Sporting' with the larger FIAT FIRE series 1,108 cc engine, lower suspension and anti-roll bars added. Cosmetically, this version gained 13" alloy wheels and sports seats. An
Abarth Abarth & C. S.p.A. () is an Italian racing- and road-car maker and performance division founded by Italo-Austrian Carlo Abarth in 1949. Abarth & C. S.p.A. is owned by Stellantis through its Italian subsidiary. Abarth's logo is a shield with a ...
styling kit was also available consisting of a body kit with optional Abarth 14" wheels. A close ratio gearbox, sill kick plates, embroidered headrests, leather gear lever and steering wheel, colour highlighted trim in the bumpers, side skirts and a spoiler also available. Both the 'Sporting' and the Abarths were available with ABS, air conditioning and power steering, but due to cost, not very many owners took up the options. In 1999, the FIRE engine was used in the special 'Suite' version, which came with air conditioning. A special edition called the 'Soleil' was available in some markets, which was based on the 'SX' model, but came with a full-length electrically folding fabric roof. In October 2000, after the update, all cars were given clear indicator lenses, with the Sporting model getting a restyled bodykit.
Power steering Power steering is a system for reducing a driver's effort to turn a steering wheel of a motor vehicle, by using a power source to assist steering. Hydraulic or electric actuators add controlled energy to the steering mechanism, so the driver can ...
was still optional on lower end Seicentos. A '
Michael Schumacher Michael Schumacher (; born 3 January 1969) is a German former racing driver, who competed in Formula One from to and from to . Schumacher won a record-setting seven Formula One World Drivers' Championship titles, tied by Lewis Hamilton in ...
' edition of the Sporting, with ABS and the Abarth styling kit, was also launched at this time to celebrate the
Ferrari Ferrari S.p.A. (; ) is an Italian luxury sports car manufacturer based in Maranello. Founded in 1939 by Enzo Ferrari (1898–1988), the company built Auto Avio Costruzioni 815, its first car in 1940, adopted its current name in 1945, and be ...
driver's
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success. This model was almost identical to the 'Sporting' with the Abarth kit with the exception of a chrome gear lever surrounds and Michael's signature on the boot lid and side skirt. A limited edition plate and number was located on the passenger door. The model was officially withdrawn from the market in the
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in 2004, and production of
right hand drive Left-hand traffic (LHT) and right-hand traffic (RHT) are the practices, in bidirectional traffic, of keeping to the left side or to the right side of the road, respectively. They are fundamental to traffic flow, and are sometimes called the ' ...
models ceased, following the arrival of the new and more practical
Panda The giant panda (''Ailuropoda melanoleuca''), also known as the panda bear or simply panda, is a bear species endemic to China. It is characterised by its white coat with black patches around the eyes, ears, legs and shoulders. Its body is ...
. The
left hand drive Left-hand traffic (LHT) and right-hand traffic (RHT) are the practices, in bidirectional traffic, of keeping to the left side or to the right side of the road, respectively. They are fundamental to traffic flow, and are sometimes called the ' ...
model was facelifted, gaining a new design for the wheels, and the introduction of the new
Fiat Fiat Automobiles S.p.A., commonly known as simply Fiat ( , ; ), is an Italian automobile manufacturer. It became a part of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles in 2014 and, in 2021, became a subsidiary of Stellantis through its Italian division, Stellant ...
logo to the rear.


Fiat 600

In 2005, the name ''Seicento'' was replaced by ''600'' (in celebration of the 50th anniversary of the first edition, in 1955) together with some changes to the front fascia and in the interior with the name
Fiat Fiat Automobiles S.p.A., commonly known as simply Fiat ( , ; ), is an Italian automobile manufacturer. It became a part of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles in 2014 and, in 2021, became a subsidiary of Stellantis through its Italian division, Stellant ...
now written on the seats. The new versions now are named "Class" and "50th Anniversary", denoting the strict relationship between this model and the previous one.


Engines

The Seicento was available with two engines: the old 899 cc
Overhead valve An overhead valve engine, abbreviated (OHV) and sometimes called a pushrod engine, is a piston engine whose valves are located in the cylinder head above the combustion chamber. This contrasts with flathead (or "sidevalve") engines, where the v ...
engine used in early base S and SX models (which was removed from West European markets due to emissions regulations), and the 1,108 cc
FIRE Fire is the rapid oxidation of a fuel in the exothermic chemical process of combustion, releasing heat, light, and various reaction Product (chemistry), products. Flames, the most visible portion of the fire, are produced in the combustion re ...
and used in the Sporting version since launch). Both used single point injection. The latter was fitted universally with multi point fuel injection from 2001, replacing the old 899 cc unit due to the tightening emission regulations.


Elettra

Until 2005, Fiat also produced a
battery-electric A battery electric vehicle (BEV), pure electric vehicle, only-electric vehicle, fully electric vehicle or all-electric vehicle is a type of electric vehicle (EV) that uses electrical energy exclusively from an on-board battery pack to power ...
version of the Seicento called the Seicento Elettra. Originally produced in serial quantities in
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from 1996 to 1998, production moved to
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for the remaining years where it was built to order. The Seicento Elettra featured a 30 kW
three-phase Three-phase electric power (abbreviated 3Ï•) is a common type of alternating current (AC) used in electricity generation, Electric power transmission, transmission, and Electric power distribution, distribution. It is a type of polyphase system ...
asynchronous electric motor powered by eighteen 12V lead-acid batteries in the engine bay and beneath the rear seats. The Seicento Elettra's top speed was and its range was .


Tuning

German tuner Novitec created a special edition of the Fiat Seicento, adding a
turbocharger In an internal combustion engine, a turbocharger (also known as a turbo or a turbosupercharger) is a forced induction device that is powered by the flow of exhaust gases. It uses this energy to compress the intake air, forcing more air into th ...
and six speed gearbox to the little car. The German tuner is able to extract from the 1,108 cc FIRE engine. Other tuners include the
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company, who produced an aggressive bodykit and also considered installing a 1.6 litre engine.


Future replacement

The car ceased production in 2010. Although no direct replacement was announced, much of the market territory it once occupied had already been filled by the new
Fiat Panda The Fiat Panda is a city car manufactured and marketed by Fiat Automobiles, Fiat since 1980, currently in its third generation. The first generation Panda, introduced in 1980 as the Mk1, was a Car body configurations#Two-box design, two-box, thr ...
(2003) and the
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(2007), as well as the budget model
Fiat Palio The Fiat Palio is a supermini car released by the Italian manufacturer Fiat in April 1996. It was produced until 2018 as hatchback, and 2020 as a wagon. The Palio is a world car and was developed by Fiat Automóveis with an aim at developing ...
.


Production figures


References

{{Modern European Fiat vehicles
Seicento The Seicento (, ) is Italian history and culture during the 17th century. The Seicento saw the end of the Italian Renaissance, Renaissance movement in Italy and the beginning of the Counter-Reformation and the Baroque era. The word means "six hu ...
City cars Euro NCAP superminis 2000s cars 2010s cars Cars introduced in 1997 Cars discontinued in 2010 Electric car models