Fiat Seicento
Encyclopedia
The Fiat Seicento is a city car
produced by the Italian
company Fiat
, introduced in late 1997 as a replacement for the Fiat Cinquecento
. The Seicento did not differ much from its predecessor, retaining the same engines, chassis and general dimensions, although it did gain a minor 9 cm in length (total length of 3.34 m). The design was similar too, in which the Seicento kept the same 3-door hatchback body, instead of the 5-door mini MPV
look seen on many Korea
n and Japan
ese city cars, such as the Daewoo Matiz
and Suzuki Wagon R
. Like its predecessors, the Cinquecento and Polski Fiat 126
, the Seicento was built in Fiat's factory in Tychy
, Poland
. From 1998 to April 2004, 1.1 million examples 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 car was rebadged as 600 to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the original model.
crash tests, the Fiat Seicento was only awarded a 1.5 star rating, and fractionally beat the worst contenders in the history of EuroNCAP, namely the Rover 100
/Rover 600
and the original Chrysler Voyager
MPV. This is not so surprising, as the car has an extremely short front-end and keeps many components from its predecessor, originally conceived in 1991.
In comparison, another small car, the Smart Fortwo
(which has a shorter front end), earned three stars in the crash test. These cars started production in 1998 and are not designed for 1997 started EuroNCAP tests.
In 1999, the FIRE engine was used in the special 'Suite' version, which came with air-conditioning. A special edition 'Soleil' model was available in some markets, which was based on the 'SX' model but came with a full-length electrically-folding fabric roof.
After the 2001 update, all cars were given clear indicator lenses, with the Sporting model getting a restyled bodykit. Cars built from this period also come with Power steering as standard. A 'Michael Schumacher
' edition of the Sporting, with ABS and the Abarth styling kit, was also launched at this time to celebrate the Ferrari
driver's Formula One
success, This model was almost identical to the Abarth kit with the exception of chrome gear stick surrounds and Michaels signature on the boot lid and door trim. a limited edition plate and number was also on the dash.
In 2004 the model was withdrawn from the UK market and production of right hand drive models ceased, following the launch of the arrival of the new and more practical Panda
. The left hand drive model was facelifted gaining a new shape of wheel rims and the introduction of the new Fiat
logo in the rear.
is written on the seats. The new versions now are named "Class" and "50 anniversary", thus reminding the strict relationship between this model and the previous one.
(29 kW / 40 hp) engine used in early base S and SX models (which was removed from West European markets due to emissions regulations), and the 1108 cc FIRE
(40 kW / 54 hp and used in the Sporting version since launch), was fitted universally with multi-point fuel injection from 2001, replacing the old pushrod units. There was also a version with an electric engine (30 kW / 41 hp).
version of the Seicento called the Seicento Elettra. Originally produced in serial quantities in Italy
from 1996 to 1998, production moved to Poland
for the remaining years where it was built on order. The Seicento Elettra featured a 30kW three-phase asynchronous electric motor powered by 18 12V lead-acid batteries in the engine bay and beneath the rear seats. The Seicento Elettra's top speed was 100km/h and its range was 90km.
Novitec created a special edition of the Fiat Seicento, adding a turbocharger and six-speed gearbox to the little car. The German tuner is able to extract 101 hp (74 kW) from the 1,108 cc FIRE engine. Other tuners include the venerable Giannini
company, who produced an aggressive bodykit and also considered installing a 1.6 litre engine.
(2003) and the 500
(2007), as well as the Fiat Palio
budget model.
City car
A city car is a small car intended for use primarily in an urban area.City cars are sold worldwide and most automotive industry manufacturers have one or two in their line-up. In North-America city cars are often referred to simply as "subcompacts" alongside the superminis. These kind of cars...
produced by the Italian
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
company Fiat
Fiat
FIAT, an acronym for Fabbrica Italiana Automobili Torino , is an Italian automobile manufacturer, engine manufacturer, financial, and industrial group based in Turin in the Italian region of Piedmont. Fiat was founded in 1899 by a group of investors including Giovanni Agnelli...
, introduced in late 1997 as a replacement for the Fiat Cinquecento
Fiat Cinquecento
The Fiat Cinquecento was a city car designed by Giorgetto Giugiaro launched by Fiat in late 1991 to replace the Fiat 126. It was the first Fiat model to be solely manufactured in the FSM plant in Tychy, Poland, which had been sold to Fiat by the Polish state, and where production of the Polish...
. The Seicento did not differ much from its predecessor, retaining the same engines, chassis and general dimensions, although it did gain a minor 9 cm in length (total length of 3.34 m). The design was similar too, in which the Seicento kept the same 3-door hatchback body, instead of the 5-door mini MPV
Mini MPV
Mini MPV is a car classification used to describe superminis or subcompacts which have taller build, fitting below the compact MPV and large MPV classifications....
look seen on many Korea
Korea
Korea ) is an East Asian geographic region that is currently divided into two separate sovereign states — North Korea and South Korea. Located on the Korean Peninsula, Korea is bordered by the People's Republic of China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and is separated from Japan to the...
n and Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese city cars, such as the Daewoo Matiz
Daewoo Matiz
-M100 :The production of Daewoo Matiz started in 1998 and it was sold in South Korea and many European markets with the code name M100. The exterior design is based on the Lucciola, a Fiat Cinquecento concept by Italdesign Giugiaro which had been rejected by Fiat. The 0.8-litre gasoline engine and...
and Suzuki Wagon R
Suzuki Wagon R
The Suzuki Wagon R is a kei car first introduced in Japan in 1993, and is still in production by Suzuki. The R stands for Recreation. It is one of the first cars to use the "tall wagon or tall boy" design in which the car is designed to be unusually tall with a short bonnet and almost vertical...
. Like its predecessors, the Cinquecento and Polski Fiat 126
Fiat 126
The Fiat 126 is a city car introduced in October 1972 at the Turin Auto Show as a replacement for the Fiat 500. Most were produced in Bielsko-Biała, Poland as the Polski Fiat 126p until 2000...
, the Seicento was built in Fiat's factory in Tychy
Tychy
Tychy is a city in Silesia, 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, Bieruń to the east and Kobiór to the south...
, Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
. From 1998 to April 2004, 1.1 million examples 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
Fiat 600
The Fiat 600 is a city car produced by the Italian automaker Fiat from 1955 to 1969. Measuring only 3.22 m long, it was the first rear-engined Fiat and cost the equivalent of about € 6,700 or US$ 7300 in today's money . The total number produced from 1955 to 1969 at the Mirafiori...
. The car was rebadged as 600 to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the original model.
EuroNCAP performance
In EuroNCAPEuroNCAP
The European New Car Assessment Programme is a European car safety performance assessment programme based in Brussels and founded in 1997 by the Transport Research Laboratory for the UK Department for Transport and backed by several European governments.-History and activities:Euro NCAP is a...
crash tests, the Fiat Seicento was only awarded a 1.5 star rating, and fractionally beat the worst contenders in the history of EuroNCAP, namely the Rover 100
Rover Metro
The Metro is a supermini car that was produced by the Austin Rover Group division of British Leyland and its successors. It was launched in 1980 as the Austin miniMetro. It was intended to complement the Mini, and was developed under the codename LC8....
/Rover 600
Rover 600
The Rover 600 Series is a compact executive car produced by the British car maker Rover from 1993 to 1999.The Rover 600 exterior was designed by Rover, a re-skin of the Tochigi-developed Honda Accord, also built in the UK by Honda in Swindon...
and the original Chrysler Voyager
Chrysler Voyager
The Chrysler Voyager or Chrysler Grand Voyager is a minivan sold by the Chrysler division of American automobile manufacturer Chrysler Group LLC...
MPV. This is not so surprising, as the car has an extremely short front-end and keeps many components from its predecessor, originally conceived in 1991.
In comparison, another small car, the Smart Fortwo
Smart Fortwo
The Smart Fortwo is a rear-engined two-seater city car manufactured by Smart GmbH, introduced at the 1998 Paris Motor Show as the Smart City Coupé, and currently in its second generation...
(which has a shorter front end), earned three stars in the crash test. These cars started production in 1998 and are not designed for 1997 started EuroNCAP tests.
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 engine; an 'SX' model, a slight upgrade over the 'S' with colour coded bumpers, electric windows, central locking and a sunroof - which was also available as a 'Citymatic' with a clutchless manual gearchange - and a 'Sporting' with the larger FIRE 1.108 cc engine, 20 mm (0.78740157480315 in) lower suspension and anti-roll bars added. Cosmetically, this version gained 13" alloy wheels, sports seats. An Abarth styling kit was also available with a body kit with optional Abarth 14" wheels a close-ratio gearbox, sill kick plates, embroidered headrests, leather gear stick and steering wheel, blue 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 'Soleil' model was available in some markets, which was based on the 'SX' model but came with a full-length electrically-folding fabric roof.
After the 2001 update, all cars were given clear indicator lenses, with the Sporting model getting a restyled bodykit. Cars built from this period also come with Power steering as standard. A 'Michael Schumacher
Michael Schumacher
Michael Schumacher is a German Formula One racing driver for the Mercedes GP team. Famous for his eleven-year spell with Ferrari, Schumacher is a seven-time World Champion and is widely regarded as the greatest F1 driver of all time...
' edition of the Sporting, with ABS and the Abarth styling kit, was also launched at this time to celebrate the Ferrari
Ferrari
Ferrari S.p.A. is an Italian sports car manufacturer based in Maranello, Italy. Founded by Enzo Ferrari in 1929, as Scuderia Ferrari, the company sponsored drivers and manufactured race cars before moving into production of street-legal vehicles as Ferrari S.p.A. in 1947...
driver's Formula One
Formula One
Formula One, also known as Formula 1 or F1 and referred to officially as the FIA Formula One World Championship, is the highest class of single seater auto racing sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile . The "formula" designation in the name refers to a set of rules with which...
success, This model was almost identical to the Abarth kit with the exception of chrome gear stick surrounds and Michaels signature on the boot lid and door trim. a limited edition plate and number was also on the dash.
In 2004 the model was withdrawn from the UK market and production of right hand drive models ceased, following the launch of the arrival of the new and more practical Panda
Fiat Panda
The Fiat Panda is a city car from the Italian automobile manufacturer Fiat. The first Fiat Panda was introduced in 1980, and was produced until 2003 with only a few changes. It is now sometimes referred to as the "old Panda". The second model, launched in 2003, is sometimes referred to "New Panda"...
. The left hand drive model was facelifted gaining a new shape of wheel rims and the introduction of the new Fiat
Fiat
FIAT, an acronym for Fabbrica Italiana Automobili Torino , is an Italian automobile manufacturer, engine manufacturer, financial, and industrial group based in Turin in the Italian region of Piedmont. Fiat was founded in 1899 by a group of investors including Giovanni Agnelli...
logo in the rear.
Fiat 600
In 2005 the name Seicento was replaced by 600 (in occasion of the 50 anniversary of the first edition, in 1955) together with some changes in the front and in versions dotations: now the name FiatFiat
FIAT, an acronym for Fabbrica Italiana Automobili Torino , is an Italian automobile manufacturer, engine manufacturer, financial, and industrial group based in Turin in the Italian region of Piedmont. Fiat was founded in 1899 by a group of investors including Giovanni Agnelli...
is written on the seats. The new versions now are named "Class" and "50 anniversary", thus reminding the strict relationship between this model and the previous one.
Engines
The Seicento is available with two engines: the old 899 cc OHVOverhead valve
An overhead valve engine, also informally called pushrod engine or I-head engine, is a type of piston engine that places the camshaft within the cylinder block , and uses pushrods or rods to actuate rocker arms above the cylinder...
(29 kW / 40 hp) engine used in early base S and SX models (which was removed from West European markets due to emissions regulations), and the 1108 cc FIRE
Fully Integrated Robotised Engine
The FIRE is a series of automobile engines from Fiat. It was designed by Italian design firm Rodolfo Bonetto . It is constructed by robot assembly plants to reduce costs....
(40 kW / 54 hp and used in the Sporting version since launch), was fitted universally with multi-point fuel injection from 2001, replacing the old pushrod units. There was also a version with an electric engine (30 kW / 41 hp).
Elettra
Until 2005 Fiat also produced a battery-electricBattery electric vehicle
A battery electric vehicle, or BEV, is a type of electric vehicle that uses chemical energy stored in rechargeable battery packs. BEVs use electric motors and motor controllers instead of, or in addition to, internal combustion engines for propulsion.A battery-only electric vehicle or...
version of the Seicento called the Seicento Elettra. Originally produced in serial quantities in Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
from 1996 to 1998, production moved to Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
for the remaining years where it was built on order. The Seicento Elettra featured a 30kW three-phase asynchronous electric motor powered by 18 12V lead-acid batteries in the engine bay and beneath the rear seats. The Seicento Elettra's top speed was 100km/h and its range was 90km.
Tuning
German tunerEngine tuning
Engine tuning is the adjustment, modification or design of internal combustion engines to yield optimal performance, to increase an engine's power output, economy, or durability....
Novitec created a special edition of the Fiat Seicento, adding a turbocharger and six-speed gearbox to the little car. The German tuner is able to extract 101 hp (74 kW) from the 1,108 cc FIRE engine. Other tuners include the venerable Giannini
Giannini Automobili
Giannini Automobili S.p.A. is an Italian tuning company as well as a past producer of its own cars. Their focus has mainly been on Fiat cars. It was originally founded in 1920 by brothers Attilio and Domenico Giannini. The company headquarters are in Rome, Italy.-Origins:Originally founded in 1920...
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 has been announced, much of the market territory it once occupied had already been filled by the new Fiat PandaFiat Panda
The Fiat Panda is a city car from the Italian automobile manufacturer Fiat. The first Fiat Panda was introduced in 1980, and was produced until 2003 with only a few changes. It is now sometimes referred to as the "old Panda". The second model, launched in 2003, is sometimes referred to "New Panda"...
(2003) and the 500
Fiat Nuova 500
The Fiat 500 or Fiat Nuova 500 is a city car built by Italian automaker Fiat since 2007. The car is currently produced in Tychy, Poland by Fiat Auto Poland S.A. and in Toluca, Mexico, by Chrysler Group LLC. The four-seater, three-door hatchback 500 is almost identical to the retro concept car...
(2007), as well as the Fiat Palio
Fiat Palio
The Fiat Palio is a small family car designed by Fiat as a world car, aimed at developing countries. It is produced in Brazil, Argentina, Turkey, South Africa and China. It is also built under licence in North Korea as the Pyonghwa Hwiparam. Russian ZMA started assembly of Turkish CKD kits in...
budget model.