Fiat 130 coupé  car range and history 

Vehicle technical details
Manufacturer:	Fiat
Production:	1971 to 1977
Class:	Sports car
Designer:	Pininfarina
Total production:	4.491
Assembly plants:	Italy
Top speed:	195  km / h
Body and chassis
Body styles:	Coupé
Doors:	2
Chassis/body:	steel
Suspension:	front/rear: independent
Engine and Powertrain
Drive:	rear
Engine Type:	V6
Displacement:	3235  cm³
Engine location:	longitudinal front
Transmission:	five-speed manual,3 speed automatic
Steering:	power steering
Cooling:	water cooled
Brakes:	discs front and rear
Fuel supply:	Weber 45 DFC
Weights and Dimensions
Wheelbase:	2720 mm
Length:	4840 mm
Width:	1760 mm
Height:	1380 mm
Weight:	1600  kg

The body, assembled at the Fiat plant in Rivalta , was delivered naked to the Pininfarina plant which provided for the painting, set-up and overall finish, putting its own brand on the sides. The subsequent marketing of this version was always within the competence of FIAT. The FIAT 130 Coupé borrowed most of the mechanics from the sedan, but the engine of the model in question was characterized by having a slightly higher volume, precisely of the value of 3235 cm³, and this more for the benefit of the maximum torque and elasticity of march that of the power, grown of little, from 160 CV to 165 CV.

During the course of the year, this engine was subsequently used to equip the sedan, which also adopted the renewed central console of the coupé, characterized by a more rational and modern design than the one fitted to the previous model.

As mentioned, another serious flaw was excessive consumption, despite various attempts to reduce the extent of the problem that always plagued the engine. Absolutely prohibitive consumption even in relation to the engine capacity, even higher than those of some American V8 produced at the time; it was not difficult to go down to the order of 3 km / liter in the urban cycle.

The main obstacle that penalized the model both during gestation and during the commercial phase, was the idea universally spread among potential buyers, for which FIAT was considered a house specialized exclusively in the production of utility cars and completely incapable or unsuited to try their hand in the luxury car sector, which historically had never been within its competence. Substantially this car, besides its limits, was always disadvantaged by the "proletarian" image of the brand. In fact, in the range of the Turin-based company it was positioned as a completely exceptional object, with a sale price almost three times that of the Fiat 132 .

The serious oil crisis that started in 1973 led to the commercial death of the model, as the consents paid to the coupe were limited only to appreciations for its exterior line, but never translated into substantial numbers of sale. Moreover, the circumstance was evident that the use of a car characterized by such high consumption, due in part to the cost of fuel quintupled in a few months, had suddenly become uneconomical.

The parent company also did not follow up on the production of some unique pieces, essentially of the stylistic evolutions of the coupe designed by Pininfarina, such as the Opera , designed and produced as a single piece during 1974 and the Maremma , designed and produced during 1975 , respectively the prototype of a 4-door sedan and the prototype of a particular 3-door station wagon , characterized by the setting (Shooting Brake), and characterized by some peculiar functional and stylistic solutions.

The Fiat 130 Coupé remained in production until the autumn of 1977, totaling 4,491 units produced.