Fiat 850 Spider

Small sports cars have always been a Fiat speciality, and in the case of the 850 Spider it's easy to see why. Its pretty Bertone-penned bodywork concealed a tiny rear-mounted 817cc four-cylinder engine, making it cheap to buy and run. And although the powerplant might not deliver masses of power, the 850's finely-balanced chassis, light and agile steering and responsive gearbox make it an absolute pleasure to drive. The engine revs cleanly to 6,600rpm, giving the car a far more sporting charcter than its performance figures would suggest, while the tail-happy chassis gave handling charcteristics of a true thoroughbred sports car. The Spider's only real downfall came from its build quality - Fiat used cheap metal during its manufacture, and subsequently rust was always a problem for any owner. A Sports Spider was also produced with a 903cc engine.

Fiat 850 Spider Specifications