Autobianchi A111
Encyclopedia
The Autobianchi A111 is a small family car from the Italian
automaker, Autobianchi
(a subsidiary of the Fiat group
), built from 1969 to 1972. Despite rather modest dimensions, it was the largest Autobianchi ever made, as the brand specialized in small cars. A modern front-wheel drive
(FWD) construction, it was launched concurrently with Fiat 128
, Fiat's first own FWD compact car
, and can be seen as a further development of the revolutionary Autobianchi Primula
, Fiat's first "experiment" with the transverse engine
/FWD setup.
and Fiat 128. This comes as no surprise, as both the Autobianchi A111 and the Fiats were created under the supervision of Dante Giacosa
, who was also responsible for the creation of the Primula. Size-wise, the A111 slotted between the 128 and 124 sedans, being also significantly bigger than the previously-biggest Autobianchi, the said Primula.
OHV
unit that delivered 70 hp and could also be found under the hood of Fiat 124 Special
- it should not be confused with a more powerful engine of the same displacement
from the Fiat Twin Cam series
, which was also fitted in some 124s, but not in the A111. The engine was mated with a 4-speed manual transmission
with floor-mounted shifter. Neither an automatic
or any other engine options were offered.
and later Autobianchi Y10
) and thus the A111 remained without a direct replacement within the Autobianchi lineup.
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...
automaker, Autobianchi
Autobianchi
Autobianchi was an Italian automobile manufacturer, created jointly by Bianchi, Pirelli and Fiat in 1955. Autobianchi produced only a handful of models during its lifetime, which were almost exclusively small cars, with the biggest being the short-lived Autobianchi A111, a small family car...
(a subsidiary of the Fiat group
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...
), built from 1969 to 1972. Despite rather modest dimensions, it was the largest Autobianchi ever made, as the brand specialized in small cars. A modern front-wheel drive
Front-wheel drive
Front-wheel drive is a form of engine/transmission layout used in motor vehicles, where the engine drives the front wheels only. Most modern front-wheel drive vehicles feature a transverse engine, rather than the conventional longitudinal engine arrangement generally found in rear-wheel drive and...
(FWD) construction, it was launched concurrently with Fiat 128
Fiat 128
The Fiat 128 is a small family car manufactured by the Italian manufacturer Fiat from 1969 to 1985. The engine was designed by the famous Ferrari racing engine designer Aurelio Lampredi.-History:...
, Fiat's first own FWD compact car
Compact car
A compact car , or small family car , is a classification of cars which are larger than a supermini but smaller than or equal to a mid-size car...
, and can be seen as a further development of the revolutionary Autobianchi Primula
Autobianchi Primula
The Autobianchi Primula is a small car from the Italian automaker, Autobianchi , built between 1964 and 1970. It was Fiat's first automobile with the front-wheel drive, transverse engine setup, as well as the first Fiat group car with rack and pinion steering...
, Fiat's first "experiment" with the transverse engine
Transverse engine
A transverse engine is an engine mounted in a vehicle so that the engine's crankshaft axis is perpendicular to the long axis of the vehicle. Many modern front wheel drive vehicles use this engine mounting configuration...
/FWD setup.
Design
A four-door sedan of little more than 4 metres, on the outside the A111 strongly resembled the Fiat designs of the era, especially the Fiat 124Fiat 124
The Fiat 124 is a mid-sized family car produced by the Italian manufacturer Fiat between 1966 and 1974. It was the replacement of the Fiat 1300 and Fiat 1500...
and Fiat 128. This comes as no surprise, as both the Autobianchi A111 and the Fiats were created under the supervision of Dante Giacosa
Dante Giacosa
Dante Giacosa was an Italian car designer. His work covered a large range from minicars to sports cars, using all the different layouts as and when they were the best solution at the time to meet the design parameters....
, who was also responsible for the creation of the Primula. Size-wise, the A111 slotted between the 128 and 124 sedans, being also significantly bigger than the previously-biggest Autobianchi, the said Primula.
Driveline
As was mentioned, the Autobianchi A111 was a front-wheel drive car with a transversely mounted engine, more specifically the 1438 cc straight-4Straight-4
The inline-four engine or straight-four engine is an internal combustion engine with all four cylinders mounted in a straight line, or plane along the crankcase. The single bank of cylinders may be oriented in either a vertical or an inclined plane with all the pistons driving a common crankshaft....
OHV
Overhead 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...
unit that delivered 70 hp and could also be found under the hood of Fiat 124 Special
Fiat 124
The Fiat 124 is a mid-sized family car produced by the Italian manufacturer Fiat between 1966 and 1974. It was the replacement of the Fiat 1300 and Fiat 1500...
- it should not be confused with a more powerful engine of the same displacement
Engine displacement
Engine displacement is the volume swept by all the pistons inside the cylinders of an internal combustion engine in a single movement from top dead centre to bottom dead centre . It is commonly specified in cubic centimeters , litres , or cubic inches...
from the Fiat Twin Cam series
Fiat Twin Cam engine
Designed by Aurelio Lampredi the Fiat Twin Cam was an advanced inline-4 automobile engine produced from 1959 through 1994 as a Fiat/Lancia engine until it was replaced by the "family B" series of engines...
, which was also fitted in some 124s, but not in the A111. The engine was mated with a 4-speed manual transmission
Manual transmission
A manual transmission, also known as a manual gearbox or standard transmission is a type of transmission used in motor vehicle applications...
with floor-mounted shifter. Neither an automatic
Automatic transmission
An automatic transmission is one type of motor vehicle transmission that can automatically change gear ratios as the vehicle moves, freeing the driver from having to shift gears manually...
or any other engine options were offered.
Steering
Steering was by means of a rack and pinion mechanism positioned beneath the transverse leaf spring and behind the engine.End of the road
As the 1970s progressed, Fiat has introduced an increasing number of FWD cars under its own brand, and thus the Autobianchis became redundant. The last car left the production line in 1972, making the total number of A111s produced 56,984. The brand began to be gradually reduced to a single model (the Autobianchi A112Autobianchi A112
The Autobianchi A112 is a supermini produced by the Italian automaker Autobianchi. It was developed using the mechanicals which subsequently underpinned the Fiat 127. It was introduced in 1969, as a replacement for the Bianchina and Primula, and was built until 1986, when it made way for the more...
and later Autobianchi Y10
Autobianchi Y10
The Autobianchi Y10 is a city car manufactured by the Italian automaker Fiat from 1985 to 1996 and marketed under the Autobianchi brand in Italy and under the Lancia brand in most export markets . The car was manufactured at the Autobianchi plant in Desio, Milan until 1992 and after that in Arese,...
) and thus the A111 remained without a direct replacement within the Autobianchi lineup.