Fiat 2300
Encyclopedia
The Fiat 2300 is an automobile
which was produced by Italian
automotive manufacturer Fiat
between 1961 and 1969.
Mechanically the 2300 lived up to its expectations with power assisted brake discs for all four wheels and a powerful 2.3 litre six cylinder
engine (with twin-carbs on the "S" version). Production continued in limited numbers until 1968.
The 2300 saloon (styled by Pininfarina
) is noteworthy as the first Fiat model to become available with a fully automatic gearbox
, which replaced the Saxomat
clutch as an optional extra in 1966. Most 2300s and all 2300S coupés had a four-speed all-synchromesh gearbox.
.
The coupé body was welded to the standard floor platform of the 2300 saloon with which it shared its core components. (Despite being a new model, the 2300 saloon was in most respects a well-proven design, being a larger engined version of the Fiat 2100 that had been available since 1959.) The wheelbase was identical, but the coupé had a slightly wider track at both ends than the saloon, and final drive gearing for the coupé was increased to 3.9 (3.72 for the 2300S coupé) which translated to 20.9 mph (33.6 km/h) per 1,000 rpm.
Elegantly styled by Ghia the 2300 had true "Grand Touring" style and panache which often earned it the "poor man's Ferrari" tag. Inside the 2300 Coupe featured power operated windows and other luxury fittings.
Automobile
An automobile, autocar, motor car or car is a wheeled motor vehicle used for transporting passengers, which also carries its own engine or motor...
which was produced by 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...
automotive manufacturer 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...
between 1961 and 1969.
Mechanically the 2300 lived up to its expectations with power assisted brake discs for all four wheels and a powerful 2.3 litre six cylinder
Cylinder (engine)
A cylinder is the central working part of a reciprocating engine or pump, the space in which a piston travels. Multiple cylinders are commonly arranged side by side in a bank, or engine block, which is typically cast from aluminum or cast iron before receiving precision machine work...
engine (with twin-carbs on the "S" version). Production continued in limited numbers until 1968.
The 2300 saloon (styled by Pininfarina
Pininfarina
Pininfarina S.p.A. is an Italian car design firm and coachbuilder in Cambiano, Italy.Founded as Società anonima Carrozzeria Pinin Farina in 1930 by automobile designer and builder Battista "Pinin" Farina, Pininfarina has been employed by a wide variety of high-end automobile manufacturers,...
) is noteworthy as the first Fiat model to become available with a fully automatic gearbox
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...
, which replaced the Saxomat
Saxomat
Saxomat was a type of automatic clutch available as an option on Fiat 1800, Saab 93, Borgward Isabella, Goliath/Hansa 1100, Auto Union 1000, BMW, Opel, Ford Taunus, NSU, Glas, Trabant Wartburg and Volkswagen cars. Opel sold it as Olymat; Trabant and Wartburg named the system Hycomat...
clutch as an optional extra in 1966. Most 2300s and all 2300S coupés had a four-speed all-synchromesh gearbox.
Coupé
One of less well known "niche" Fiat models of the 1960s was the 2300/2300S Coupé. The shape of the car was first seen in public when Ghia presented it as a prototype sports coupé at the 1960 Turin Motor Show. A production version, based on the newly launched Fiat 2300 sedan was first seen in 1961 and went on general sale in 1962. Having developed the coupé body, Ghia lacked the production capacity needed for the volumes envisaged, and were obliged to subcontract its production to OSIOfficine Stampaggi Industriali
The Officine Stampaggi Industriali was a coachbuilding company founded in 1960 in Turin by former president of Ghia Luigi Segre and Arrigo Olivetti ....
.
The coupé body was welded to the standard floor platform of the 2300 saloon with which it shared its core components. (Despite being a new model, the 2300 saloon was in most respects a well-proven design, being a larger engined version of the Fiat 2100 that had been available since 1959.) The wheelbase was identical, but the coupé had a slightly wider track at both ends than the saloon, and final drive gearing for the coupé was increased to 3.9 (3.72 for the 2300S coupé) which translated to 20.9 mph (33.6 km/h) per 1,000 rpm.
Elegantly styled by Ghia the 2300 had true "Grand Touring" style and panache which often earned it the "poor man's Ferrari" tag. Inside the 2300 Coupe featured power operated windows and other luxury fittings.
Specifications
| Model | Years | Engine | Displacement | Power | Fuel system |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2300 | 1962-68 | straight-6 Straight-6 The straight-six engine or inline-six engine is a six-cylinder internal combustion engine with all six cylinders mounted in a straight line along the crankcase... ohv |
2279 cc | 105 hp | Single carburetor |
| 2300 S | 1962-68 | straight-6 Straight-6 The straight-six engine or inline-six engine is a six-cylinder internal combustion engine with all six cylinders mounted in a straight line along the crankcase... ohv |
2279 cc | 136 hp | Double carburetor |
Further reading
- Fiat Personenwagen, by Fred Steiningen, 1994. ISBN 3-923448-37-6