2023-05-04 22:31:57
The legendary automotive brands, those that were born at the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century, accumulate in their long history a good number of iconic models. In order to preserve and disseminate this legacy, Fiat has assembled a museum, the Heritage, in the old Hall 81 of the historic Mirafiori factory in Turin (Italy), in which the legacy of the brand is accumulated.
Entering Ship 81 is immersing yourself in the history of the last century, because beyond the legendary models, it is a journey through the 20th century, with its crises, its wars and its technological advances.
Fiat was born in 1899 and over the years the Turin company has become a symbol of Italy’s technological and creative activity, which has forever changed the country and the history of world mobility.
In Heritage you can walk and feel the company of the Agnelli family, the genius and design vision of Dante Giacosa and the administrative foresight of Vittorio Valletta through the vehicles that democratized mobility in the world.
In the installation, organized by thematic areas, the visitor can admire what was the first model, the Fiat 3 1/2 HP and other cars such as the “Topolino”, the iconic 500, and other icons of mobility such as the cinquecento, the 600, the 124 and Panda.
The 600 is one of the protagonists
In one of the areas, the one dedicated to competition, the Fiat S61 (1908) stands out, a two-seater racing model that was developed specifically for the North American market and that for the time was a technological prodigy. It features an improved engine and a lightened frame and steel crossmembers, while the body is made of aluminium. Powered by the 10,087 cc inline four-cylinder, with overhead camshaft distribution, 4 valves per cylinder and double spark plugs for ignition, it is capable of offering surprising performance for the time: from 115 to 125 HP, depending on the configuration, and a top speed of nearly 100 mph.
If the content you store is unique, the building that houses the collection is also unique. It is a construction from the 60s that was built for the production of mechanical transmission units. The ship has been restored maintaining absolute fidelity to the original aesthetics: from the colors of the façade to the concrete floor or the metal grilles.
The Officine Classiche Workshops are located in the nearby Nave 83. These facilities are dedicated to the repair, certification and restoration of classic Fiat vehicles, both belonging to the brand itself and to private collectors. An army of experts is in charge of returning cars from all eras to their days of maximum splendor. His weapons, in addition to his technical knowledge, are access to the production data of each model and their original designs.
One of Heritage’s functions is also to promote a close relationship with Fiat car enthusiasts and collectors, creating a true meeting point for clubs and fans. This facet is manifested in the organization of exhibitions and events at its facilities and in participation in salons specialized in classic cars, meetings and elegance contests or competitions such as regularity races.
Classic Fiat vehicle owners can turn to Heritage to request a certificate of authenticity for their car, after rigorous inspection. With the frame number of each car, it is possible to have an official document that contains data such as the date of production, technical data, the engine serial number and special characteristics of the exterior and interior.
Sports have a prominent space
In addition, Heritage offers you a wide range of products and services, such as spare parts, facsimile reproductions of original user manuals or the reissue of historic lubricants, which were specifically designed for your vehicle’s engines and systems, such as Olio. Fiat or the Olio Fiat VS+. For lovers of automotive history in general, it also offers fashion and accessories inspired by mythical models of the brand.
Also located in Turin, the Centro Storico Fiat, which can be visited in a modernist building on Corso Dante, exhibits legendary automobiles such as the Fiat 3 ½ HP or the Fiat Mefistofele that broke the world speed record in 1924, but also other products that, throughout the last 122 years, have proudly carried the Fiat seal: from planes and trains to tractors, bicycles or even refrigerators. Together with them, memories and documents from all eras, models, posters, technical drawings, 6 million images and more than 200 hours of audiovisual material.
#museum #Fiats #automotive #heritage